CBS will carry exclusive coverage of WPT events and tournaments for the next several years
The World Poker Tour (WPT) has signed a multi-year broadcasting agreement with CBS Sports Network, bringing exclusive coverage of its events to the network’s sports lineup. This partnership, set to start on November 14, will showcase episodes from WPT’s seasons XXI through XXIII. The first event aired will be the 2023 WPT Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown Championship, where Wisconsin’s Josh Reichard emerged victorious, adding his name to the list of WPT champions.
This deal marks a new chapter for WPT as its content appears on a CBS-branded network for the first time. Since its launch in 2002, the WPT gained traction on the Travel Channel and grew rapidly, later finding homes on various satellite and digital platforms. The CBS Sports Network agreement aims to enhance WPT’s reach and bring its high-quality poker broadcasts to an even broader US audience.
Viewers can look forward to coverage of high-stakes events, including the 2023 $40 million guaranteed WPT World Championship, won by Dan Sepiol, and the upcoming ClubWPT Gold $5 million Invitational Freeroll. Adam Pliska, CEO of WPT, expressed enthusiasm about the partnership, noting that it reflects the series’ growth in production value and fan engagement. Pliska emphasized that collaborating with CBS Sports Network is a milestone that will bring WPT’s premium poker programming to a vast and engaged sports audience.
Loc Sondheim, WPT’s VP of Studios, Distribution, and Ad Sales, echoed this sentiment, calling CBS Sports Network an ideal partner. Sondheim highlighted the network’s reputation for hosting major sports events and praised its capacity to expand WPT’s viewership into new households across the country.
This deal aligns WPT with a network that has already hosted other significant poker events, positioning CBS Sports Network as a central hub for high-profile poker action in the US. The partnership reflects WPT’s ongoing evolution and commitment to delivering thrilling poker entertainment to fans nationwide.
