Lights, Camera, Action!

Congratulations to the World Poker Tour (WPT)! It has achieved what many doubted was possible - a weekly poker show on "prime time" TV. Beginning in just a few weeks, championship poker will be seen on national television and promoted on a regular basis. As they say, the WPT is "the biggest thing to happen to poker since the invention of the chip."

The Travel Channel is the proud presenter of the WPT. Beginning April 2, it will broadcast a two-hour program on Wednesdays from 9 p.m. to 11 p.m. on both the East and West coasts. (The shows will also be rerun every Saturday.) In addition, a preview of the WPT will be aired in a special program on Sunday, March 30.

The WPT series will consist of 13 weeks of championship poker tournaments, highlighted by the $25,000 buy-in no-limit hold'em WPT championship event at Bellagio in Las Vegas. And it's my understanding that the series will run for another 13 weeks at the completion of the first 13. The WPT could very well become the premier program on the Travel Channel.

In terms of growth and exposure, this is the opportunity of a lifetime for the poker industry. It's our chance to get the nation to embrace poker. The WPT programs are first-class, and I believe they will wow the viewing audience. They are the three "E's" - exciting, entertaining, and educational.

With its elaborate production of these events, many of which boasted million dollar prize pools, the WPT will be dramatic and exciting television. With the use of special cameras, the audience will be able to see the players' downcards, which creates a whole new dimension for watching poker.

A real upside for viewers is that they will become better poker players by watching the WPT. You don't become a better football player by watching the NFL or a better bowler by watching bowling, but you will become a better poker player by watching the WPT. It is educational to watch great players play poker.

If you think Monday morning quarterbacks second-guess coaches after a weekend of football, wait until you see the second-guessing and discussions about "the play" after watching WPT events. Viewers will be able to see the problems and difficult decisions that the players will face, will be anxious to see what the players do, and will certainly talk to their peers about what the players should have done.

I can already envision the talk at offices around the country the day after a show:

• "Wow! How about that bluff Gerard put on Phil Hellmuth with absolutely nothing? That was amazing!"

• "How could Bozo the Clown not call that hand with a pair of kings? He wins the tournament if he calls there."

• "Did you see what a great play the "Devilfish" made to win that million dollar pot?"

• "Did you see that two women made it to the final table on the WPT last night?"

• "Did you see that bonehead play Junior made when he gave all of his chips away? How did he ever make it to the final table?"

• "No-limit poker is not about having good hands, it's all about having heart. That was incredible poker last night. The WPT is sensational."

The poker industry will never have a better opportunity to showcase itself. The WPT has done its part. It has put these shows together and gotten a network to air them in prime time. The baton is now in our hands. The success of this program depends on how many people watch it. If you're reading this column, I know you will be watching. However, what will determine the success of the WPT show will be how it plays in such places as Kansas.

In addition to your viewership of the show, get your friends and family to watch, as well. Once the series begins, I would suggest that you e-mail (or write via snail mail) the Travel Channel (www.travelchannel.com), proclaiming how much you enjoy the WPT television programs. That should be extremely beneficial to the WPT. I would like to see every poker room in the country (and overseas, when the program airs there) put up a WPT banner displaying when the program airs in its area. WPT banners can be obtained by writing to the World Poker Tour at www.worldpokertour.com.

On behalf of poker players from around the world, I'd like to say "congratulations and thank you" to the WPT, to the charter members of the WPT, and especially to Steve Lipscomb and Lyle Berman for "making it happen."

Lights, camera, action! Poker is going "prime time" - and you're going to love it.

Take care.

Mike Sexton is the host for PartyPoker.com and a commentator on the World Poker Tour.