World Poker Tour
February 04, 2006
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World Poker Tour
If the World Series of Poker could be said to be the father of all poker tournaments, the World Poker Tour is the father of all poker TV. Starting only a few years ago, in 2003, the WPT took a different approach to building a poker series; they simply signed up already existing poker tournaments and put them all under one banner. Popular venues and events around the world became WPT events and benefited from tremendous attention as millions of TV viewers began to tune in. Captained by Steve Lipscomb and Lyle Berman, the WPT business train started chugging and it hasn’t stopped building steam. The WPT, in addition to their “made to order” events, created quite a few fun events of their own, such as “Ladies Night Out,” “The Young Guns of Poker,” and the “Bad Boys of Poker.”
The Travel Channel
Known for providing a global point of view in entertainment television, The Travel Channel seemed the perfect venue for a show that would showcase events from around the world. Not afraid to take a smart gamble, the network’s decision to go with the WPT paid off big. In 2003 the WPT was the highest rated show, and the second highest rated show in The Travel Channel’s history. Reruns were even more popular that the initial airings, and both the network and the WPT company knew they had a hit on their hands.
Hosted by Mike Sexton and Vince Van Patton, the WPT is as modern and tech-savvy as the WSOP is classy and established.
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