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WSOP, Milwaukee's Best Light Sign Sponsorship Deal

The agreement, which is subject to definitive documentation, begins with this year's World Series of Poker Presented by Milwaukee's Best Light at the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas from June 25 to August 10. At least nine of the individual tournament events will be taped for broadcast on ESPN beginning in July.

The deal is the largest of its kind ever between a gaming entity and a corporate sponsor. As part of the agreement, Milwaukee's Best Light will be integrated into several facets of the WSOP and will promote the WSOP nationally on a year-round basis. The agreement calls for:

-A new joint mark featuring the WSOP and Milwaukee's Best Light logos;

-The "Milwaukee's Best Light Pocket Cam," which will be featured during the broadcast to show ESPN viewers each player's hole cards;

-The "Milwaukee's Best Light Beer Garden," an area adjacent to the official poker room at the WSOP, accessible to both players and spectators.

"This is a game-changing alliance for the World Series of Poker," said Jeffrey Pollack, WSOP commissioner. "Miller Brewing is one of the top sports marketers in the world and Milwaukee's Best Light is a brand on the move that reflects our own sense of fun, creativity, excitement and authenticity. This pact further solidifies our position as the No. 1 poker brand in the world and helps introduce us as a change agent for a select group of consumer-product companies."

"This milestone deal with Harrah's and the world's preeminent poker series gives our brand a terrific association with a sport which is very important to our core consumers," said Paul Verdu, marketing director for Milwaukee's Best Light. "We will be activating the deal in a big way with our consumers and our distributor and retailer partners throughout the life of the sponsorship."

Player participation in the WSOP has increased every year since the tournament's inception, with 5,619 participants in the 2005 Main Event alone and even more expected to play in the 2006 WSOP. Last year, Australian Joe Hachem won the Main Event, bringing home $7.5 million in winnings in his first year competing.

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