Mastercard names Magnus Carlsen global ambassador | Chess News – Times of India

Magnus Carlsen. (Photo by Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images)CHENNAI: Mastercard announced on Tuesday that it is joining the Meltwater Champions Chess Tour as an official partner and naming Magnus Carlsen a Mastercard global brand ambassador, as it adds chess to its coveted roster of sports sponsorships. Carlsen joins the company’s all-star lineup of ambassadors, which includes Lionel Messi, Naomi Osaka, Crystal Dunn and Dan Carter. “Expanding the influence of the game of chess has always been close to my heart. To have Mastercard, which brings people and their passions together in meaningful ways, partner with the Tour is very exciting,” said Carlsen. “Chess has given me so many priceless experiences over the years, and I’m proud to join Mastercard to bring the sport forward to millions of fans around the world.” From an initial boom on Twitch and streaming platforms to the Netflix series “The Queen’s Gambit,” chess has grown and evolved significantly over the last 18 months. Online tournaments have also brought the popularity of chess to new heights. More than 27 million hours of the Meltwater Champions Chess Tour have been watched so far in its inaugural season, already more than all hours watched of chess on Twitch in 2019…
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