WPT sponsorship

Perhaps the biggest brand in global poker, World Poker Tour Enterprises has announced a sponsorship deal with PartyGaming, until recently the world’s biggest online operator.

Strategic deals are all the rage at the moment in the boardrooms of gaming companies and this multi-year agreement will provide international television sponsorship of the World Poker Tour and Professional Poker Tour by PartyGaming.

So what’s in it for the two companies? Well, the arrangement covers shows produced under WPT Seasons IV, V, and VI and PPT Seasons I, II, and III, and means the WPT brand now has access to PartyGaming’s extensive marketing resources, which provide valuable promotional opportunities for WPT’s online gaming site and worldpokertour.com, a new potential revenue stream for WPTE.

As for PartyGaming’s flagship brand PartyPoker.com, it will be able to both consolidate playing numbers, and push their brand in the global marketplace after being banned from trading in the US.

To that end, PartyPoker.com will receive exclusive in-show branded integration and association with the top brand in televised poker.

The financial terms of the agreement will depend upon the number of international territories contracted with, the amount of branded integration within each episode and the number of episodes aired.

PartyGaming has also made certain commitments towards online satellites to tournaments and promoting the WPT Academy.

“We are pleased to be creating an alliance with a leading marketer such as PartyGaming,” said Steve Lipscomb, Founder & Chief Executive Officer.

“This deal represents a win-win for both parties. It aligns WPT and PartyGaming’s goals of expanding the international distribution of our programming and helps facilitate the growth of poker worldwide.”