For poker players to have access to quality coverage of major poker events, it requires partnerships between networks and poker brands. Broadcaster NBC has been working with Poker Central for quite some time, supplying a broadcasting arena for quality poker content. From the Poker Masters to the US Poker Open, NBC has aired several events, allowing players to watch the action from home. The two companies have just announced their partnership will continue, with the deal now secured until 2022.
Continuing to Work Together
NBC and Poker Central will continue to work together, showcasing some of the best poker events in the industry. The duo have already collaborated to broadcast the Super High Roller Bowl and Poker Masters as well as the US Poker Open. The two have been in partnership since 2017.
The Super High Roller Bowl has been one of the most popular events, offering fans a glimpse into the expensive world of high buy-in events. The high roller circuit offers varying formats and watching high profile players in action is what led to the success of this coverage.
According to JR McCabe, the Chief Business Officer of Poker Central, the brand wanted to continue to see the major tournament events and poker programming reach the highest number of fans around the world. With this partnership, they can continue to offer poker events for viewing over the next two years.
Specific details as to what poker fans can expect over the next few years remain a mystery. We expect the deal will continue to cover the US Poker Open, Super High Roller Bowl and the Poker Masters. As poker continues to gain ground in the United States, becoming popular once again in the online realm, it would not be surprising to find new content streaming from NBC in the future in association with Poker Central.
Fans love getting an inside look into big tournament events and watching the poker pros in action. For Poker Central, part of their success has come from providing ways for fans to stay involved, such as with tuning in to a big event.
Is Poker Returning to the Mainstream?
In the early 2000s, poker was booming, particularly in the United States. Everyone wanted to play online, especially after Chris Moneymaker earned a spot in the WSOP Main Event and ended up winning. Poker was on a high but eventually got knocked down due to the online gambling legalities in the states.
Fast forward to 2013, online poker was back once again, though limited to Nevada, New Jersey and Delaware. These states have struggled to see online poker become popular like it was a few years ago. Even for land-based gaming, it was not what it was once.
In 2020, the coronavirus pandemic seems to have lit a spark back into the online poker world. Players are logging on again in large numbers, mainly due to the need for social distancing. But this could be the push that online poker needs to be popular once more. As more states begin to offer iPoker, such as Pennsylvania and soon to be Michigan, we could see a large resurgence and online poker might continue to be a top choice among gamblers in the US.
