PUMA has signed a long-term deal with the Norwegian Chess Grandmaster Magnus Carlsen and the Meltwater Champions Chess Tour. PUMA’s partnership with Magnus and the Tour will connect the worlds of chess and sport performance by creating engaging content and activations for chess fans all over the world.
Carlsen, a five-time World Chess Champion, is a sports enthusiast and a natural fit for PUMA. He became the youngest Grandmaster at the age of 13 and also won his first World Chess Championship in 2013. He was named the highest-rated player in history in 2014.
PUMA is a global sports brand that designs, develops, sells, and markets footwear, apparel, and accessories. PUMA has relentlessly pushed sport and culture forward for more than 70 years by creating fast products for the world’s fastest athletes.
PUMA CEO Bjørn Gulden, said, “We often think of sports as being physical, but you also need mental strength. Few people embody that spirit like Magnus, who is widely regarded as the best chess player of all time. We are proud that he has become a part of the PUMA family.”
Play Magnus Group is a global chess industry leader dedicated to providing premier digital experiences to millions of chess players and students. Chess24, Chessable, iChess, New In Chess, Everyman Chess, Silver Knights, CoChess, Aimchess, the Play Magnus App Suite, and the Meltwater Champions Chess Tour are among the company’s market-leading brands.
As part of the deal, the sportswear brand will also support the Meltwater Champions Chess Tour, which is managed by the Play Magnus Group, a company founded by Carlsen. The Tour is the most popular circuit on the chess calendar, reaching millions of fans worldwide through its innovative presentation of chess as a spectator sport.
Commenting on the deal, Magnus Carlsen, said, “Being part of a great company such as PUMA and joining so many people that I personally admire, is special to me. As a chess player, I am a huge fan of sports and that makes this partnership even better.”
PUMA, in collaboration with Magnus Carlsen and the Tour, will help to broaden the influence of the game of chess and bring it to millions of new fans around the world.