World Poker Tour Enterprises says it is in discussions with several major U.S. television networks to broadcast programming for its seventh season of the World Poker Tour following the expiration this weekend of GSN's option to exclusively product the show.
Both parties said in a press statement that they continue to negotiate, but rumors mention high-production costs and speculate that GSN's new chief executive David Goldhill, appointed last year, wants to refocus the channel on traditional game shows.
According to Goldhill, "We are continuing discussions with WPTE regarding how we may be able to work together- including perhaps broadcasting parts of Season VII."
But the renewal deadline for another GSN show, High Stakes Poker, is also quickly approaching with no agreement in sight.
"Everybody is surprised and nobody knows why this is happening, really," High Stakes Poker commentator Gabe Kaplan told Hollywood Reporter.
High Stakes Poker is the most-watched program on GSN among 18-49 year-olds while WPT is the sixth most-watched. Among overall viewers, however, WPT ranks 7th and High Stakes Poker ranks 28th.
GSN owns the rights to High Stakes Poker, which means the show's producer, Poker Prods. may not be able to move it to another network.
Meanwhile, WPT might want to broaden its horizons.
"This may allow us the first opportunity to explore diversifying content on multiple networks like most sports leagues," said Steve Lipscomb, founder, president and chief executive of WPT. "We have already begun those discussions and look forward to making another season of the best and most widely distributed poker programming in the world to our dedicated viewers and fans."