The Sunday Times Rich List

[David Lettington]

I noticed that Jan Mol, the sponsor of the recent Staunton Memorial tournaments was in the Sunday Times Rich List. I figured that he obviously had a bob or two or he wouldn't have been sponsoring the tournament, but it says that his personal wealth amounts to a cool £373 million.

I didn't spot anyone else in there with any links to chess, unless you count Lennox Lewis.

[Arshad Ali]

... but it says that his personal wealth amounts to a cool £373 million.

The Sunday Times valuations are suspect. In fairness, it's impossible to give a figure for the large fortunes as the valuation of businesses and assets is inevitably a guessing game. "Net worth" becomes an elusive construct at the pinnacle.

Wealth and chess-playing seem not to go together in the same way as wealth and bridge-playing. Don't know why. Chess players tend to be impecunious.

[Jonathan Bryant]

I figured that he obviously had a bob or two or he wouldn't have been sponsoring the tournament, but it says that his personal wealth amounts to a cool £373 million.

It's not enough for him to be funding this year's event sadly.

[Joey Stewart]

It does seem to be the trend with these massive international chess tournament in England - they come out very strongly and show real promise but then fade into obscurity again.

[David Robertson]

I don't think anyone needs doctrinal precision, Arshad. All we need to know is who the rich are.

Talking of which, the guy listed 10th on the NW list, worth £410 mill, is the co-owner of a firm with his chess-playing, club member, brother. That brother & I have been in talks for six months on how best he can help promote junior chess in my area. A substantial sum (£10k) annually over five years initially has been his plan; the plan subject to a feasible programme, delivery and KPIs. I put the ideas out to the local clubs, and the MCA junior organiser, seeking serious proposals. The answer came back the other day from the MCA junior officer: £30k annually, or we're not interested.

The benefactor has therefore dropped his interest.

Yeah, I know. You think this surely can't be true. But, alas, I have the emails.

[Jonathan Bryant]

Amazing.

I'll have the 10k if he still wants to get rid of it. I'm 41 - that's still young isn't it?

[Arshad Ali]

I don't think anyone needs doctrinal precision, Arshad. All we need to know is who the rich are.

We don't even know that, alas. Quite a few people deliberately stay off the radar. As for precision, the Sunday Times often gets it wrong by an order of magnitude. All I know is I ain't got none.

But it would help if some influential people sponsored chess events. Like the Lloyds Bank Masters of several years ago.

[David Sedgwick]

I figured that he obviously had a bob or two or he wouldn't have been sponsoring the tournament, but it says that his personal wealth amounts to a cool £373 million.

It's not enough for him to be funding this year's event sadly.

I'd better not go into details, but I understand that the main reason he's not continuing his support is that his circumstances have changed.

[Mick Norris]

I don't think anyone needs doctrinal precision, Arshad. All we need to know is who the rich are.

Talking of which, the guy listed 10th on the NW list, worth £410 mill, is the co-owner of a firm with his chess-playing, club member, brother. That brother & I have been in talks for six months on how best he can help promote junior chess in my area. A substantial sum (£10k) annually over five years initially has been his plan; the plan subject to a feasible programme, delivery and KPIs. I put the ideas out to the local clubs, and the MCA junior organiser, seeking serious proposals. The answer came back the other day from the MCA junior officer: £30k annually, or we're not interested.

The benefactor has therefore dropped his interest.

Yeah, I know. You think this surely can't be true. But, alas, I have the emails.

David

If you could steer him in the direction of the MCF, we'd be delighted to help!

[Stewart Reuben]

I think the reason for the plug being pulled on the sponsorship of the Staunton Memorial is more to do with the fact that we beat the Dutch.

Somebody lamented the fact that sponorships fade away. Surely that is natural? Thus Lloyds Bank Masters; Grieveson, Grant British Championships; Smith & Williamson British Championships; Gibraltar Congress; British Land UK Chess Challenge are all events that lasted a long time, some are continuing of course.
In the current economic climate it is very difficult to get sponsorship. In addition chess is not very attractive due to the lack of TV coverage. It will be really galling if we not get sponsorship for the British Championships. About 400 column inches in the national press, extensive web coverage AND this year a one hour programme on BBC2 about the event. The last is breaking news that was only agreed on Friday.

Stewart Reuben

[Arshad Ali]

In the current economic climate it is very difficult to get sponsorship.

Stewart Reuben

See, this is the part I don't understand. The rich seem to be doing just fine -- particularly over the course of the last year or so. If anything, they're prospering just as they were during the boom years earlier in the decade. The "current economic climate" is affecting everyone else.

[Stewart Reuben]

To Arshad Ali,
When I refer to sponsorship I mean support by companies, usually in return for publicity. This is a business agreement. Support by wealthy individuals, as particularly the 19th and early 20th century for chess is patronage or benefactors.
Thus sponsorship is severel affected by the well-being of companies. Patronage we have some very worthy exceptions, for example, Terry Chapman, David Norwood and the London Chess Classic. But we do not manage to contact enough of such individuals. But probably 25-50% of the wealthy did at least learn the rules of the game.

Stewart Reuben

[Justin Hadi]

In the current economic climate it is very difficult to get sponsorship. In addition chess is not very attractive due to the lack of TV coverage. It will be really galling if we not get sponsorship for the British Championships. About 400 column inches in the national press, extensive web coverage AND this year a one hour programme on BBC2 about the event. The last is breaking news that was only agreed on Friday.

Stewart Reuben

That's great news. I'm guessing that the reaction on the recent program on BBC4 was positive?

[Arshad Ali]

To Arshad Ali,
When I refer to sponsorship I mean support by companies, usually in return for publicity. This is a business agreement. Support by wealthy individuals, as particularly the 19th and early 20th century for chess is patronage or benefactors.

To be sure. Though the distinction is a little blurred these days.