Press Release
Southwest Airlines Named Official Airline Of The World Poker Tour
Sponsorship Deal Set for WPT Season VI
LOS ANGELES – June 25, 2007 – WPT Enterprises, Inc. (NASDAQ-WPTE) today announced that it has signed a sponsorship deal with Southwest Airlines Co. (NYSE: LUV) for Season VI. The Southwest Airlines brand will be prominently featured on the World Poker Tour® (WPT) "runway" and is now "the official airline of the WPT."
Southwest Airlines will also sponsor the Season VI "Watch & Win" sweepstakes during all-new WPT episodes on GSN—Southwest will deliver messages throughout each show prompting viewers to text in a code for the chance to win a trip to watch the filming of a WPT final table and free roundtrip airfare on Southwest Airlines. Through WPT's website, www.worldpokertour.com, Southwest will also promote "Ding!"®, a free downloadable computer application that sits on the desktop. Users can customize their travel list by choosing up to 10 airports of their choice, then receive audible alerts on deeply discounted pricing that is not available anywhere other than through DING!
"As WPT is the premiere ‘tour' on the poker circuit, Southwest is the ideal brand for us to align with," said Steve Lipscomb, Founder, President and Chief Executive Officer of the WPT. "We look forward to initiating what is sure to be a very exciting and innovative partnership."
"Southwest Airlines sees this exciting new partnership as a way for Customers to see our brand in an entirely new environment," said Lilah Steen, National Promotions Specialist for Southwest Airlines. "We know the world is passionate about poker and we are so happy to be associated with the premier brand for this sport."
The deal runs through Season VI, with both parties given the option to renew in Season VII.
The WPT Season VI will begin airing in early 2008 as part of GSN's Monday night casino lineup where the network has built a substantial following in the casino game genre. Season V currently airs every Wednesday night on the Travel Channel at 9PM Eastern/Pacific.
Visit www.worldpokertour.com for the most up-to-date information and tournament schedule.
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About World Poker Tour
WPT Enterprises, Inc. (Nasdaq: WPTE) is a company engaged in the creation of internationally branded entertainment and consumer products driven by the development, production, and marketing of televised programming based on gaming themes. WPTE is the creator of the World Poker Tour®, a television show based on a series of high-stakes poker tournaments that airs on the Travel Channel in the United States and is scheduled to begin broadcasting on GSN in early 2008. WPT is licensed for broadcast globally. WPTE also operates a real-money online gaming website, www.worldpokertour.com, which prohibits wagers from players in the U.S. and other restricted jurisdictions. WPTE currently licenses its brand to companies in the business of poker equipment and instruction, apparel, publishing, electronic and wireless entertainment, DVD/home entertainment, casino games, and giftware. The company is also engaged in the sale of corporate sponsorships. For show information, tools for improving poker play, and other WPT news, fans may log on to www.worldpokertour.com. WPT Enterprises, Inc. is a majority owned subsidiary of Lakes Entertainment, Inc. (Nasdaq: LACO). Photos and media information can be found online at: www.worldpokertour.com/media
About Southwest Airlines
Southwest Airlines (NYSE: LUV), the nation's largest carrier in terms of domestic passengers enplaned, currently serves 63 cities in 32 states. Based in Dallas, Southwest currently operates more than 3,300 flights a day and has more than 33,000 Employees nationwide.
WPTEG
The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 provides a "safe harbor" for forward-looking statements. Certain information included in this press release (as well as information included in oral statements or other written statements made or to be made by WPT Enterprises, Inc.) contains statements that are forward-looking, such as statements relating to the expansion of WPTE's brand licensing, the development of new television and film projects, the development of WPTE corporate sponsors and other business development activities, as well as statements regarding other capital spending, financing sources and the effects of competition. Such forward-looking information involves important risks and uncertainties that could significantly affect anticipated results in the future and, accordingly, such results may differ from those expressed in any forward-looking statements made by or on behalf of WPTE. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, WPTE's significant dependence on the Travel Channel as a current source of revenue and GSN as a future source of revenue, and the risk that GSN will not exercise its options to air season of the WPT series beyond Season VI; difficulty of predicting the growth of our online gaming business, which is a relatively new industry with an increasing number of market entrants; reliance on the efforts of CryptoLogic to develop and maintain the online gaming website in compliance with WPTE's business model and applicable gaming laws; the potential that our television programming will fail to maintain a sufficient audience; the risk that competitors with greater financial resources or marketplace presence might develop television programming that would directly compete with WPTE's television programming; the risk that WPTE may not be able to protect its entertainment concepts, current and future brands and other intellectual property rights; risks associated with future expansion into new or complementary businesses; the termination or impairment of WPTE's relationships with key licensing and strategic partners; and WPTE's dependence on its senior management team. For more information, review WPTE's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
