Six weeks of World Series of Poker (WSOP) coverage have broadcast on ESPN and the dip in ratings the cable sports network saw with the airing of the preliminary events does not appear to be carrying over to the all-important Main Event coverage. ESPN is reporting gains in all categories and demographics from this time last year, most importantly in the coveted 18-49 year old male audience.
The two hour-long episodes that aired on Tuesday September 1st each posted solid numbers with 901,103 households tuning in for the first episode which airs from 8PM-9PM ET and 1,010,258 households viewing hour number two from 9PM-10PM. The two episodes, which centered on action from Day 2A of the Main Event, earned .91 and 1.02 ratings for each episode.
The numbers are also in for the overall performance of the WSOP coverage based on its first twelve episodes and six weeks on the air. Despite the lackluster start to the 2009 season, WSOP coverage is up in every major category. Poker News Daily spoke with ESPN media representative George McNeilly and he summed up the key places in which the WSOP is making big strides. “Through six weeks, WSOP is showing positive gains in all categories over 2008 (Households, Viewers, and all Demos),” he explained. “[Key demographics] males ages 18-49 and males ages 25-54 continue to be significant contributors to WSOP’s high ratings up to this point.”
The number of men between the ages of 18-49 watching the WSOP coverage is up 13% from 2008 and the number of 18-34 year old and 25-54 old men are up 8% and 17% respectively. On average, 777,039 households tune in to each episode of 2009 coverage, an 11% increase over the 697,787 that were watching this time last year. Household ratings made a comparable jump from 2008 to 2009 as well, up to .79 from .73.
The most recent episodes of WSOP coverage boasted a feature table lineup that included former World Series of Poker Main Event winner and PokerStars Pro Greg Raymer as well as award-winning actor and poker enthusiast Jason Alexander of “Seinfeld” fame. With a number of deep runs from actors and famous pokers alike in this year’s Main Event, there will be even more televised tables packed to the hilt with recognizable faces. Some of the people expected appear on the feature table in the coming weeks include Full Tilt Pro Phil Ivey, Antonio Esfandiari, Dennis Phillips, former Main Event winners Joe Hachem and Peter Eastgate and Pokerroad’s Joe Sebok. The two hours of WSOP coverage airing on Tuesday will focus on Day 2B of this year’s Main Event.
For now, it appears that ESPN’s strategy to cut down on the preliminary events and spend more time covering the Main Event is working out for them. While it is still too early to tell for sure, the jump in ratings from the episodes featuring $40,000 anniversary Hold’em event, the Champions Invitational and Ante Up For Africa to the Main Event coverage suggests the network might be on to something.
Two new episodes of 2009 WSOP coverage will continue to air on Tuesdays from 8PM-10PM ET from now until November when the final nine players still in the Main Event will reconvene to play down to a champion.
