It’s the second time in a row that ESPN’s coverage for the WSOP has been nominated for a Sports Emmy Award. It was announced this week in a broadcast by Lon McEachern and Norman Chad of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. Apparently, this year, ESPN received 54 nominations, the most that any television outlet has gained in the last ten years.

Outstanding Live Event Turnaround

ESPN got its nomination through its coverage of the WSOP Final Table back in 2009, for the category “Outstanding Live Event Turnaround”. If you can still remember it, it happened at about the time when there were only two people left on the final table, Joe Cada and Darvin Moon. Their fight took place on a Monday, after the others on the final table were eliminated the previous Saturday. It was quite interesting because it was a fight between the lovable logger and the young and green. A lot of people turned up to watch their heads up match, and the show generated quite a following. Several people watched as Joe Cada went on to defeat Darvin Moon, taking with him the bracelet, the $8.5 million grand prize, and also the honor of being the youngest WSOP Main Event Winner of all time.
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The Competition

However, the poker world is facing stiff competition from other sports. Nominated in the same category are ESPN2’s Bassmaster Classic, Speed and NASCAR Media’s Inside the Headsets 25th All Star Race, the PGA Tour’s Inside the PGA Tour Deutsche Bank Championship, and also the CBC/Versus’ Tour de France Coverage. Keep your fingers crossed for this year’s awarding because it’s about time that poker gets the recognition it deserves. The awarding will be held at New York City’s Frederick P. Rose Hall this April 26. Last year, ESPN’s WSOP coverage was also nominated, along with CBS’ Tour de France, ESPN2’s Bassmaster Classic, PGA Tour’s Inside the PGA Tour Deutsche Bank Champinoship, CBS’ Tour de France, and the Games of the XXIX Olympiad of NBC. However, the WSOP Coverage ultimately lost to NBC’s Games of the XXIX Olympiad. Who knows, this might just be the year that the poker industry will get its much-deserved Emmy.

Also, with the 2010 WSOP looming over the horizon, ESPN is already beginning to make its preparations for the coverage. The WSOP will start on May 28th, with the inaugural Player’s Championship. ESPN has yet to announce what events they will actually cover, but you can expect to see the Main Event once again from this TV station.
From pokernewsteam.com

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