WPT Enterprises, Inc. (NASDAQ:WPTE) and the Travel Channel entered into an agreement to air WPTE’s highly anticipated PROFESSIONAL POKER TOUR(TM) (PPT) television series. The PPT features a series of invitation-only tournaments that are limited to the highest-ranked players in the world. The PPT is expected to begin airing in the 3rd quarter of 2006 on Wednesday nights from 9-11 PM ET/PT, following the completion of Season Four of the WPT.

After finalizing the deal, both organizations issued the following statement: “WPT Enterprises and The Travel Channel are pleased to announce that they have resolved their differences amicably and terminated the litigation between them. Both parties look forward to continuing their mutually prosperous relationship.”

“This deal allows Travel Channel to feature 44 weeks of premiere episodes of WPT and PPT programming each year, which is great for poker fans who have asked for additional premieres, and really bolsters our ‘Wednesday Night is Poker Night on the Travel Channel’ platform,” said Pat Younge, the executive vice president and general manager of Travel Channel.

“The World Poker Tour created the televised poker boom, and the PPT is the perfect extension of that franchise to bolster our position in the marketplace,” said Steve Lipscomb, President, CEO and founder of WPT Enterprises, Inc. “The WPT is the first legitimate televised sports league in history that lets the viewer at home come play with sports greats. And now, when you play in World Poker Tour events you don’t just have a shot at life changing money and instant television stardom. With the addition of the PPT, you get a shot at living the professional poker player lifestyle. Win a World Poker Tour event and you immediately get a three year “tour card,” allowing you to compete in Professional Poker Tour.”

The PPT pits the top 200 poker players in the world against each other week after week. Like the PGA, you have to qualify for a tour card in the PPT — through success on the World Poker Tour, the World Series of Poker main event or other distinctions including membership in the Poker Hall of Fame. With $2.5 million dollars on the line each season and the pride of every poker great on the line, this show will help define the future of the sport.

The new series features high production values, detailed story-telling and expert analysis from two-time World Series bracelet winner Mark Seif, and actor/poker enthusiast Matt Corboy. And, the all-new PPT format transports the viewer into the seat for every step of each PPT tournament. The format provides an unprecedented look into the art of tournament poker — played by the best in the business with nothing between them but chips and felt.

The five tournaments for Season One of the PPT were filmed at some of America’s true palaces of poker, including: Foxwoods Resort Casino (Mashantucket, CT); Commerce Casino (Los Angeles); Bay 101 (San Jose, CA); Bellagio (Las Vegas); and The Mirage (Las Vegas).

Source: PR Newswire US