ESPN to Televise Enhanced Two-Day World Series of Poker Final
Table Format on November 11

ESPN’s exclusive coverage of the 2008 World Series of Poker® Presented by Milwaukee’s Best Light will feature a new enhanced format for the Final Table.  The final nine players of the Main Event (the $10,000 World Championship of No-Limit Texas Hold’em) will compete on November 9-10 instead of the originally scheduled date of July 16.  ESPN will televise coverage of the Final Table in a two-hour program on Tuesday, Nov. 11, at 9 p.m. ET.

The innovative change – offering fans an enhanced way of following the excitement and drama of high-stakes tournament play -- was made in collaboration between the WSOP, the WSOP Players Advisory Council and ESPN.

The 39th annual World Series of Poker will take place May 30 to July 14 at the Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas.  The Main Event will begin on July 3 with the Final Table being determined on July 14.  The nine players who advance to the Final Table will return to the Rio on November 9 to determine the final two players.  They will then compete late in the evening on November 10 to determine the champion of poker’s ultimate prize.

• The winner of the Main Event is expected to be crowned in the early hours of November 11.  ESPN will quickly “turn around” the action from the two-day Final Table event for a two-hour telecast that evening at 9 p.m.  ESPN will televise a special one-hour preview show of the Final Table Tuesday, Nov. 4, at 10 p.m.

"It's an exciting time for the World Series of Poker and ESPN," said Jamie Horowitz, senior producer, ESPN Content Development. "This adjustment will add a new element to a very successful and popular event.  We look forward to documenting all of the exciting stories that make the Main Event the seminal competition in all of poker."

• Jeffrey Pollack, commissioner of the World Series of Poker, added, “Our intent is to provide an even stronger tournament for all poker players and the entire poker industry.  Now fans will ask ‘who will win?’ our coveted championship bracelet and millions of dollars, instead of ‘who won?’.  The excitement and interest that will surround our final nine players will be unprecedented.”

Beginning Tuesday, July 22, viewers will see two hours of original programming from the 2008 World Series of Poker (taking place May 30 to July 14 and then November 9-10) every Tuesday through October 28, leading to a preview of the Final Table November 4, at 10 p.m. and the Final Table November 11.  Telecasts will be aired at 8 p.m. and 9 p.m. July 22 through September 30 and at 9 p.m. and 10 p.m. October 7 through November 11 (except November 4 when there is only a 10 p.m. show). 

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