Hublot has added professional poker to the growing ranks of sports and pursuits the watch brand supports.
The LVMH-owned brand has become official timekeeper and official watch of the World Poker Tour in Las Vegas, also unveiling the poker-inspired Big Bang World Poker Tour watch.
Ricardo Guadalupe, chief executive officer of Hublot, announced the partnership at the WPT Five Diamond World Poker Classic at the Bellagio hotel, an event attended by the greatest professional and amateur players on the poker circuit.
Guadalupe said: "Hublot has once again proven itself to be first, unique and different, as the first luxury brand to become Official Timekeeper and Official Watch of the international professional poker circuit. We chose the World Poker Tour because its global presence, televised tournaments and quality of its players make it a benchmark in the game.
“I strongly believe that this field has great commercial and marketing potential. The tremendous success of our boutiques in Las Vegas and Macau are evidence of the possibilities. I am delighted with this great collaboration that awaits us."
Adam Pliska, president of the World Poker Tour, added: "Hublot is a Swiss luxury brand renowned across the globe for its sports watches with an instantly recognisable design. This partnership will bring even more value to each and every televised event of the World Poker Tour. In April, Champion of season XII of the World Poker Tour, Keven Stammen beat Byron Kaverman in Borgata, and received the magnificent prize of a Hublot King Power Unico. We are delighted to be able to give almost 1 million dollars’ worth of luxury watches to the champions of our televised events and the Hublot WPT Player of the Year in the upcoming seasons.”
