World Series of Poker officials "may have finally hit on the right formula," as the final table of the No-limit Texas Hold 'em World Championship was played over three days for the first time in the event's 46-year history, and the "ESPN-friendly format appeared to be a hit," according to David Schoen of the LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL. Caesars Interactive Entertainment VP/Corporate Communications Seth Palansky, who runs media for the WSOP, said, "I don't want to speak for ESPN, but we're pleased with what we see from the ratings and think this is probably the path forward." Schoen: "Now, if only they could speed up play." The first night of the final table "saw 72 hands dealt during the ESPN broadcast (a paltry 13 per hour)," though the pace of the tournament "picked up considerably" over the final two days as players were eliminated. Palansky said that "speeding up play for television is not as simple as putting a time limit on players." Palansky: "We've previously had some looks at the 'shot clock,' and after this I'm sure we will further those discussions and get some thought leaders together and study it a little closer. Our initial determination was it could actually add time" (LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL, 11/12).
