- PokerGO and CBS Sports have partnered to bring the World Series of Poker (WSOP) to CBS Sports platforms.
- Initially, WSOP was aired on ESPN.
- CBS Sports was the first network to air WSOP in the 1970s.
LAS VEGAS – World Series of Poker (WSOP) will no longer be airing on ESPN after PokerGO ends its partnership with the sports network. Now, CBS Sports will be home to the popular poker tournament.
PokerGO and CBS Sports have partnered for a multi-year agreement that will make the network the official television home of WSOP.
The entire WSOP Main Event will be broadcasted on CBS Sports Network, starting a new era for popular online poker giant.
WSOP Meets CBS Sports Network
This is a major move in the poker world as WSOP and ESPN have been partners for years. CBS managing to claim the biggest poker event in the country is surely a major win for the network.
"Following our past success with PokerGO, we are excited to expand our relationship with the highest-profile and richest event in competitive tournament poker featuring the best players in the world," said Dan Weinberg, CBS Sports Executive Vice President of Programming. "This deal fits perfectly in our strategy to combine best-in-class events with our CBS Sports brand."
This partnership is sort of a reunion between the two brands. WSOP initially began airing on CBS Sports in the 1970s. At the time, all WSOP Main Events were aired on the CBS Sports Spectacular program.
CBS Sports will now run the full 15-hour long WSOP Main Event as well as cover the 18 different Gold Bracelet events for an additional 36 hours of content.
These events run constantly throughout the year, giving CBS Sports exclusive rights to the full viewership of PokerGO’s strong fanbase.
"CBS Sports has long been a pioneer in covering a broad range of championship sports," said Ty Stewart, WSOP Executive Director. "We couldn't be more excited to see increased television coverage of the WSOP in the coming years and benefit from their growing media platforms."
This major partnership is just another example of how big USA online gambling has become, with major networks battling for exclusive rights to air WSOP events. An estimated $3.29 billion has been handed out in prize money throughout the history of the WSOP.
"The WSOP is one of the strongest brands in sports media out there," said Weinberg. "It's a championship event that has a high-profile roster of participants, which is something that we always look for. It's the biggest and most notable events in poker circles whether it's professional or amateur. The prestige is huge. It's a scene in of itself in the city of Las Vegas."
The WSOP Main Event will begin on Thursday, November 4, and run through Wednesday, November 17. CBS Sports is now the home for all things WSOP.