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The Queen’s Gambit: India’s Best Chess Play Turns Heads in Sponsor and Brand Market

Indias Best Chess Play
Image credit: Money Control
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Game perceived to be quiet and lonely, chess soon turned out to be flashy and marketable as a sport, especially when looking at trends in India. 

Indian chess athletes winning laurels at the international level, especially at the 2024 Chess Olympiad, it wasn’t long before the world of sponsorships and endorsements woke up as well to notice this phenomenal rise of the sport. 

The growing recognition of chess is now creating more doors for athletes to associate with brands that value intelligence, strategy, and cognitive development.

In this blog, I have taken a closer look at how Indian chess stars are entering the endorsement world and why the brands are interested in collaborating with them.

“Financial brands place great emphasis on strategic planning and long-term thinking,” adds Abhishek Sharma, founder of Athletes Today.

Rise in Chess Popularity in India

Rise in Chess

Image Credit: Quora

India’s chess fortunes have been mounting with each passing year, but 2024 has simply been a game-changer. Historic performances for India at the 2024 Chess Olympiad made world headlines through Indian chess players.

So much so that their triumphs, apart from captivating fans, have encouraged sponsors and brands to take notice. In every way, being strategic and increasingly popular, chess is soon going to be a great platform for endorsement.

Cricketers no longer hog the limelight in India’s world of sports endorsement. Recently, chess athletes have played a game that put them in the limelight.

“In fact, for some time now, there has been an increased interest from brands looking to associate with chess players,” says Rahul Trehan, COO of sports talent management firm IOS Sports.

This is because the sport has a high intellectual appeal, which highly positions it in the ideology of various industries.

High among such interest are brands that are part of diverse sectors like education, technology, and finance.

Ed-tech companies, for instance, spur learning with cognition and would naturally associate chess players with such an ideal.

Such firms would want their brands to become synonymous with the intellectual challenge that chess represents.

Adds Abhishek Sharma, founder and chief executive of sports management firm Athletes Today: Financial institutions, too, see a draw with chess.

Financial brands, which place great emphasis on strategic planning and long-term thinking, have found that the cerebral nature of chess suits its messaging perfectly.

Chess players, focused on strategy and foresight, are, after all, the epitome of qualities these companies want to unleash.

Related Artilce : Chess Olympiad 2024- India Won Double Gold Creates History

A New Chapter in Chess Sponsorship

The chess endorsement market is still in its infancy but the scope is so vast that significant brands cannot turn their eyes away from this anymore.

After dominating the game of chess last year, especially in 2024, India now seems to be in an even better position for more endorsement deals with various brands entering the fray.

Chess has been sidelined for years by sponsors who have instead opted for sports that command massive appeal instantaneously.

But that is not what is happening anymore because chess shows chances of grabbing both audiences and brands through its statement towards intellect and strategy.

The game of chess now gets all its stars recognized for being what gives audiences beyond the traditional sports fanbase a good, thought-provoking thrill.

Their cerebral attitude towards the game makes them a perfect candidate for partnerships with brands that would look for worthwhile traits like intelligence, focus, and determination.

This opens up not only sponsorship opportunities but also long-term brand ambassadors who can inspire and influence the next generation.

Role of Technology and Education in Chess Sponsorship

This catalyzes a very significant factor in the sport’s growth in popularity, namely, the emergence of online chess platforms and streaming services.

More people are engaging with chess through digital media, and this has meant that technology brands can now look to use the sport as an innovative way to reach younger, savvy audiences.

Brands are therefore benefiting from chess as something that encourages problem-solving, critical thinking, and innovation-all aligned with their product and service value additions.

Education brands, more so in the realm of ed-tech, are highly interested in chess athletes.

For chess is a pursuit associated with mental development; the banner of intellectual prowess as embodied in chess can be tagged to education companies, thereby amplifying their message of learning and advancement.

Chess athletes, with all their discipline and strategic thinking, are excellent advocates of education and intellectual might.

Financial Institutions and Strategic Thinking

Chess is a game that significantly believes in thought and several steps ahead, something that connects very well with the financial sector.

Brands that promote saving, investing, and long-term planning are more likely to be attracted to what chess values stand for. By linking up with chess athletes, brands can market their services by emphasizing foresight, careful planning, and wits.

This symbiosis between chess and finance is advantageous to the brands as well as the athletes. The athletes, in the same way as chess players, will be advertised for their worth in strategy and also a long-term approach.

This may eventually mean additional sponsorship deals in the future to finally be able to force the chess endorsement market to new high grounds.

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Reference: 

moneycontrol.com

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