Southwest Airlines to sponsor WPT VI
The forthcoming World Poker Tour season VI will be sponsored by Southwest Airlines, WPT Enterprises Inc have announced.
The deal will see the airline’s branding featured throughout the tour, with Southwest to be marketed as ‘the official airline of the WPT’.
According to a statement released by both parties, it has also been confirmed that Southwest will be marketed prominently during the televised WPT Season VI ‘watch and win’ matches on GSN.
In addition, poker fans will be given the opportunity to win a free a free trip to and from the WPT final round courtesy of Southwest.
Commenting on the initiative, Steve Lipscomb, founder, president and director of the WPT, said: “As WPT is the premiere ‘tour’ on the circuit, Southwest is an ideal brand for us to align with.
“We look forward to initiating what is sure to be a very exciting and innovative partnership.”
Recent US legislation has seen televised advertising for online gambling sites banned, forcing organisers of events to look elsewhere for sponsorship.
Some observers feel that the closure of the Poker Dome in Las Vegas was a direct result of the crackdown on online gambling taking away valuable advertising revenues.