The World Series of Poker (WSOP) has a new p.r. flack.

The WSOP announced this week that Seth Palansky is its new communications director, replacing Gary Thompson.

Palansky for the last five years has been the head of corporate communications for the NFL Network, the National Football League-owned and -operated cable television channel.

In addition to being named WSOP Communications Director, Palansky will also assume the title and duties of Communication Director of Harrah’s Entertainment, Inc.’s Sports and Entertainment Division, the WSOP said.

Harrah’s is the owner of the WSOP.

Thompson is being kicked upstairs.

The WSOP announced that he is the new Director of Corporate Communications for Harrah’s Entertainment, Inc. Palansky is to start his new job on March 3, and he will report directly to Jeffrey Pollack, Commissioner of the WSOP and Vice-President of Sports and Entertainment for Harrah’s, the WSOP said.

Thompson will also serve as an advisor to Pollack, the WSOP said.

“I am looking forward to joining the WSOP team,” said Palansky. “There are a lot of exciting things going on at Harrah’s and I can’t wait to get started.”

“Seth’s extensive sports and entertainment marketing experience and personal network of global media contacts will serve us well as we enter a new and exciting period of growth for poker’s No. 1 brand,” said Pollack.

Before working at the NFL Network, Palansky managed media relations for the Fox Sports Net, the WSOP said.

Palansky is just the latest defector from the NFL universe to jump to the WSOP.

Earlier, Ty Stewart, a former NFL executive, booted pro football for pro poker and became the WSOP’s Director of Sponsorship and Licensing.

Bringing NFL Network veteran Palansky to the WSOP fuels speculation that the WSOP or Harrah’s may be considering starting a 24-hour poker cable television channel.

Such channels already exist in Europe, but so far none have been started in the USA.

(E-mail Tom Somach at tomsomach@yahoo.com.)