The man who helped spark poker’s biggest boom thinks it might happen again. Maybe not with the explosive impact of ESPN in 2003, but after years largely hidden behind a paywall, even a modest surge could pull a new wave of players into the game.
“I think the Main Event returning to ESPN has real potential to grow the game again,” says Chris Moneymaker.
More than two decades removed from his legendary 2003 Main Event win, Moneymaker has had a front-row seat to what ESPN exposure can do.
That summer, the network didn’t just broadcast poker – it created a dream viewers wanted to emulate.
Poker’s media boom, then and now
The poker media landscape that Moneymaker helped ignite has changed.
“Back then, everybody was watching ESPN," Moneymaker says. "You had your cable channels, and that was pretty much it. Now you’ve got all these streaming options.”
What hasn’t changed is the value of visibility and worldwide exposure.
“Getting the Main Event out from behind a paywall and back in front of a mass audience is a good thing,” he says. “It’s really big for poker.”
The WSOP isn’t just returning to ESPN – it’s pairing with Omaha Productions to produce the broadcast, a move that will lean heavily into storytelling.
Peyton Manning founded Omaha Productions, which specializes in sports content and documentary series, including the Emmy Award-winning ManningCast on Monday Night Football. Moneymaker sees that partnership as a huge step in the right direction.
“I think it’s a great combination,” Moneymaker says. “They’re going to tell really good stories, and I think it can make poker feel cool again.”
Norman Chad: 'ESPN is a game-changer'
We reached out to one half of the iconic commentary duo from Moneymaker’s fairytale run. Norman Chad confirmed that Lon McEachern was unavailable for comment – and yes, we took his word for it.
“ESPN is a game-changer for poker,” says Chad. “When you look at everything that fueled the post-2003 boom, you can’t overlook the outsized presence of ESPN’s coverage.”
Despite a fractured modern media landscape, Chad argues the network still carries weight where it matters – reach and relevance.
“Even today, if you want to be a player in terms of viewer engagement, you’re better off with ESPN than without ESPN,” Chad says. “When leagues leave ESPN, their footprint shrinks. Eventually, they come back.”
For poker fans worldwide, the absence of mainstream coverage of what many call poker’s Super Bowl was noticeable.
“With the Main Event largely behind a paywall the last five years, it was as if the WSOP vanished from the mainstream,” Chad says. “Being back on ESPN gives it new life and a chance to reconnect with casual fans.”
The 2026 WSOP starts on May 26 with 100 bracelets up for grabs, including the most prestigious of them all: the Main Event. The final table of the Main Event will air live across three days on ESPN from August 3–5.
