WPT Signs New Deal with FSN, Announces WPT Season XII Tour Dates

Poker’s Top Pros, Amateurs, and the WPT Cast Will Travel to Four Continents in the First Half of Season XII with the First Televised Event Filming in Los Angeles in August 2013

World Poker Tour fans will enjoy three years of new original programming on FOX Sports Networks thanks to a new agreement that guarantees distribution of WPT’s televised events through 2017.

The new multi-year deal between WPT and FSN coincides with the start of World Poker Tour’s ambitious, globe-spanning tour schedule which will take WPT to four separate continents between August 2013 and December 2013. “Our strategy of global expansion is now being fully realized,” said WPT President Adam Pliska. “From 18 events in Season VIII to nearly 60 Main Tour, Regional, and National events in Season XI, World Poker Tour will provide FSN with nearly 100 hours of original programming over the course of this agreement. With the greater support and distribution that our new deal provides, World Poker Tour is now guaranteed to make up a major share of the best-in-class, US television poker real estate for years to come.”

“We are thrilled to be partnering with World Poker Tour for the next three years,” said FOX Sports Network Vice President of Programming, David Sussin. “World Poker Tour has delivered record viewers over the past two seasons, and that is a testament to the consistent quality of the show and WPT’s position as the world’s premiere provider of poker programming.”

World Poker Tour, which is once again sponsored by ClubWPT.com, will launch its 12th season of iconic poker tournaments on August 16, 2013 with the WPT Cyprus tournament at the beautiful Merit Crystal Cove Casino. The first of 11 WPT Main Tour stops currently scheduled through December 2013, the WPT Cyprus event will be live streamed on WPT.com and mark the beginning of the WPT Season XII Player of the Year race.

Throughout the rest of 2013, World Poker Tour’s Main Tour will make stops throughout North America, Europe, and Africa, Asia, and the Caribbean with events in New Jersey, California, Canada, France, and South Africa. Coupled with World Poker Tour’s Regional and National tournaments throughout North America, Europe, and China, players will find a complete schedule filled with exciting tournaments and affordable buy-ins. In addition, World Poker Tour Executive Tour Director Matt Savage will work with both WPT’s casino partners and players to ensure every WPT tournament delivers the highest quality experience over the course of this ambitious schedule.

“I’m very proud of the work we’ve done to grow the World Poker Tour over the past few seasons,” said Savage. “With our new schedule and expanded global presence, it’s more important than ever to provide our partners and players with the best experience possible at every stop the WPT makes. I’m looking forward to working with both constituencies to make this happen and to continue our worldwide growth.”

World Poker tour’s first televised event of Season XII will take place in Los Angeles when the WPT Legends of Poker returns to the famed Bicycle Casino on August 29. Other televised Main Tour events in 2013 include:

• The WPT Borgata Poker Open beginning September 15
• The WPT Grand Prix de Paris at the Aviation Club de France beginning October 25
• The WPT Montreal at Playground Poker Club beginning November 29
• The WPT Doyle Brunson Five Diamond World Poker Classic beginning December 6.

Five non-televised Main Tour stops will fill out the remainder of World Poker Tour’s 2013 schedule, including:

• The WPT Emperors Palace Poker Classic beginning November 7
• The WPT Jacksonville besbtet Fall Poker Scramble beginning November 15
• The WPT Caribbean beginning November 19
• The WPT Prague beginning December 15
• The WPT South Korea beginning December 16, which will be the first World Poker Tour tournament held at the brand new WPT Club Phoenix Poker Room at the Ramada Plaza Hotel in Jeju, South Korea

WPT Main Event Tour Stops

WPT Regional & National Event Tour Stops