While there is poker on television and different outlets that offer podcasts, currently there isn’t a one that is dedicated to poker 24/7. A Canadian entertainment company is looking to change that with the rollout of an internet television station.
It was announced on Thursday that HeadsUp Entertainment, a publicly traded company on the New York Stock Exchange, will unveil sometime in the fourth quarter of 2009 CanadianPokerPlayer.tv for poker aficionados. The company, which also owns the Canadian Poker Tour and Canadian Poker Player Magazine, recently finished sponsorship negotiations for the station and will provide poker programming that should offer entertainment for all parts of the poker community, according to HeadsUp Entertainment president Kelly B. Kellner: “Players and fans will be given an innovative and effective means to pursue their interest in the sport and we couldn’t be more excited.”
In an exclusive interview with Poker News Daily, Kellner detailed out what CanadianPokerPlayer.tv will offer: “Some of the programming for the station will include over 20 hours of content produced in Canada over the past four years from the Canadian Open Poker Championships in 2006, 2008, and 2009 from Calgary,” Kellner commented. “We are currently working with several of the online poker sites to include programming from around the world that they have produced as well. Some original programming will commence immediately and we will be incorporating live feeds from events in Canada and around the world.”
“The programming wheel is currently being structured and plans also include movies and features relating to the poker and gaming industry,” Kellner continued. “We intend to offer viewers numerous watch and win promotions and incentives to tune in on a daily basis.”
In North America, something along these lines has yet to be unveiled. “We haven’t seen any real networks online that have incorporated the format that we are attempting with our station,” noted Kellner. “Those who have had an opportunity to see the Poker Channel in the United Kingdom will have a good example of what a mainstream media network would be doing.”
Canada has provided several of the top poker players in the game and several could be an active part of the network, according to Kellner. “We have tremendous relationships with many poker pros,” Kellner commented. “We are looking to build on that to incorporate innovative programming to follow their poker careers. I can tell everyone now that there are two original shows currently being negotiated, but we can‘t comment beyond that. More news on that to follow!”
Once the network hits the internet, North America will have a dedicated poker channel and HeadsUp Entertainment is promising that it will be a first class product. The launch is expected soon.
