GREAT VISION, AND GREAT PRODUCTS - THAT'S THE WORLD POKER TOUR

By Charles Jay

It is arguable who might be termed the "Babe Ruth of Poker." Maybe it's Johnny Moss. Maybe it's Doyle Brunson. Maybe it's Amarillo Slim Preston. But when we look back on it, there would appear to be little doubt as to the identity of the "Pete Rozelle of Poker"; the visionary who, like the late former National Football League commissioner, devised a way to take the game and turn it into a spectator sport, package it for television, affect a cornucopia of licensing opportunities, and create an indelible brand that many people identify almost exclusively with the game itself.His name is Steve Lipscomb, and not only did this founder of the World Poker Tour (WPT) perform the aforementioned Rozelle-esque feats, he also managed to play a critical role in ushering in an unprecedented boom in player participation that has fueled a multi-billion-dollar industry in both brick-and-mortar and virtual establishments. It's quite possible that the reason you are on this very site, reading this story, is because of Lipscomb, at least in a residual sense.

Steve Lipscomb is as important a figure as there is in the gaming industry today. It was not easy for Lipscomb to bring his vision to life. Many network television executives laughed him out of the room when he proposed his idea for a regular tour of poker players - amateur and professional. The World Series of Poker, a minor inclusion in ESPN's programming, was a relatively dull event as it was presented, and the ratings reflected it. But Lipscomb had different ideas - namely, to make the game something for viewers to find excitement in watching, to identify with the participants, and to have the opportunity to participate themselves - something you couldn't do in any of the major sports that occupied the television landscape. He raised money on his own to shoot the pilot episode, than worked 18 hours a day for nine months to edit it into a final package. The rest is history. When the World Poker Tour launched on Travel Channel in March of 2003, it quickly became the #1 show on the network - indeed, the top show in the network's history. Statistics bear that out - in its first season, the WPT drew an average of 1.5 million viewers, and improved ratings 100% for its time slot. The 2003 finale made its way into 857,000 households, while the replay of that same program scored with 980,000 households. And the effect spilled over to other poker entities as well. For the seventh installment of its coverage of the World Series of Poker, ESPN drew an incredible 1,670,000 households. And the finale of "Celebrity Poker" on Bravo drew 1.7 million viewers, including a million in the 25-54 age demographic.

Looking to seize on the trend, NBC scheduled the WPT's Tournament of Champions as counter-programming opposite the Super Bowl pre-game show in January of 2004. The show got a 3.0 rating, drawing more than ten million viewers. The success does not stop there.Part of Lipscomb's vision - virtually from the beginning - was to brand the WPT name whenever and wherever possible. "The New York Times said that 50 million people were playing poker on a regular basis, and no one had branded it," he told Inc. Magazine. "This became our mission."Lipscomb's company has carried that mission out to the letter. WPT Enterprises has licensed over 60 products, with that number increasing with each passing week. Numerous items, including chips and playing cards, are available in Walgreen's stores across the country, for example. The play-at-home game is carried in Wal-Mart as well as other major retailers. The brilliance of Lipscomb and his plan is clearly illustrated when one considers that a number of states actually sell WPT-branded lottery tickets.Of course, the by-product of this marketing bonanza is the WPT Store, where a virtual plethora of items carrying the World Poker Tour logo can be acquired.As an indication of what kind of crossover effect the game of poker has had, thanks to Lipscomb, the products in the WPT Store are hardly limited to those indigenous to poker itself. Sure, there is the WPT Bellagio Poker Chip Set, with 500 chips, a couple of decks of playing cards, dealer buttons (for the big blind and the little blind), all residing in a beautiful carrying case. You can pick up DVD's with the highlights from any of the first three seasons of World Poker Tour action as it was televised on Travel Channel and other outlets (including NBC). And if you're a real fan, you'll want to check out the 8x10 autographed photos of stars like Scotty Nguyen, Daniel Negreanu, Chip Jett, Gus Hansen and Phil Laak. But there are a lot of other items that will have you walking around like a WPT billboard. Yes, the customary collection of hats and T-shirts are available, all well worth looking into. But if you want to go a little "deeper," you can get the "Rock Hard Player" boxer shorts, 100% cotton, machine washable, and retailing for a very reasonable $9.95. Poker is an indoor game, but if you want to take the WPT outdoors, pick up the WPT Portable Poker Mat and lay it down whenever you've got the neighbors over for a cookout. It goes without saying that you can get the complete WPT Barbecue Tool Set ($18.95), and then, when the steaks are done, use that WPT Barbecue Cover to protect your grill from the elements. No, there isn't a WPT grill just yet, but stay tuned.For those more extravagant spenders who simply can't get poker off their mind, there's the brand new WPT Pinball Machine, priced to sell at just under $4800 (not including installation). If you just want to get your feet wet, there are a slew of items for less than $10, which includes coasters, money bands, poker chip lighters, card shufflers, bottle openers, and much more.Most domestic packages are shipped the next business day, through U.S. Postal Service Priority Mail, UPS Ground or UPS 2nd Day Air. International shipping is available. There is a rather liberal return and exchange policy, so satisfaction is most definitely guaranteed!

The World Poker Tour has been characterized by national magazines as "The Hottest Business in America." It's one of the great stories of branding genius in recent years, and besides all that, it's a lot of fun. There's no better gift for Christmas, birthdays, or any occasion, for that matter, than something from the WPT Store. CLICK HERE to visit it now!!