After some speculation amongst poker insiders between Dan and Pauly, it seems that the bigwigs at the World Poker Tour and Full Tilt Poker were talking….just not about a buy-out. The agreement has been signed and announced to give FullTiltPoker.net the title of \”exclusive educational poker sponsor\” for all WPT Season 7 episodes to air on Fox Sports Net someday.
To add a little more speculation to the mix, this contractual friendship between WPT and FTP could lead to bigger and better things should the WPT Enterprises end up going private in the next few months. With the WPT having officially dropped any hopes of running its own online gaming site, with the exception of ClubWPT (that inside sources tell me is not doing well), the company could very well be entertaining the idea of partnering in a bigger way with Full Tilt in the future. Speculation only at this point…
For now, here is today\’s press release:
FullTiltPoker.net is Exclusive Educational Poker Sponsor for WPT Season VII Episodes Airing on Fox Sports Net and in Mexico
LOS ANGELES, Nov 06, 2008 (BUSINESS WIRE) — World Poker Tour(R) creator WPT Enterprises (Nasdaq:WPTE) and FullTiltPoker.net(TM) today announced a television sponsorship deal, aligning the leading powerhouses in televised and online poker. The deal–which is based on a unique sponsorship model for the sports and entertainment television industry–further boosts WPTE\’s growing sponsorship business.
Under the agreement, FullTiltPoker.net(TM) receives title sponsorship and exclusive rights to in-show educational gaming brand integration for the 26 all-new WPT Season VII episodes scheduled to air on Fox Sports Net in the United States, as well as Season VII episodes that air in Mexico.
\”We are delighted to be in partnership with FullTiltPoker.net(TM) and bring together two very strong brands with proven global reach and a loyal network of poker fans,\” said Steve Lipscomb, WPTE founder, president and CEO. \”With WPT\’s incredible brand value and TV distribution through FSN coupled with FullTiltPoker.net\’s massive online following, this partnership opens more channels to reach new fans and continue feeding the appetite for new poker content.\”
FullTiltPoker.net(TM) is one of the leading online poker instruction sites, featuring Team Full Tilt – 13 world-renowned poker pros. Team Full Tilt is a select group of the world\’s finest professional poker players, including Chris Ferguson, Phil Ivey, Howard Lederer, Jennifer Harman, Erick Lindgren, Erik Seidel, Andy Bloch, Phil Gordon, John Juanda, Mike Matusow, Gus Hansen, Allen Cunningham, and Patrik Antonius who have collectively won 10 WPT titles, 35 World Series of Poker bracelets and more than $80 million in career earnings. FullTiltPoker.net(TM) offers players the unique opportunity to Learn, Chat and Play with the best poker pros in the game.
