Release

POKERGO® REACHES NEW MULTI-YEAR TELEVISION AGREEMENT WITH CBS SPORTS

CBS Sports Network Becomes Exclusive U.S. Television Home of the 2021 WSOP

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LAS VEGAS(April 19, 2021) – CBS Sports today announced a new multi-year rights agreement with PokerGO as its new television partner for the World Series of Poker Main Event and select WSOP Bracelet Events.

Beginning in 2021, CBS Sports Network will be the exclusive domestic television home of the WSOP, featuring 15 hours of Main Event coverage and 36 hours of 18 additional Gold Bracelet events, easily marking a new high for the historic poker festival.

CBS Sports and the WSOP rekindle a past partnership with this deal.  It was CBS Sports who first broadcast poker in the U.S. and the WSOP Main Event on its CBS SPORTS SPECTACULAR program throughout the mid-1970s.

CBS Sports has long been a pioneer in covering a broad range of championship sports,” said Ty Stewart, WSOP Executive Director. “We couldn’t be more excited to see increased television coverage of the WSOP in the coming years and benefit from their growing media platforms.”

Following our past success with PokerGO, we are excited to expand our relationship with the highest-profile and richest event in competitive tournament poker featuring the best players in the world,” said Dan Weinberg, Executive Vice President of Programming, CBS Sports.  “This deal fits perfectly in our strategy to combine best-in-class events with our CBS Sports brand.” 

Additional coverage details will be announced in the coming months with the release of the full WSOP schedule, as well as coverage across other ViacomCBS platforms, including Paramount +.

About the World Series of Poker

The World Series of Poker® is the largest, richest and most prestigious gaming event in the world, having awarded more than $3.29 billion in prize money and the prestigious gold bracelet, globally recognized as the sport’s top prize. Featuring a comprehensive slate of tournaments in every major poker variation, the WSOP is poker’s longest-running tournament in the world, dating back to 1970.  In 2019, the event attracted 187,298 entrants from 118 different countries to the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas and awarded more than $293 million in prize money. In addition, the WSOP has formed groundbreaking alliances in broadcasting, digital media and corporate sponsorships, while successfully expanding the brand internationally with the advent of WSOP Europe in 2007 and the WSOP Asia-Pacific in 2013 and the WSOP International Circuit Series in 2015. All WSOP events are subject to the then-current and applicable WSOP tournament rules. For more information, please visitwww.wsop.com.

About CBS Sports

CBS Sports, a year-round leader in cross-platform sports coverage, broadcasts a portfolio of events on the CBS Television Network, including THE NFL ON CBS; college football, including the SEC ON CBS; college basketball, including the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Championship; golf, including The Masters®, PGA Championship and PGA TOUR; soccer, including the UEFA Champions League and NWSL; and CBS SPORTS SPECTACULAR. In addition, the division includes CBS SPORTS NETWORK, the 24-hour cable home of CBS Sports which televises live sports programming throughout the year, including college football and basketball games, UEFA Champions League and Europa League action, as well as a full slate of original programming and studio coverage. CBS Sports also delivers an extensive lineup of soccer coverage on Paramount+, including every UEFA club competition match as the exclusive English-language home in the U.S., and produces INSIDE THE NFL for Paramount+. CBS Sports Digital's multi-platform offerings includeCBSSports.comand the CBS Sports apps for mobile and connected TV devices; the 24/7 streaming sports news network CBS Sports HQ; 247Sports; MaxPreps; CBS Sports fantasy games; and SportsLine.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release includes "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Forward-looking statements include statements regarding our strategies, objectives and plans for future development or acquisitions of properties or operations, as well as expectations, future operating results and other information that is not historical information. When used in this press release, the terms or phrases such as "anticipates," "believes," "projects," "plans," "intends," "expects," "might," "may," "estimates," "could," "should," "would," "will likely continue," and variations of such words or similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Although our expectations, beliefs and projections are expressed in good faith and with what we believe is a reasonable basis, there can be no assurance that these expectations, beliefs and projections will be realized. There are a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause our actual results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements which are included elsewhere in this press release. These risks and uncertainties include: (a) the effects of the COVID-19 public health emergency, including (i) the extent and duration of the impact of the global COVID-19 public health emergency and measures to contain the public health emergency or mitigate its impact on the Company's business, financial results and liquidity; (ii) the ability of the Company to modify its operations to comply with various state, tribal and local directives, mandates, and orders; (iii) the impact of actions the Company has undertaken to reduce costs and improve efficiencies to mitigate losses as a result of the COVID-19 public health emergency, which could negatively impact guest loyalty and our ability to attract and retain our employees; and (iv) changes and instability in global, national and regional economic activity and financial market activity as a result of the COVID-19 public health emergency and the impact on consumer discretionary spending and travel; (b) the possibility that the proposed acquisition of William Hill and the announced and proposed dispositions are not consummated on the expected terms or at all; (c) risks related to the Merger of the Company and CEC and the proposed acquisition of William Hill and the integration of their respective businesses and assets; (d) potential adverse reactions or changes to business or employee relationships, including those resulting from the completion of the Merger and the proposed acquisition of William Hill; (e) the possibility that the anticipated benefits of the Merger and the proposed acquisition of William Hill, including cost savings and expected synergies, are not realized when expected or at all; (f) risks associated with increased leverage and additional rental expense resulting from debt financing undertaken in connection with the Merger and the proposed acquisition of William Hill and real estate transactions undertaken in connection with the Merger; (g) competitive responses to the Merger and the proposed acquisition of William Hill; and (h) additional factors discussed in the sections entitled "Risk Factors" and "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" in the Company's and CEC's respective most recent Annual Reports on Form 10-K and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Other unknown or unpredictable factors may also cause actual results to differ materially from those projected by the forward-looking statements.

In light of these and other risks, uncertainties and assumptions, the forward-looking events discussed in this press release might not occur. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this press release, even if subsequently made available on our website or otherwise, and we do not intend to update publicly any forward-looking statement to reflect events or circumstances that occur after the date on which the statement is made, except as may be required by law.

 

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MEDIA CONTACTS:

Chelsea Ryder

Caesars Entertainment

cryder@caesars.com

 

Mitch Marier

Caesars Entertainment

mmarier@caesars.com

 

Jerry Caraccioli

CBS Sports

gwcaraccioli@cbs.com

 

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