Oh, really!

[Richard Bates]

* don't know if Sam C considers himself "professional"?

No, he is a barrister. He certainly writes a lot about chess, but so does his team mate John Cox. I don't know how they do it!

I think you probably have to be a lawyer, or with legal connections, to find it difficult to comprehend I'm sure the rest of the world are fully prepared to believe that lawyers are rarely short of available time.

[Simon Ansell]

a lifetime supply of t-shirts (some still available i believe on request!)

We certainly do have the best t-shirts in the 4NCL, that's not in question.

[Paul Cooksey]

Are you listening Mr Martin and Mr Upham? Other teams, other amateur teams, get a t-shirt

More seriously, I do get Leonard's point. Chess sponsors are rare, and if the sponsorship arrangement can be grown, that would be to the advantage of chess. I think most big sponsors in and out of chess, started smaller and grew due to mutual benefit.

It does make sense that paying for professional players doesn't fit for 4NCL Blackthorne. But ensuring they get the best possible publicity can only help the relationship to endure. If they are very happy with the publicity they are getting, maybe they will consider sponsoring another activity like a tournament. I imagine most weekenders, or even the 4NCL Rapidplay, would sell their naming rights relatively cheaply, for example.

[Richard Bates]

Are you listening Mr Martin and Mr Upham? Other teams, other amateur teams, get a t-shirt

More seriously, I do get Leonard's point. Chess sponsors are rare, and if the sponsorship arrangement can be grown, that would be to the advantage of chess. I think most big sponsors in and out of chess, started smaller and grew due to mutual benefit.

It does make sense that paying for professional players doesn't fit for 4NCL Blackthorne. But ensuring they get the best possible publicity can only help the relationship to endure. If they are very happy with the publicity they are getting, maybe they will consider sponsoring another activity like a tournament. I imagine most weekenders, or even the 4NCL Rapidplay, would sell their naming rights relatively cheaply, for example.

They sponsored Bunratty this year.

[Paul Cooksey]

er, good. I hope that went well, and they look for other opportunities.

[Richard Bates]

er, good. I hope that went well, and they look for other opportunities.

I'm not sure, but i think the "small beginnings" might have involved the Irish Olympiad party!

[Simon Ansell]

sponsoring another activity like a tournament.

They already do: http://www.bunrattychess.com/. (edit: too slow)

I realise sponsorship in chess is rare and I don't mean to discourage it. Just that in this particular instance I think Leonard is, as Richard says, misunderstanding the team.

On a more general sponsorship point, I was at a dinner with some Pokerstars reps recently and the subject of chess sponsorship came up again... I may pursue this, regardless of the fact that I've been told on more than one occasion that it's not appropriate for juniors to be exposed to gambling. Snooker and Formula One did alright on the back of tobacco advertising, didn't they?

[Richard Bates]

Simon, as I already wrote above, I'll bring your valuable points and indeed this entire thread to the attention of Evening Standard management on Monday.

Do they do an email distribution service? That might be a better way to build up the readerbase.