ECF CEO in Aberystwyth

[Mark Howitt]

"Don't want to deny people free speech... but you have to moderate it in some way."

[Mark Howitt]

I mean... just shows how out of touch ECF officials are.

Are 'corporations' put off sponsoring football- plenty of violence, racism etc there. Plenty of 'negative forums'- more than this one.

Nope. They sponsor it because it's financially worth it for them. It sells. The English Chess Federation has never had much sponsorship- because of the product. Companies don't think chess will 'sell' their product.

[John Upham]

Companies don't think chess will 'sell' their product.

Perhaps you might like study just how many companies in the financial sector use chess imagery in their marketing.

Many of these companies typically ask a "Do you play chess?" type question in their recruitment literature.

See http://www.bishopsmove.com/

[Alistair Campbell]

Perhaps you might like study just how many companies in the financial sector use chess imagery in their marketing.

Many of these companies typically ask a "Do you play chess?" type question in their recruitment literature.

See http://www.bishopsmove.com/

These ideas might be worth exploring. Have you got example of such imagery and literature?

My a priori thought would be that chess is used as a short-hand for "clever" or "smart", and that companies are seeking to recruit proto-boffins because they may have the analytic or problem solving skills that are demanded.

On the other hand, the target market for the services provided is broader - why sponsor a niche market when you can get bigger name recognition sponsoring something with bigger appeal like pigeon racing (for all I know).

There have been big(ish) name sponsors in the past, but to what extent have they been the result of a chesser tipping a few bob the way of a favoured pastime?

Also, I don't know about you, but I would always be reluctant to use the removal company quoted lest I was moving to a square of a different colour....

[Mark Howitt]

There have been plenty of examples of companies using chess to promote themselves as 'smart'. However they seem to understand they don't need to sponsor the ECF to use chess imagery. That's probably another reason why they use it- cheap to do!

[Jonathan Rogers]

Perhaps you might like study just how many companies in the financial sector use chess imagery in their marketing.

Many of these companies typically ask a "Do you play chess?" type question in their recruitment literature.

See http://www.bishopsmove.com/

These ideas might be worth exploring. Have you got example of such imagery and literature?

My a priori thought would be that chess is used as a short-hand for "clever" or "smart", and that companies are seeking to recruit proto-boffins because they may have the analytic or problem solving skills that are demanded.

On the other hand, the target market for the services provided is broader - why sponsor a niche market when you can get bigger name recognition sponsoring something with bigger appeal like pigeon racing (for all I know).

There have been big(ish) name sponsors in the past, but to what extent have they been the result of a chesser tipping a few bob the way of a favoured pastime?

Also, I don't know about you, but I would always be reluctant to use the removal company quoted lest I was moving to a square of a different colour....

In the late 1990s, when I was looking for sponsors for Barbican 4NCL (and soon gave up) I targeted companies which used chess in their marketing. None hurried to reply, and in one case, when I finally got through to their marketing, they seemed to shudder at an actual association with chess players, wanting a more energetic image for their firm. (And this was a firm of accountants ...!).

So I would disagree with John and would suggest there is enormous difference between companies looking for the skills of chess players and actually associating themselves with the real chess community.

I think that the vast majority of lasting sponsorship of chess in the UK has been arranged by a chess player of prominent position in the ranks.

[John Upham]

There have been plenty of examples of companies using chess to promote themselves as 'smart'. However they seem to understand they don't need to sponsor the ECF to use chess imagery. That's probably another reason why they use it- cheap to do!

You previously asserted

Companies don't think chess will 'sell' their product.

and now we have

That's probably another reason why they use it

[Gareth T Ellis]

The lack of sponsors is more down to not being allowed to be the only company in their field that will be accepted, and even more so by being ignored when they do approach the ECF.

[Jonathan Rogers]

The lack of sponsors is more down to not being allowed to be the only company in their field that will be accepted, and even more so by being ignored when they do approach the ECF.

What is your basis for asserting this? I recall every tobacco compamy under the sun lining up to promote a different tournament back in the 1980s. And many big sporting events these days have several co-sponsors.

[Roger de Coverly]

What is your basis for asserting this?

I can vaguely recall Gareth's name as being involved with a chess supplies business. I suspect Chess & Bridge bought exclusive rights at Aberystwyth, so others would or could have been excluded.

A Google search came up with the 2008 Blackpool Congress.
http://www.blackpoolchess.org.uk/index. ... &Itemid=29

There's a photo with the caption

Gareth Ellis doing good business on the ChessMaze International bookstall with Chief Arbiter David Welch nearby

[Ian Thompson]

There have been big(ish) name sponsors in the past, but to what extent have they been the result of a chesser tipping a few bob the way of a favoured pastime?

Probably nearly every time. But is there any reason to think that it's any different for any other niche sport that rarely gets television coverage?

[Gareth T Ellis]

Roger, I had a chess business called Wholesale Chess Supplies that did bookstalls for Chessmaze but sold up years ago due to ill health at the time.

The British is nothing to do with this as it is put out to tender.

[Gareth T Ellis]

The lack of sponsors is more down to not being allowed to be the only company in their field that will be accepted, and even more so by being ignored when they do approach the ECF.

What is your basis for asserting this? I recall every tobacco compamy under the sun lining up to promote a different tournament back in the 1980s. And many big sporting events these days have several co-sponsors.

This email from the ECF 09/05/14:

ECF Webmaster <[email protected]>
9 May

Hello Gareth

I have heard back from the CEO, who says that at this time the Board are not interested in agreeing to an 'exclusive rights' deal.


The "exclusive rights" was on advertising chess products, not services etc.
There were no questions of how much, further details etc.

[Alistair Campbell]

There have been big(ish) name sponsors in the past, but to what extent have they been the result of a chesser tipping a few bob the way of a favoured pastime?

Probably nearly every time. But is there any reason to think that it's any different for any other niche sport that rarely gets television coverage?

I don't know - but if the question isn't asked, it may never be answered.

I suspect most chess sponsorship falls into one of the following 4 categories:

• A medium sized company with a chess aficionado in a position of influence able to commit the company to one of its few sponsorship undertakings
• Local businesses willing to support a local congress to be seen as part of the community and to generate a modest amount of business from visitors
• Specifically chess related businesses
• Private, individual sponsorship.

On the back of the Commonwealth Games I did about 5 minutes' research. I picked 2 sports virtually at random: badminton and judo. Both the types of activity that children often get involved in, neither of which would normally generate much media coverage.

Badminton had a small number of sponsors (including a sports goods manufacturer and a dairy) but I suspect much of its income came from quangos such as Sportscotland and the Lottery.

Judo had no sponsor, but I now see that it has one now, a fish farming company that had sponsored things on a local level has committed on a national level. Again it will get money from Sportscotland.

Others may draw their own conclusions. Being successful helps. Being a sport helps (but that is another debate). Getting the children of an executive of a company with sponsorship money to burn interested in chess may be the most efficacious approach...