April 02, 2006

ESPN's Next Gamble: Dominoes: Flush with the success of World Series of Poker, ESPN's highest rated regular series, the network is betting that Americans will watch dominoes in telecasts that begin in June. My dream of playing Dungeons & Dragons on TV just got a little closer to realization.

posted by rcade to general at 09:24 AM - 18 comments

I love to play some bones, but I think that this is a long shot. Although there is a strategy to the game as well as some wicked sh!t talking, I don't think it will translate into a TV show. Poker is more universal, and dominoes is a totally diferent animal.

posted by wingnut4life at 09:40 AM on April 02, 2006

Damn, I just gave my last 2 full boxes of regulation double6 dominoes to a church chairity fund drive to be sold. thinks about buying them back just to get on ESPN

posted by Folkways at 09:42 AM on April 02, 2006

The next big ESPN sports show: Watching grass grow....

posted by vetteman at 10:29 AM on April 02, 2006

Actually, it appears they have already been showing dominoes tourneys on ESPN Deportes for a while now on Tuesday nights. Interesting article here. This guy doesn't like it. Like wingnut, I love me some bones, but I'm not sure if I can get into it. I'll probably check it out, though... God knows I'm already addicted to WSOP/WPT telecasts.

posted by thatweirdguy2 at 10:38 AM on April 02, 2006

Ehhh, sure. If they're not going to re-air old spelling bees, the least they can do is try something else. I admit to not understanding the allure of watching other people play poker, but hey, whatever keeps those Doggy-Steps and Tom Emansky videos moving. (In related and completely unironic news, ESPN2 is airing 2½ hours of women's curling this afternoon. Goodbye, productivity!)

posted by chicobangs at 12:06 PM on April 02, 2006

Can "Monopoly" be far behind?

posted by dyams at 12:21 PM on April 02, 2006

I never could watch poker. I know I won't be able to watch dominoes. Jenga, now there's a game I might be able to handle on tv. So let's see now, they stopped covering the NHL. Now they are going to start covering dominoes. Before you know it, ESPN will be nothing but the card and board game network. Am I going to start getting "Learn how to play dominoes like the pros" spam now?

posted by njsk8r20 at 01:39 PM on April 02, 2006

I love the domino sequence in V For Vendetta.

posted by the red terror at 01:47 PM on April 02, 2006

We are this much closer to "The World Series of Dice" as predicted by Dave Chappelle.

posted by uglatto at 02:35 PM on April 02, 2006

when is the hop scotch tournament going to held?

posted by arturo at 02:47 PM on April 02, 2006

The Next Big Sporting Event on ESPN-- The great sport of book reading (quietly of course)

posted by vetteman at 03:19 PM on April 02, 2006

AS long as their doing this why don't they bring back the bikini exercise shows or have a bikini swimsuit challenge I miss the hot babes I used to watch in the morning exercise shows dominos how about adult spelling bees

posted by luther70 at 04:01 PM on April 02, 2006

From The Onion: 'ESPN Now Broadcasting Three Card Monte, Go Fish.'

posted by owlhouse at 05:51 PM on April 02, 2006

we ARE too late for an april fools joke right????

posted by tommybiden at 06:05 PM on April 02, 2006

I personally like watching poker, I've spent a good portion of my Thanksgiving watching Chris Moneymaker win a title, but I think that dominoes is taking the "gambling phase" a bit far. However, I'm sure there are Americans out there who will stay up late at night to watch the World Championship of Dominoes.

posted by Ying Yang Mafia at 07:40 PM on April 02, 2006

I'm still hoping they bring back Aussie rules football! Still, dominoes beats watching paint dry...not by much mind you.

posted by commander cody at 02:03 AM on April 03, 2006

And what in the hell ever happened to televised Putt-Putt Golf anyway!?! I loved it!

posted by commander cody at 02:06 AM on April 03, 2006

The appeal of watching poker to me is the announcers and the stories. The announcers do a great job of keeping it interesting and they always tell the player's stories. Watching people fish has been on television for years. At least, something is happening at all times with poker and dominoes.

posted by bperk at 10:11 AM on April 03, 2006

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