Over 500 Media Members Credentialed At THE WORLD SERIES OF POKER

(From Sports Business Daily)

More than 500 media outlets "have received credentials to cover" THE WORLD SERIES OF POKER in LAS VEGAS, according to HOWARD STUTZ of THE LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL. Stories on the tournament have appeared in THE NEW YORK TIMES, THE WASHINGTON POST, and THE USA TODAY, among several other major U.S. newspapers.

In New York, RICHARD SANDOMIR notes THE TRAVEL CHANNEL's telecasts of THE WORLD SERIES OF POKER "are by far the network’s most popular offerings, nearly doubling the ratings of its second-most popular show, JOHN RATZENBERGER's MADE IN AMERICA."

However, ESPN's 1.7 NIELSEN RATING last year for the 22 episodes of THE WORLD SERIES OF POKER "was nearly TWICE that of THE TRAVEL CHANNEL's, and up" 42% from the year before, when it carried only seven installments.

ESPN would not disclose what it is paying to carry THE WORLD SERIES OF POKER, but its fee "is believed to be modest relative to" the $9.9 MILLION THE WORLD POKER TOURNAMENT said it received from THE TRAVEL CHANNEL for last year's second season.

ESPN Executive Vice President of Programming and Production MARK SHAPIRO said THE WORLD SERIES OF POKER was a "dying brand before it came to ESPN. We've spent considerable effort and dollars to rebuild the brand."

THE TRAVEL CHANNEL did not respond to multiple requests for ratings for the third season of THE WORLD POKER TOURNAMENT.