World Series of Poker delays final table until November!
Those days of knowing the result of the World Series of Poker in July, then waiting for the ESPN telecast in November are over. The WSOP is playing down to its final nine in July, then waiting three months to play the final table down and air it quickly on TV.
The last nine players of the $10,000 World Championship of No-Limit Texas Hold’em, known as the Main Event, will compete on Nov. 9-10 instead of the originally scheduled date of July 16, the WSOP announced today.
"Our intent is to provide an even bigger stage for our players," said Jeffrey Pollack, Commissioner of the World Series of Poker, in a news release. (Nick's comment: And make more money. C'mon. Fess up. OK, back to the release...)
All other 2008 WSOP tournament structures and schedules remain unchanged. This announcement affects only the final nine players of Event No. 54, the Main Event World Championship.
"This is a huge step forward for poker and more specifically poker on television because it will help create more buzz around the final table and that is good for all of us,” said Daniel Negreanu, a three-time bracelet winner.
The 39th annual World Series of Poker will take place from May 30th to July 14th at the Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. The Main Event will begin on July 3, with the Final Table being determined on July 14. The nine players who advance to the Final Table will return to the Rio on Nov. 9 to play down to just two players. The final two will go head-to-head late in the evening on Nov. 10, the release said.
The winner of the Main Event is expected to be crowned in the early hours of Nov. 11. ESPN will edit the two-day final table action and televise it in from 9-11 p.m. that night.
ESPN will begin its coverage of the 2008 World Series of Poker on July 22. Viewers will see two hours of original poker programming every Tuesday through Nov. 11. Telecasts will be aired at 8 p.m. and 9 p.m. July 22 through Sept. 30 and at 9 p.m. and 10 p.m. from Oct. 7 through Nov. 11.
Each of the players who make it to the WSOP Main Event Final Table will receive ninth place prize money on July 14, when the finalists are determined. Harrah’s will then provide each of those players with a trip for two for their return to Las Vegas in November to play the final portion of the tournament.
The release points out that from July 14 to Nov. 9, players will have an opportunity to line up sponsorships, coaches, review the play of all their competitors, participate in other tournaments, and take advantage of the new publicity and promotional opportunities.
My angle on this: I really, really need a local to make the final table (can you say Fred Goldberg?), so I can talk editors into a Vegas trip in November to cover our local.
And, if you're playing in the WSOP, send me an email. I'm compiling a list.
