The World Poker Tour has partnered with leading video streaming service provider Unreel to give poker fans and players easy access to its high-quality video content through its new free OTT (over-the-top) streaming service WatchWPT.
The new streaming service will feature exclusive video content including over 250 hours of coverage of the WPT, Alpha8 and WPT Greatest. The video content will be in the form of livestreams, short form videos and selections from the vast WPT library.
Depending on viewers preferences, additional content from the WPT archives may be added according to Johnny McMahon, Vice President, WPT Studios at WPT Enterprises.
“We are evaluating our options to see what the best content is to add to the more than 250 hours available through the WatchWPT app,” McMahon told pokerfuse. “If there is a demand from viewers to add certain elements from the WPT catalog, we are happy to provide from our 17 seasons available.”
However, viewers should not expect to see coverage of WPT500 and WPTDeepStacks events, at least not yet.
“WPT500 and WPTDeepStacks events are exclusively live streamed at this stage and there is an appetite for them based on the thousands of viewers who tune in,” McMahon continued in his exclusive statement to pokerfuse. “If those viewers translate to an audience for the WatchWPT app, we can ensure they will have access to that content.”
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As fans of the WPT know, coverage is typically limited to Final Tables, and that plan remains in place for the launch of WatchWPT. “For right now, our live streaming platform is exclusively final table coverage,” said McMahon. “Our audience has shown that as of now, that is the content they are most interested in.”
The WatchWPT app is available in the App Store for iOS devices and on Google Play for android devices. The service is also available via a number of different distribution endpoints including Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV and the WorldPokerTour.tv website.
“In the U.S. alone, there are around 40 million people who play poker on a regular basis. Of those players, 6.9 million are avid watchers of poker on television”, according to the press release. “With the continuous increase of viewers shifting from cable to OTT, there is a need for more niche streaming platforms. WPT has bridged the gap with WatchWPT, connecting poker players and fans to their favorite WPT video content.”
“We are proud to play a role in the distribution of content that viewers love,” said Dan Goikhman, CEO of Unreel, in a press release. “Through our partnership with World Poker Tour, we will provide a high-quality viewing experience for poker players and fans across the globe.”
The World Poker Tour currently broadcasts on Fox Sports Net and makes some of its video content available through other OTT platforms including the leading subscription-based OTT poker streaming service PokerGo, Tubi, PLUTO and Sinclair’s STIRR.
Earlier this week, the World Poker Tour held its first delayed Final Tables at the HyperX Esports Arena at the Luxor Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. The WPT LA Poker Classic Final Table played out on Monday, The WPT Gardens Poker Championship Final Table was held on Tuesday and the WPT Borgata Winter Poker Open took place on Wednesday. The $25 million facility will house all of the WPT Final Tables for season 17.
