$60 MILLION DOLLAR WINNER-TAKE-ALL EVENT HIGHLIGHTS NEW SERIES
New Rules, New Formats and Unrivaled Technology
Los Angeles -- FSN, in conjunction with MANSIONPoker.net, has the unprecedented distinction in announcing that they have reached what to date is the largest televised poker deal in history. The three-year agreement establishes the MANSIONPOKER.NET POKERDOME SERIES, which features high stakes, new formats and ground-breaking technology, all of which are highlighted by three multi-million dollar winner-take-all mega-events. The first mega-event is scheduled for Wednesday, July 12, 2006, when six players are expected to vie for an astounding $60 million, the biggest single-day payout in the history of sports. Amazingly, mega-event pots grow to $75 million in 2007 and reach a stratospheric $100 million in 2008.
"The $60 Million Winner-Take-All event is a one-of-a-kind show that will not just take America by storm, but the international community as well," said George Greenberg, FSN's Executive Vice-President of Programming and Production. "Not Mike Tyson, Michael Schumacher or Tiger Woods have ever collected this much in one outing. MANSIONPoker.net's COO David Kinsman and Hollybrook Regency Inc. have brought FSN an event that is unparalleled in the world of sports."
The MANSIONPOKER.NET POKERDOME SERIES is slated to debut on Sunday, May 15, 2006 (11:00 PM-1:00AM local) on FSN owned-and-affiliated regional sports networks, and continues for 43 consecutive weeks. The series' multi-faceted tournaments originate inside a remarkable, high-tech soon-to-be-built arena called the "Pokerdome."
The state-of-the-art dome contains a poker table, complete with an automated card tracking system, integrated chip counting capabilities, hole card-cam and robotic cameras focused on each player's face. The Pokerdome also comes equipped with special cameras and card technology that allows viewers to see the burn cards - or discarded cards - before dealers flip the active cards, plus a rabbit-hunting camera for each hand, letting fans know what would have happened if each hand went to completion.
The three mega-events are stand-alone tournaments, with the first being contested in Australia at one of the world's finest luxury casinos. The 2006 mega-event is a single-table tournament featuring six players, each of whom will buy-in for $10 million. The tournament also features the biggest starting blinds of any sanctioned poker tournament in history.
To illustrate the magnitude of the event, private armed guards, along with casino personnel, provide a constant security presence. Plus, medical teams will be standing by, monitoring each of the players' heart rates in the event that pushing $1 and $5 million chips into the pot causes a player's heart to race faster than Schumacher.
The first of the six hand-picked players, whose name will be announced at a star-studded charity poker event in Hollywood on Monday, Dec. 12, is a well-known poker champion and multiple WSOP bracelet winner. Following this announcement, FSN plans to reveal each of the remaining five players one by one every month. The second player will be named during FSN's coverage of the 2006 Aussie Millions tournament in January.
SERIES FORMAT
Anyone can set up a standard card game. But when you're playing in a studio that looks like the inside of the NASA space shuttle, what fun is standard? MANSIONPoker.net has acquired the services of legendary poker tournament director Keith "Bendigo" Sloan to design and implement new versions of Texas Hold'Em for the MANSIONPOKER.NET POKERDOME SERIES.
Over the course of the 43 weeks, an ever-evolving labyrinth of seven- and eight-week tournaments combines to determine one final champion. These circuits feature a winner each week, who collects a $5,000 purse and earns a seat at that circuit's final table. A win there results in a spot at the $1,000,000 winner-take-all series finale championship table.
The spotlight game, and one that will be played for multiple circuits, is Sloan's brainchild: Speed Poker. Imagine poker on an NBA shot-clock. Now imagine that shot-clock always at fast-break speed. Players will have 15 seconds to bet, check or fold. Instead of playing the standard 15-20 hands an hour, Speed Poker ratchets that up to 80-100 hands an hour. It's poker on triple espresso.
"MANSIONPoker.net, Hollybrook Regency Inc. and FSN are about to raise the creative and technical bar for how poker is currently produced," said Greenberg. "David Kinsman is a marketing guru and a true brand builder. His objective to us was crystal clear: Design a new set of television dynamics for the game of poker. Using FOX creativity and innovative technology to develop this 43-week series, FSN is redefining how poker is watched on TV. The poker television mold is about to be shattered."
Added Kinsman, "Speed Poker is the perfect combination of fast-action poker and the adrenaline pumping atmosphere of a live tournament. We are proud to introduce the game to millions of viewers through FSN's unique Pokerdome series."
In addition to Speed Poker, other circuits in the series are scheduled to include an amateur poker challenge, a pros-only points system tournament and many others.
AMATEURS WELCOME
Veteran promoter Rick Kulis and his company Hollybrook Regency Inc., in association with MANSIONPoker.net, will qualify players over the age of 21 for the 43-week series through a set of special tournaments set up on the website. Those who win their way into the Pokerdome series will be flown to our exclusive studio and given VIP accommodations and $500 spending money.
FSN
FSN reaches more than 81 million homes through its network of 20 regional sports channels. FSN, based in Los Angeles, serves as the cable TV home to 62 of the 82 MLB, NHL and NBA teams based in the United States, and produces over 4,500 live events each year. In addition to home team games, FSN telecasts a wide variety of national sports events and programming, including Best Damn Sports Show Period and Beyond the Glory. For the latest up-to-the-minute sports news and opinions, visit the FOX Sports/FSN website at
www.FoxSports.com.
