# 'World Series of Poker' Goes HD



## Nick (Apr 23, 2002)

ESPN's popular summer coverage of the "World Series of Poker" will be upgraded
to high-definition, sources familiar with the decision said.

Starting in July, 32 hours of coverage will be presented in HD for the first time. The
coverage will include the main Texas Hold 'Em event as well as other World Series
events. The tiny "hole-card cam" that briefly shows what each player is holding will
most likely be unconverted.

The upgrade makes "WSOP" the first regular poker series to be produced in HD.

ESPN also announced this week that it will upgrade its morning shows "Mike and
Mike" and "Cold Pizza" to the HD format. ...

More @ TVWeek.com


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## purtman (Sep 19, 2006)

Now that's thrilling news.
That's not a slam on you, Nick. I just wish ESPN would focus on making all of its sports HD before going to card games.


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## Stewart Vernon (Jan 7, 2005)

I like to play cards... I don't like to watch other people play cards... and I am completely confused as to why ESPN thinks it is a sport.


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## Steve Mehs (Mar 21, 2002)

There are a lot of things on ESPN I wonder why they consider sports. Monday Night Football and Sunday Night Baseball are about the only actual sporting events on ESPN anymore.


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## JM Anthony (Nov 16, 2003)

HDMe said:


> I like to play cards... I don't like to watch other people play cards... and I am completely confused as to why ESPN thinks it is a sport.


While it may not be a true sport, it's definitely a guy thing that's become very popular. I get a kick out of watching although some of the characters are pretty bizarre.

John


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## Nick (Apr 23, 2002)

purtman said:


> Now that's thrilling news.
> That's not a slam on you, Nick. I just wish ESPN would focus on making all of its sports HD before going to card games.


I caught your sarcasm -- I felt the same way when I posted this earth-shaking "sports"
news. Like yours truly, ESPN is just a relic of its former self. They scheduled only four
Braves baseball games to be televised in 2007, and three of those were pre-season.

Go figure. :shrug:

I have often said that I would watch anything, including grass growing, if it were in HD,
but poker is one exception - wrasslin' & Jerry Springer (same thing?) are the others.


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## machavez00 (Nov 2, 2006)

Remenber, ESPN stands for the *ENTERTAINMENT* and *S*ports *P*rogramming *N*etwork. It's not very entertaining when your team is on the wrong end of a tail kicking.


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## machavez00 (Nov 2, 2006)

Nick said:


> I caught your sarcasm -- I felt the same way when I posted this earth-shaking "sports"
> news. Like yours truly, ESPN is just a relic of its former self. They scheduled only four
> Braves baseball games to be televised in 2007, and three of those were pre-season.
> 
> ...


We had cable when ESPN first went on the air. I remember PING PONG and Batmitten matches to fill airtime. When was the last time you saw ping pong or batmitten?


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## Nick (Apr 23, 2002)

machavez00 said:


> We had cable when ESPN first went on the air. I remember PING PONG and Batmitten matches to fill airtime. When was the last time you saw ping pong or batmitten?


Not recently, but I am a BIG fan of _women's_ beach vollyball. now there's a real sport!


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## purtman (Sep 19, 2006)

machavez00 said:


> Remenber, ESPN stands for the *ENTERTAINMENT* and *S*ports *P*rogramming *N*etwork. It's not very entertaining when your team is on the wrong end of a tail kicking.


I was about to spell out what the acronym meant also. However, being a Yankees' fan, even I complain about what's on there, and the Yankees are on there a lot.


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## Richard King (Mar 25, 2002)

Can HD Chess be far behind?


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## Stewart Vernon (Jan 7, 2005)

Richard King said:


> Can HD Chess be far behind?


Well... they do cover darts and "competitive eating".


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## shmengie (Apr 12, 2007)

Richard King said:


> Can HD Chess be far behind?


and don't forget, they do spelling bees on the deuce.


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## machavez00 (Nov 2, 2006)

shmengie said:


> and don't forget, they do spelling bees on the deuce.


Quilting bees even better. Ooh , look, Martha just performed the dread double loop back stitch!


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## pedro4868 (Jan 31, 2007)

Does anybody think ESPN will ever pick up hockey ever again??


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## shmengie (Apr 12, 2007)

pedro4868 said:


> Does anybody think ESPN will ever pick up hockey ever again??


i subscribe to barry melrose's podcast and he says he wishes hockey was back on espn. what does that mean? i dunno...


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## pedro4868 (Jan 31, 2007)

shmengie said:


> i subscribe to barry melrose's podcast and he says he wishes hockey was back on espn. what does that mean? i dunno...


i still don't believe that the WSOP would get better ratings than hockey would if it were on there.


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## Stewart Vernon (Jan 7, 2005)

pedro4868 said:


> Does anybody think ESPN will ever pick up hockey ever again??


Maybe. Firstly, one of the existing contracts (NBC or Vs for instance) would have to expire for new bidding to take place. Two, part of why ESPN didn't get hockey this last round was because they were unwilling to bid what the NHL wanted... I would be VERY surprised, given how the Vs thing has panned out, if ESPN would raise their bid at all for the NHL. Heck, the bid might even go down.

Ultimately its up to the NHL to suck it up, take less money, and try to get more exposure.


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## JM Anthony (Nov 16, 2003)

machavez00 said:


> We had cable when ESPN first went on the air. I remember PING PONG and Batmitten matches to fill airtime. When was the last time you saw ping pong or batmitten?


Well, you obviously haven't watched many elite table tennis matches. Those players (both men and women) have cat like reflexes and long rallies demand good conditioning.

John

PS - it's badminton and that's also a pretty tough sport at the highest level. You probably don't watch either racquetball or squash. In a highly competitive match of either, you'll burn more calories than a lot of other sports.


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## machavez00 (Nov 2, 2006)

machavez00 said:


> We had cable when ESPN first went on the air. I remember PING PONG and Batmitten matches to fill airtime. When was the last time you saw ping pong or batmitten?





JM Anthony said:


> Well, you obviously haven't watched many elite table tennis matches. Those players (both men and women) have cat like reflexes and long rallies demand good conditioning.
> 
> John
> 
> PS - it's badminton and that's also a pretty tough sport at the highest level. You probably don't watch either racquetball or squash. In a highly competitive match of either, you'll burn more calories than a lot of other sports.












Sorry about that. I was in the break room heading into work and was in a hurry. I don't mean to disrespect either sport. When ESPN first went on the air they were scrambling for anything to fill air time. There were nights when there were test patterns. I watched a lot of those badminton and ping pong matches. Big money pro sports in other countires.


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## shortkud (Jan 24, 2007)

It probably cost a lot less to produce WSOP in HD then it would for hockey or any other sport for that matter.


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## shmengie (Apr 12, 2007)

think of all those tiny hd cameras that go under the tables, looking up at the hole cards. technology makes me horny...


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