Poker Central and Stadium are staking Facebook Watch to a new interactive poker series.
Friday Night Poker is scheduled to premiere on Sept. 21 and will offer viewers the opportunity to engage with the hosts and players in real time. A viewer might get a chance to win a seat on the show.
The series will be hosted by Jeff Platt, Amanda Leatherman and professional power player Brent Hanks.
The show’s game of choice is No-Limit Texas Hold’em. There will be Q&A sessions between viewers and players that will provide the audience with valuable insights from top players.
The deal expands multiplatform sports channel Stadium’s content relationship with Facebook, which streams some college football games and other events to which Stadium has rights.
"We’ve taken great pride in evolving the traditional live television experience by creating unique social and interactive elements while still keeping production values high,” said Stadium CEO Jason Coyle. “Being able to take those elements and bring fans an interactive poker experience on Facebook is something we’re incredibly excited about."
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Working with Facebook also grows Poker Central’s reach on digital and social platforms.
“As Poker Central continues to expand its reach across audiences, growing in highly engaged social channels was a clear evolution,” said Sam Simmons, vice president of content for Poker Central. “Developing Friday Night Poker as a customized viewing experience on the Facebook Watch platform represents a significant milestone in that growth.”
Episodes will be shot at the PokerGO Studios at Aria Resort & Casino in Las Vegas and air from 7:00-11:00 pm ET on Friday nights.
Poker play will be on a 30-minute delay as required by Nevada gaming regulations.
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