WSOP 2009 Airs On ESPN Next Week

Televised coverage of WSOP 2009 is set to begin on July 28 on ESPN. The broadcasts have been scheduled to air every Tuesday at 8 P.M. ET and the shows will run from next Tuesday until November 10, when the Main Event's final table will be broadcast. The show this year will feature twenty four hours of Main Event coverage.

When ESPN's broadcast schedule was first announced in April, it was met with dismay by the poker community as only four events will be covered. For 2009, ESPN has chosen to only show footage from the  WSOP 40th Anniversary $40,000 NL Hold'em event, the Champions Invitational, the Ante Up for Africa charity event and of course the Main Event.

Many avid poker fans have voiced their discontent over ESPN's decision to not broadcast hands played in the lower limit Hold'em events, or the events featuring other games like Stud, Omaha and the Mixed Events. What came as a shock to most was that the $50,000 H.O.R.S.E. event was also dropped from the line-up. This event is generally regarded as the true test of a WSOP champion and is coveted by all the poker professionals.

Everybody Loves Ivey

In response to this, ESPN coordinating producer Jamie Horowitz noted that this change was in line with the responses that they have obtained from the show's viewers. "More Main Event; it's what they want", he said. He also explained that the change to the delayed final table made last year has had a positive effect on viewership. As a result of the move, ESPN's final table coverage saw a ratings jump of 50 percent.

Meanwhile, Phil Ivey's (pictured right) appearance at this year's final table is sure to generate a great deal of buzz amongst all the show's viewers. Many are looking forward to catch a glimpse of the great Phil Ivey as he charts his path towards final table glory. In the few years since the poker boom, nobody with such a high profile has ever made it this far in the main event.

Viewers who have been following ESPN's broadcasts in the last few years will remember that the show's host Norman Chad has picked Ivey as his favourite to win the Main Event every year. This could be the year where his prediction finally comes true. When asked about Ivey's chances,  Chad responded: "There's some mystical, magical quality that actually elevates him above the rest. He has an amazing table presence unequalled in the game."

Here is ESPN's broadcast schedule for WSOP 2009:

WSOP 2009 ESPN Broadcast Schedule
Event	Date
40th Anniversary $40,000 NL Hold'em	Jul 28
Champions Invitational	Aug 4
Ante Up for Africa Charity Event	Aug 11
$10,000 Main Event	Aug 18 - Nov 10