The announcement by ESPN executive Doug White on the annual pre-WSOP conference call that all of the television broadcasts in 2009 will consist of only no-limit hold’em events was a bit surprising to many who look forward to variety in their poker programming each year. But the new taping schedule brings with it new opportunities for a bigger TV audience and chances for poker enthusiasts to catch live streaming video of more final tables online at Bluff and ESPN360.ESPN typically got high ratings for its broadcast of World Series of Poker events like the $50,000 buy-in H.O.R.S.E. tournament, but in the hopes of luring more people looking for the basic no-limit hold’em games, the executives at the network decided to simplify the filming schedule at the 2009 WSOP. The majority of the broadcasts will be dedicated to the $10K buy-in main event, as the footage will be translated into 24 hours of air time as well as two or more dedicated to the November Nine main event final table alone. The only other tournaments to be filmed and broadcast on ESPN television this year will be the $40,000 NLHE tournament - Event #2 on the schedule - the Champions Invitational, and the Ante Up for Africa charity tournament.
Many fans quickly protested the lack of event variety that they will be able to see in full color with host commentary on ESPN. But in response, those fans were notified that they will be able to access tournaments like the $50K H.O.R.S.E. and a diverse range of other events on the ESPN360 and Bluff websites through a live video stream.
The total of 24 events that will be streamed over the internet will include some of the most anticipated and well-attended of the 2009 WSOP. And for those who experienced a problem with accessing ESPN360 last year, the website has announced that more cable outlets will be allowing access to the site this year. The list of events is as follows, with specified viewing channels split between ESPN360.com and BluffMagazine.com:
Event 4 - $1K NLHE June 2 ESPN360
Event 5 - $1.5K PLO June 3 Bluff
Event 7 - $1.5K NLHE June 4 Bluff
Event 10 - $$2.5K PLO/PLHE June 5 Bluff
Event 11 - $2K NLHE June 6 ESPN360
Event 15 - $5K NLHE 6-handed June 8 ESPN360
Event 17 - $1K Ladies NLHE June 9 Bluff
Event 19 - $2.5K NLHE 6-handed June 10 ESPN360
Event 20 - $1.5 PLHE June 11 Bluff
Event 22 - $1.5K NLHE Shootout June 12 ESPN360
Event 24 - $1.5 NLHE June 13 Bluff
Event 29 - $10K NLHE Heads-Up June 15 ESPN360
Event 30 - $2.5K PLO June 16 Bluff
Event 33 - $10K LHE June 17 ESPN360
Event 34 - $1.5K NLHE June 18 Bluff
Event 35 - $5K PLHE June 19 ESPN360
Event 36 - $2K NLHE June 20 Bluff
Event 40 - $10K PLO June 22 ESPN360
Event 41 - $5K NLHE Shootout June 23 ESPN360
Event 45 - $10K PLHE June 25 Bluff
Event 47 - $2.5K Mixed Hold’em June 26 ESPN360
Event 49 - $50K H.O.R.S.E. June 30 ESPN360
Event 51 - $1.5 NLHE June 29 Bluff
Event 54 - $1.5 NLHE July 1 Bluff

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