Poker on TV
With the explosion in the take up of poker in the United Kingdom, it appears that every medium, not just the internet, is marketing the game. Television is one such medium, that is helping poker achieve a quantum leap in terms of the people that can now readily access information, tournaments and tips on how to play.
With multi channel television here to stay, and poker growing in popularity all the time, I can only see more poker related channels being launched in the coming years. At the time of writing this article Sky television is broadcasting 2 24 hour channels dedicated exclusively to poker. These channels being the Poker Zone (channel 226) and The Poker Channel (channel 265)
In addition the mainstream channels are also heavily promoting the game. Indeed channel 5 is quoted in Brand republic, as having recently secured its largest commercial deal to date with Partypoker.com sponsoring the broadcaster's event-based poker programmes.
This specific deal has a mind boggling 72 hours of programming, including three major poker tournaments over the next 12 months, with online poker room Partypoker.com being the sole broadcast sponsor of Five's late-night poker strand, which will air weekdays at midnight from mid-December 2005.
Channel Fives dedication to poker appears to be growing, as it aims to televise a number of live tournaments that include the European Open and World Open, all of which are to be sponsored of course by Partypoker.com
To run along side this, Channel 5, will also be marketing their own poker site, which will primarily be a support to the television schedule
Other channels heavily promoting Poker include Challenge TV and and a number of the new “games” channels that continue to spring up on satellite TV.
Challenge TV
Tends towards celebrity events, and covers the world poker tour. Recent events included a Hollywood special with players Tom Everrt Scott, Jeremy Sisto, Kathy Griffin and Ron Livingston all taking part. In addition late night viewer can watch poker superstars playing for $400,000 monthly jackpots. Stars such as Ted Forrest and Johnny Chan are regulars.
Poker Channel
This was the worlds first channel devoted exclusively to poker. The channel launched in March 2005, and operates 24 hours a day 7 days a week. A typical schedule is indicated below
8.00am - PokerHeaven.com Online Poker
9.00am - Play-Along Zone
10.30am - PokerHeaven.com Online Poker
1.00pm - European Poker Championships 2005
2.30pm - World Poker Open: 2000
3.30pm - World Poker Open: 2001
4.30pm - Victor Poker Cup 2004 - Episode 2
5.30pm - World Speed Poker Open - semifinal 1
7.00pm - James Woods Gang v the Unabombers - Episode 7
9.00pm - Ultimate Poker.com Showdown - Episode 9
10.00pm - British Poker Open Final
11.30pm - World Speed Poker Open - semifinal 2
1.00am - PokerHeaven.com Online Poker
Poker Zone
Poker zone claim to be the world second poker only tv channel. Launched in May 2005, the channel already has a dedicated viewing on Sky, and it too operates 24 hours a day 7 days a week. Has recently tried to branch out into the latest game craze of backgammon. I would expect to see this channel increasingly focusing on such events
ITV
Not to be outdone, by all the other channels, ITV1 recently held a celebrity poker tournament, with a host of stars playing for a £50,000 jackpot. The tournament was sponsored by Littlewoods poker, proving that the money continues to be no object for companies jumping on the bandwagon.
