CBS Sports Says \'Deal Me In\'
 

x-posted in News, Views, Gossip
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By John Eggerton -- Broadcasting & Cable, 7/5/2005 5:42:00 PM

High-stakes Poker isn't just for cable anymore.

CBS Sports will brand 12 poker tournaments on the network per a new pact with ProJo Poker Enterprises, according to ProJo President/CEO Tony DeRosa-Grund.

CBS will air seven, hour tournaments, plus the two-hour finals and four, two-hour specials in a time-buy arrangement in which ProJo buys the time for the broadcasts from the network and sells the ads itself .

The 26-week ProJo season begins in September. The tournaments will be taped, with CBS running seven hour tournaments Sunday afternoons between May and July, plus a two-hour final and four two-hour specials.

CBS's first poker broadcast will be a Yuletide poker tournament (Ho-Ho Hold 'em, perhaps), which the network will air Christmas day a 3-5.

The other specials are the U.S. US National Team Poker Championships, the U.S. National Amateur Poker Championship and the U.S. "Grand Nationals" Professional Poker Championship..

And for those viewers who want a seat at the table themselves, CBS Sportsline is creating a "poker arena," where Web surfers can park and play a few hands for prizes, including cash and a trip to Las Vegas for a seat at the table for the tournament finals.

The ProJo tournaments, which launch in September, have a reality TV feel to the format. Average Joe players square off against each other in the early rounds for a chance to take on professional card players (hence the combination of "pro" and Jo").

ESPN has had success with its World Series of Poker and online free poker area, and NBC has aired speicals, but this is a broadcast networks' first foray into continuing coverage-OK, continuing selling of their time to a third party--of the TV-friendly no-limit Texas hold 'em game.

The ProJo folks approached CBS about the new tournament series, says DeRosa-Grund, thanks to a long-stading relationship.

DeRosa-Grund used to run the film and entertainment end of Archie Comics, where CBS parent Viacom deficit-financed its Sabrina, the Teenage Witch series, which aired for five seasons on ABC and another two on The WB.

There will be a syndication window for all 26 tournaments, says DeRosa-Grund, but CBS will get the pick of the kitty for its seven.

Re: CBS Sports Says \'Deal Me In\'
 

This is BIG news imo.

I hope that this pro-jo folks put together a good show.

but some unknown guy named Lipscomb put together the lighting and other stuff for the WPT and shopped it around for the best situation....so something like this CAN obviously be done well.


I think this show COULD be bigger than NBC's HUC...especially since it wasn't promoted THAT much by NBC and was shown early on weekend afternoons there.

Looking forward to seeing if this show on CBS will be in prime-time (which seems more likely given the 'reality-show' feel they are looking for).


I anticipate that this could be a really big deal.
Or maybe I'm just hoping.
Whatever...I think the potential impact is significant.

Re: CBS Sports Says \'Deal Me In\'
 

[ QUOTE ]
the U.S. National Amateur Poker Championship

[/ QUOTE ]

what is amateur poker? are they still playing for money?

Re: CBS Sports Says \'Deal Me In\'
 

Yea, but I imagine it's people with jobs.

Re: CBS Sports Says \'Deal Me In\'
 

This is great news. Bigger and bigger.

Re: CBS Sports Says \'Deal Me In\'
 

[ QUOTE ]
Ho-Ho Hold 'em, perhaps

[/ QUOTE ]

bloody hell, i hope not

Re: CBS Sports Says \'Deal Me In\'
 

this seems like some kind of reality show like the contender or something.

I hope they don't do challenges like "learn this chip trick" or " dress like rocks and rings".

Re: CBS Sports Says \'Deal Me In\'
 

I guess it's time to start learning how to play tournament poker.

Re: CBS Sports Says \'Deal Me In\'
 

[ QUOTE ]
The ProJo tournaments, which launch in September, have a reality TV feel to the format. Average Joe players square off against each other in the early rounds for a chance to take on professional card players (hence the combination of "pro" and Jo").

[/ QUOTE ]

Reality show sort of like plus pros, hmmmmm... has some potencial. Unfortunately weekend afternoon times are not great TV rating times.

Re: CBS Sports Says \'Deal Me In\'
 

[ QUOTE ]

Quote:
Ho-Ho Hold 'em, perhaps



bloody hell, i hope not

[/ QUOTE ]

Personally, I'd like to see hot slutty chicks playing poker. [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]