Re: Is the WPT Dying?
 

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I can't see the viewership doing anything but increase maybe they wanted the primetime spot.

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They already had the primetime slot. They used to show it twice - once at 6 pm and once at 9 pm.

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They still do. Wednesdays at 9pm and midnight ET on the EAST FEED, 9pm and midnight PT on the WEST FEED.

You just have to figure out which feed you are getting via cable if you live in the Pacific Time Zone. Don't just rely on the program guide on your TIVO.

(You always get the EAST FEED if you have DirecTV and DISH Network regardless of your time zone.)

Re: Is the WPT Dying?
 

The thread should be renamed "is tv poker dying" and to answer that, yes, yes it is.

Re: Is the WPT Dying?
 

Dying is the wrong word. The market got flooded with new shows most of which were uninteresting or gimmicky. Those shows will be gone. In the end I think the WPT and WSOP are fixtures; certainly the WSOP is. The great thing about poker programming and what really attracted sports networks to it is that it can be shown as filler anytime and can be aired and re-aired ad nauseam.

Live tournament poker was tried once - I don't think it will ever happen again. No one but hardcore poker players want to see blind steals and re-steals for half an hour. People rave about this concept on here, and while I like L@TB, it can get very very boring.

Re: Is the WPT Dying?
 

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Live tournament poker was tried once - I don't think it will ever happen again.

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It's been on at least twice (Turning Stone and Full Tilt Invitational).

Re: Is the WPT Dying?
 

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Dying is the wrong word. The market got flooded with new shows most of which were uninteresting or gimmicky. Those shows will be gone. In the end I think the WPT and WSOP are fixtures; certainly the WSOP is. The great thing about poker programming and what really attracted sports networks to it is that it can be shown as filler anytime and can be aired and re-aired ad nauseam.

Live tournament poker was tried once - I don't think it will ever happen again. No one but hardcore poker players want to see blind steals and re-steals for half an hour. People rave about this concept on here, and while I like L@TB, it can get very very boring.

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LIVE TV poker is still alive, though the jury will be out to see whether LIVE TV poker will be worth doing after the next attempt by FSN, which will have its 4th live poker show on July 12, the $10 million buy-in (allegedly) 6-handed single-table, winner-take-all TV "stunt", featuring Phil Ivey.

Ratings have declined for each of the live poker events that FSN has tried. The FullTilt invitational from Monaco last November drew less than 300,000 households.

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The "top" tier of TV poker shows, based on US TV ratings in order from the highest on down, are:

1. WSOP Main Event Final Table (but will it stay on top in 2006? NBC Heads Up is running strong in 2006.)

2. NBC Heads Up (ratings in 2006 are holding up solidly when compared to 2005 ratings, i.e. 1.5 million households)

3. The rest of the WSOP Main Event shows that build up to the final table.

4. WSOP Preliminary bracelet events and WSOP Circuit (the status in 2007 for these products are now at the mercy of ESPN.)

5. World Poker Tour (ratings in 2006 have slipped to 2003 levels)

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I would put FSN's Poker Superstars at the top of the 2nd tier for now. That could change if ratings were to fade.

Celebrity Poker on Bravo has faded, and faded dramatically, in 2005, losing over half its audience compared to 2004.

The syndicated Plaza Ultimate Poker Challenge (UPC) is another one that faded dramatically during its 2nd season, losing almost 2/3 of its audience. UPC is getting dangerously close to slipping into the 3rd tier (anything that draws less than 300,000 households on average, including the assorted stuff that air on FSN and GSN.)

At this point, I don't see WPTE's PPT spinoff getting into the top tier now that 1) The Travel Channel won't pick up the 2nd season of PPT, 2) ESPN is cutting back on TV poker products and doesn't need the PPT anymore, 3) NBC Universal Cable (CNBC, USA, Bravo) has cut back on TV poker and doesn't need it (we haven't seen a new Celebrity Poker series air on Bravo in 6 months), and 4) FSN doesn't need it (FSN already has Poker SuperStars, PokerDome, and 3rd-tier paid programming from the likes of Bodog, UB, and Full Tilt.)

With that said, WPTE's near future (in the next 9 months) is secure because The Travel Channel has re-upped for WPT Season 5, and because WPTE has plenty of cash and short-term investments (about $2 per share worth of cash and equivalents) and no debt.

The potential for further growth of WPTE's various lines of businesses, however, are in extreme doubt.

WPT TV ratings are slipping, merchandise licensing revenue has slipped dramatically, WPTOnline has had lots of problems and will need a whole new technology infrastructure, and there is no guarantee that the PPT will even see its 2nd season on US television. (WPTE will find selling the PPT TV product in 2006 to be a MUCH GREATER challenge than in 2005.)

Re: Is the WPT Dying?
 

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The syndicated Plaza Ultimate Poker Challenge (UPC) is another one that faded dramatically during its 2nd season, losing almost 2/3 of its audience.

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We all know the real reason that the ratings dropped so much the second season.

Re: Is the WPT Dying?
 

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Dying is the wrong word. The market got flooded with new shows most of which were uninteresting or gimmicky. Those shows will be gone. In the end I think the WPT and WSOP are fixtures;

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I read that the WSOP will be cutting a lot of events from tv for the 06 WSOP. You have to wonder how many final tables of the WSOP will be shown on tv for the 07/08 WSOP and so on as ratings decrease each year. I bet in 5 years you will only see the main event and maybe 2 or 3 other final tables.

Re: Is the WPT Dying?
 

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The syndicated Plaza Ultimate Poker Challenge (UPC) is another one that faded dramatically during its 2nd season, losing almost 2/3 of its audience.

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We all know the real reason that the ratings dropped so much the second season.

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It must be because you weren't on as much/at all.

Re: Is the WPT Dying?
 

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I guess this is pretty much the end of my WPT watching. I used to have a set routine: I'd Tivo the 6 pm show and get home around 6:45 so I could start watching from the beginning and fast forward through all the inane VVP/MS comments and commercials. I could usually watch the entire show in under 45 minutes.



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Dude, YOU HAVE A TIVO. Record it on Wednesday and watch it on Thursday.

Re: Is the WPT Dying?
 

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I guess this is pretty much the end of my WPT watching. I used to have a set routine: I'd Tivo the 6 pm show and get home around 6:45 so I could start watching from the beginning and fast forward through all the inane VVP/MS comments and commercials. I could usually watch the entire show in under 45 minutes.



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Dude, YOU HAVE A TIVO. Record it on Wednesday and watch it on Thursday.

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I want to watch it live (via Tivo) so that I can read and comment on the show in the forums here.