ESPN Expands 2011 WSOP Coverage

ESPN has announced expanded coverage of the 2011 World Series of Poker (WSOP).  ”Days 3 through 8 of the WSOP main event — scheduled for July 14-19 — will feature 34 hours of “live” poker on ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPN3.com featuring unedited play and hole cards.”  This change follows the successful “live” broadcast of the final table of the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure on ESPN2.  Many in the poker world applauded the PCA coverage for giving a sense of the full meta game being played between the two final players in heads-up action.  The hope is that even the casual viewer will see how the flow of the game reaches to the climactic hands.

“The 30-minute delay coverage on ESPN2 (and simulcast on ESPN3.com) will only include hole cards postflop. There will be two feature tables, and coverage will shift between the tables every 30 minutes, but any “all-in and call” situations will be included.”  Previously, the highly edited WSOP coverage focused almost exclusively on decisive hands.  This gave the average viewer a skewed view of poker as a game of only huge hands and big plays.  The real truth may show insight into the thoughts and decisions it truly takes to be a champion at the skill game of poker.  Poker purists will laud this change, but the public will need to imbrace it to prompt ESPN to continue the practice.

ESPN will also televise three events besides the WSOP Main Event.  The WSOP Grudge Matches are made for TV rematches of famous Heads Up matches from previous WSOP Main Events.  Also telecast will be the $25,000 Heads-Up World Championship and the $50,000 Poker Players’ Championship.