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ESPN2 to Broadcast North American Poker Tour

A fledgling poker tour likely has never gotten this big this fast. The newly minted North American Poker Tour just signed on to broadcast 16 hours on ESPN2.

The NAPT, which was created by PokerStars in January, started with the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure. Stops at the Venetian in Las Vegas and the Mohegan Sun in Connecticut were announced at the PCA. And now, about a month later, the NAPT has a TV deal. The Venetian tournament series starts this weekend, with broadcasts to start in April.

Here’s the TV schedule, as reported by ESPN:

April 19: Venetian $25,000 high-roller bounty shootout (9-11 p.m. ET)
April 26: Venetian $25,000 high-roller bounty shootout (9 p.m. ET)
April 26: Venetian $5,000 main event (10 p.m. ET)
May 3: Mohegan Sun shootout (9-11 p.m. ET)
May 10: Mohegan Sun shootout (9 p.m. ET)
May 10: Mohegan Sun $5,000 main event (10 p.m. ET)
May 17: PokerStars Caribbean Adventure $25,000 high-roller (9-11 p.m. ET)

Of particular interest to ESPN had to be the “high-roller” events, which attract poker stars that even casual poker players and enthusiasts recognized. The PCA had one, and the upcoming stop at the Venetian has already generated a lot of buzz, before the TV deal.

According to a report on the deal at ESPN.com: “We’re very excited to bring the North American Poker Tour to ESPN,” said ESPN’s coordinating producer Jamie Horowitz. “Our fans like big names and big stakes — the NAPT will have both in excess.”

Joanna Krupa, of “Dancing with the Stars” and PokerStars “Million Dollar Challenge” fame, has already signed on as a hostess for the NAPT, and likely will figure heavily in the TV coverage of the tour.

ESPN is clearly enamored with poker and showing it on its networks. The signing seems like a good sign for live poker tournaments in 2010.

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