WSOP Forges Series of Revolutionary Deals

Though the amount of the deal wasn’t released, Harrah’s Entertainment -- which has owned the WSOP since its 2004 acquisition of Binion’s – confirmed it has reached an agreement with Milwaukee's Best Light to become the Presenting Sponsor and Official Beer of the WSOP through 2008.

Additionally, the WSOP made a deal with BLUFF MEDIA, publisher of Bluff Magazine and producers of Bluff Poker Radio, for production of live radio broadcasts from the WSOP while Card Player magazine has become the Official Magazine and website content provider for the 2006 World Series of Poker.

The Milwaukee's Best Light agreement will commence with the World Series of Poker presented by Milwaukee's Best Light at the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas from June 25th to August 10th. At least nine of the individual tournament events will be taped for broadcast on ESPN beginning in July. Additionally, Milwaukee's Best Light will be integrated into several facets of the WSOP and will promote the WSOP nationally on a year-round basis including a new joint marketing endeavor featuring the WSOP and Milwaukee's Best Light; the development of the "Milwaukee's Best Light Pocket Cam," which will be featured during the broadcast to show ESPN viewers each player's hole cards; and the "Milwaukee's Best Light Beer Garden," an area adjacent to the official poker room at the WSOP, accessible to both players and spectators.

"This is a game-changing alliance for the World Series of Poker," said Jeffrey Pollack, WSOP commissioner. "Miller Brewing is one of the top sports marketers in the world and Milwaukee's Best Light is a brand on the move that reflects our own sense of fun, creativity, excitement and authenticity. This pact further solidifies our position as the No. 1 poker brand in the world and helps introduce us as a change agent for a select group of consumer-product companies."

The broadcast deal with ESPN includes the creation of the first ever live pay-per-view telecast of final-table play at the $10,000 No-Limit Texas Hold'Em World Championship, widely regarded as the Main Event of the World Series of Poker. The pay-per-view program will be both on television as well as on ESPN.com beginning at 3 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time on Thursday, August 10, and continuing until the new world champion is crowned. The event will sell for about $25.

In related news, Harrah's License Company LLC, an affiliate of Harrah's Entertainment, Inc. has agreed in principle to designate Card Player, the world's leading poker media company, as the Official Magazine and website content provider for the 2006 World Series of Poker Presented by Milwaukee's Best Light.

Card Player Media will offer live hand-by-hand reporting from the tournament floor, streaming videos of player interviews, event recaps, behind-the-scenes action, and real-time chips counts. They will also publish the Official Program of the 2006 World Series of Poker and produce a daily on-site poker newspaper for the duration of this summer’s Rio based tournament.

The 2005 World Series of Poker awarded more than $103 million in total prize money, reinforcing its position as the richest and most prestigious event in gaming. Last year, there were 5,619 participants vying for the top prize including first timer Joe Hachem, who won the event and took home $7.5 million.

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