The return of the World Series Main Event to ESPN failed to live up to viewership expectations.
August 16, 2026
The published TV ratings for the final table came in significantly below the numbers of poker's golden era, but experts call this a natural process in the evolution of the media market.
The first evening of the final table aired on ESPN2 and did not make the top 100 cable programs. The broadcast of the final heads-up, where Lucas Jumalon won 10 million dollars, drew 593,000 viewers. For comparison, in 2009 more than two million viewers followed Joe Cada's victory.
According to Pew Research Center, the number of cable TV subscribers has dropped by 40% since the 2010s. Today's viewers aren't willing to watch hours-long live broadcasts, preferring short hand highlights instead. The WSOP published daily highlights on YouTube, which together racked up nearly 1 million views.
Also, this year's final table lacked superstars on the scale of Phil Ivey, whose presence has always guaranteed an influx of viewers.
Despite the drop in TV ratings, experts believe that live poker is on the rise. This year's WSOP Main Event drew more than 9,200 entries, making it the fourth largest in history.
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The first evening of the final table aired on ESPN2 and did not make the top 100 cable programs. The broadcast of the final heads-up, where Lucas Jumalon won 10 million dollars, drew 593,000 viewers. For comparison, in 2009 more than two million viewers followed Joe Cada's victory.
According to Pew Research Center, the number of cable TV subscribers has dropped by 40% since the 2010s. Today's viewers aren't willing to watch hours-long live broadcasts, preferring short hand highlights instead. The WSOP published daily highlights on YouTube, which together racked up nearly 1 million views.
Also, this year's final table lacked superstars on the scale of Phil Ivey, whose presence has always guaranteed an influx of viewers.
Despite the drop in TV ratings, experts believe that live poker is on the rise. This year's WSOP Main Event drew more than 9,200 entries, making it the fourth largest in history.
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