CBS Sports becomes US home of the 2021 World Series of Poker

CBS Sports has announced a multi-year rights agreement with PokerGo to become television partner for the World Series of Poker Main Event and select WSOP Bracelet Events.

Beginning in 2021, the sports division of the US television network will be the exclusive domestic home of the WSOP, featuring 15 hours of Main Event coverage and 36 hours of 18 additional Gold Bracelet events, which it says marks “a new high for the historic poker festival”.

“CBS Sports has long been a pioneer in covering a broad range of championship sports,” said Ty Stewart, WSOP executive director. “We couldn’t be more excited to see increased television coverage of the WSOP in the coming years and benefit from their growing media platforms.”

This collaboration sees CBS Sports and the WSOP rekindle a past partnership, with the former the first to broadcast poker in the US and the WSOP Main Event on its CBS Sports Spectacular program throughout the mid-1970s. 

It is added that additional coverage details will be announced in the coming months via the release of the full WSOP schedule, as well as coverage across other ViacomCBS platforms, including Paramount +.

“Following our past success with PokerGo, we are excited to expand our relationship with the highest-profile and richest event in competitive tournament poker featuring the best players in the world,” said Dan Weinberg, executive vice president of programming at CBS Sports. “This deal fits perfectly in our strategy to combine best-in-class events with our CBS Sports brand.”