With the first North American stop of the new season as a backdrop, World Poker Tour (WPT) officials announced new tour stops and new features for Season X of the ever-popular poker tournament series.

The season started in May with the WPT Spanish Championship, held at the Casino Barcelona, followed by WPT Spanish Slovenia in June at the Casino Barcelona in Portoro?.  Two new stops have been added in the United States in Jacksonville, Florida and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.  WPT Jacksonville will be held a the poker rooms of the Orange Park Kennel Club and St. Johns Greyhound Park in November, while the Philadelphia stop at the Parx Casino will be held on a yet to be determined date in 2012.

On the European side, WPT Malta, WPT Prague, and a new Ireland stop have been added to the schedule.  WPT Malta will take place next month, September 20th through September 24th, at Casino at Portomaso, while WPT Prague will take place during the first week of December at the Corinthia Casino.  It appears that the Ireland stop will be scheduled for some time in 2012.

These tour stops will, of course, be filmed and aired on Fox Sports Net (FSN) in the U.S., starting in the first quarter of 2012.  The first episode will be combination highlight show, looking back on Season IX, and Season X preview.  The coming season will also feature two new, one-hour behind-the-scenes specials, produced by Joey Carson, former CEO of Bunim-Murray Productions.

For those who do not want to wait for the taped episodes to air, the World Poker Tour will offer live streaming of all final table action, including hole cards and chip counts.  Tony “Bond18″ Dunst will host the streams in the United States along with guest commentators.  The European final tables will be hosted by an array of guest hosts.

Also new this year are several new perks and awards for WPT winners.  Everyone who wins a Main Event will become members of the Champions Club, which will afford them a VIP concierge and VIP treatment at WPT events, along with other exclusive benefits.  Past winners, not just those starting in Season X, will also be part of the Champions Club.

Following in the tradition of many major sporting events, the World Poker will also introduce the WPT Champions Cup.  This 33-inch tall, 33-pound trophy will be engraved with the name of every WPT champion.  Starting this season, all champions will receive a smaller version of the trophy to display proudly on their mantles.  An additional 24-inch, 35-pound crystal trophy will be awarded to the winner of the WPT Player of Year title.  Andy Frankenberger, the Season IX Player of the Year, will be the first to receive the award.

The WPT is also doing away with the standard silver bracelet given to every WPT champion.  In its place will be a sterling silver WPT engraved card protector, produced by Tiffany and Co.

The WPT Legends of Poker kicked off yesterday just after the WPT annoucement as 322 players ponied up $3,700 to compete at the Bicycle Casino in Los Angeles, California.  Those eliminated on Thursday may re-buy again for today’s Day 1B.  The six-handed final table be held on August 30th.