ESPN Renews WSOP Deal For Another 7 Years

According to FOX Business News, ESPN has agreed to broadcast the World Series of Poker for another 7 years. The current contract was set to expire after next year’s events but now, thanks to the new contract, the WSOP will continue to air on ESPN (including the always-anticipated main event final table ‘Semi-Live’) until the year 2018 (at which point there’s little doubt they’ll sign up for another 7 seasons or so again).

Also taking place at every year’s WSOP main event final table, and therefore airing on ESPN, is another eagerly awaited annual tradition – the induction of next members into the Poker Hall of Fame.

No doubt a big part of the reason ESPN extended their contract is because the series keeps ratcheting up the excitement year-after-year, with the grand prize each year’s main event winner topping the one prior. Whoever wins the 2009 WSOP will take home $10 million.

Strangely this hasn’t translated in audience numbers, with viewership of the side braceleted events meager at best, diminishing at worst. There’s one exception though, the implementation of the November Nine idea last year, in which the final table is delayed several months and then broadcast semi-live. This gave ESPN and the WSOP several successful months of building suspense and excitement for the final table, boosting 2008 ratings almost 50% over 2007.

But players and fans don’t care about ratings! What you want to know is what parts of the series ESPN will be broadcasting besides the obvious final table. For some insight, let’s look at what they’ve broadcast of the 2009 WSOP so far, starting July 28: the $40,000 40th Anniversary event; the Champions Invitational; the Ante Up For Africa charity tournament.

And as of August 18, 8 pm ET, ESPN has begun its 24-episode chronicle of the 2009 WSOP Main Event.