PokerWorks

In a move that is somewhat unprecedented in the casino poker room business, Foxwoods Resort Casino announced that it inked a deal with poker pro Bernard Lee, who will now represent the establishment’s poker room via a sponsorship agreement. The World Poker Tour-branded poker room is one of the largest poker venues in the United States, and it is located in Mashantucket, Connecticut.

As one of the first players to regularly patronize the Foxwoods casino in 1992, Lee has been a staunch supporter of the poker tournaments and cash games there for many years. His poker resume boasts of more than $1.3 million in tournament winnings to date, including a 13th place finish as the 2005 World Series of Poker and several tournament wins at the Foxwoods World Poker Finals since then.

His visibility in the poker world is something likely taken into consideration by Foxwoods in making the decision to sign Lee, as he is not only a poker player and columnist, the latter for such publications as ESPN.com and the Boston Herald, but he is one of the co-hosts of the Inside Deal webcast show connected with ESPN, as well as his own Boston radio show. (Incidentally, “The Bernard Lee Poker Show” will now be “presented by Foxwoods Resort Casino.”) He is also the author of two poker books, commentator for the WSOP, and instructor for the WSOP Academy. All of these accomplishments likely added up to solid exposure for a sponsor, and Lee will be sporting the Foxwoods logo on clothing and websites going forward.

Lee commented on the deal: “If there is such a thing as home-court advantage in poker, for me it’s at Foxwoods. I’m proud and humbled that Foxwoods would choose me to be their official spokesperson among the millions of poker players in the world.”

Mashantucket Pequot Gaming Enterprises President Michael Speller added, “We’re thrilled to add Bernard Lee to the Foxwoods team. Bernard is such a compelling figure on the poker landscape, and we’re certain that his expertise and talent will bring even more excitement and energy to the poker experience at Foxwoods.”