Tuesday, August 03, 2004

The explosion of Poker on TV

TV tourneys fuel a rage

In the last few months there has been an explosion of poker coverage on TV in the US. Whilst poker has been shown before, albeit in a tedious fashion showing a group of players sitting around a smokey table. It took the UK's Channel Four and their coverage of 'Late Night Poker' - with their unique camera angles, glass table tops and interesting commentary, that really made way for this new televised phenomenon

According to Gary C.W. Chun of the Honolulu Star the TV coverage has increased competition between players. He points out -
2000 "WSOP" champion, Chris Ferguson, claims that TV has revolutionised poker, forcing professional players to refine and often rethink their game. 'Tells' are easier to pick up on TV and as more players are lured to poker, the bar will be raised for players.

Most importantly, more games and more TV equals more money.

The "World Poker Tour" (which is shown on Challenge TV in the UK) now averages 5 million viewers on cable channel the Travel Channel (which for cable, is exceptional numbers) and this has caused its competitors to add to their own coverage. Sports channel, ESPN shows the "World Series of Poker" whilst Bravo show "Celebrity Poker Showdown" which attracts 1.7 million viewers.

To put this in perspective for the UK, in the first series of Late Night Poker, 1.3 million viewers tuned in for the show - which was broadcast after midnight

US network, Fox Sports Net, also showed Late Night Poker and has followed this by broadcasting "Showdown at the Sands" - less than 24 hours after the winner was crowned

The boom in televised poker doesn't look like it'll stop soon, especially as it starts making celebrities out of the players - for example, the media coverage that Chris Moneymaker received after qualifying through an online poker room.

According to Steve Liscomb, president and founder of "World Poker Tour" poker has "...become this great spectator sport on television. I tell my producers that the first objective of the show is to have viewers feel like they're sitting in a seat on the table, and to feel like the poker gods have struck them down when they lose a million in chips on the turn of the river card. It's the ability to tap into the 50 to 80 million players at home. ... That's human drama, storytelling representing the human condition"

In that overblown American way, he could well be right

More Links:
- Presentable TV - producers of Late Night Poker
- World Poker Tour TV Show
- World Series of Poker on ESPN
- Celebrity Poker Showdown on Bravo TV
- Challenge TV - UK home of World Poker Tour and Celebrity Poker Showdown

Previous Blogs:
- Who's Who in UK Poker

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