Travel Channel vs. World Poker Tour
World Poker Tour Enterprises

Travel Channel vs. World Poker Tour
If you’re a poker fan, you are undoubtedly aware of the World Poker Tour on the Travel Channel. These two allies have brought a new awareness of gambling to American audiences. After a recent confrontation, the partnership may be in trouble.

WPTE filed suit on Sept 19th in California Superior Court against the Travel Channel. The WPTE wishes to block all interference from the Travel Channel in the possible negotiations and marketing of their Professional Poker Tour (PPT) to other networks. The PPT was designed to be an all-star line up of poker players. A mere 200 of the earths most talented poker players could qualify to enter. The PPT differs from the regular WPT in that the tournaments would be freeroll, meaning that the players would put up none of their own money.

Several other networks have expressed interest in the PPT (i.e. ESPN). The suit presented by WPTE states that while the Travel Channel has the right to accept any poker productions presented by WPTE, the window in which the Travel Channel’s exclusive rights reigned has closed, and WPTE is now entitled to accept other channels offers.

An offer came for the PPT, and the WPT offered the option of matching the offer to the Travel Channel, who thwarted the opposing offer by going to the third party and stating that they had no rights to make the offer, as per the original agreement with WPT and the Travel Channel. Wets response to this action was the above-mentioned suit.

The squabble between the two companies is not expected to affect the release of season four of the WPT. If the Travel Channel doesn’t match the PPT arrangement, WPTE plans to enter into an agreement with an unnamed network.

The PPT is expected to be the “all-star” tournament for television. Will the Travel Channel recognize this opportunity and keep the complete WPTE productions on one network?

World Poker Tour Enterprises
The future of the World Poker Tour Enterprises is looking good, even with a decrease of nearly one million dollars in comparison to 2004’s third quarter financial results. In 2004 WPTE had produced 6 episodes for public distribution. This year, only one has been completed to date. WPTE expects to create the bulk of Season Four programming.

While DVD production is lagging, their licensing and marketing has increased four times over their 2004 reports. The holiday season is looking exceptionally good. The most impressive fact aiding the WPTEs success is that it has no debt. Currently, the company is furthering its campaign to open their product licensing and extend their online poker rooms.

According to the President of WPT Enterprises, they have seen a strong response to their licensing revenues in the fourth quarter. The WPTE has expanded their international distribution of their show. Online gambling is also being pushed ahead.

Unfortunately, the WPTE has been unable to find a domestic distributor for the Professional Poker Tour (PPT). So far, the PPT has been unable to bring in any revenue for the company. The WPTE persists its negotiations for American rights to the PPT, but as also begun looking oversees.

The WPTE hopes to drive people to its online gambling resources via the PPT, both domestically and internationally. Domestic legal disputes regarding distribution have made an international PPT premier more likely.

Supposedly, ESPN and WPTE had made a 3-year agreement back in September to start airing PPT episodes. The Travel Channel was presented with the opportunity to retain broadcast rights. Instead of meeting the contract, it’s believed that the Travel Channel bypassed negotiations, claiming that ESPN had no rights to broadcasts. This information was sent to ESPN, who backed out on their offer. Unhappy with this strategy, the WPTE has begun looking at international possibilities to begin their PPT broadcast.

Aside from the clash regarding the PPT, WPT has been progressing steadily with its product saturation. A good deal of WPTEs income stems from its product line.

Most of the Season Four’s programming is slated to be finished in early 2006. Keep watching for the final verdict on the PPTs fate.