ESPN's extra channels are usually home to some weird stuff. I've seen everything from baby cow rodeos to re-runs of old 80s strongman competitions. So I guess it shouldn't be too big a surprise to see that, over a decade ago, ESPN2 was broadcasting...Magic Card tournaments.
This footage is the final of the 2000 Magic World Championships, and shows Jon Finkel up against Bob Maher. It's not exactly riveting stuff, but the appeal here is that as far back as 2000 ESPN was broadcasting Magic Card tournaments.
Shame they stopped, really. If ESPN can make poker appeal to people watching a TV, surely today's Magic scene, which features more professional and presentable art, could still work.
These clips are from 2007, but it's popped back up this week, so if you've never seen it, it's worth a look. Fascinating stuff!
Magic Worlds 2000 Finals Jon Finkel vs. Bob Maher [YouTube, via Destructoid]