Haaland Invests in Chess Tour & Latest Sports Industry Deals
Manchester City striker Erling Haaland is expanding his portfolio beyond the pitch, becoming a strategic investor in Norway Chess and its ambitious new Total Chess World Championship Tour. The move, announced , signals a growing interest in chess from high-profile athletes and a push to broaden the sport’s appeal.
Haaland, who has over 40 million followers on Instagram and recently became Norway’s all-time leading goal scorer, is investing through a newly established company, Chess Mates, co-founded with Norwegian businessman Morten Borge. Chess Mates will become a significant owner of Norway Chess, a tournament already recognized for its innovative approach to the game.
“Chess is an incredible game,” Haaland said in a press release. “It sharpens your mind, and there are clear similarities to football. You have to consider quickly, trust your instincts, and think several moves ahead. Strategy and planning are everything.” He emphasized his belief that the Total Chess World Championship Tour has the potential to “turn chess into an even bigger sport for spectators around the world.”
The Total Chess World Championship Tour aims to elevate chess by staging four tournaments annually, encompassing fast classical, rapid, and blitz chess formats. A pilot tournament is scheduled for autumn 2026, with the full tour expected to launch in 2027. The initiative is backed by the International Chess Federation (FIDE) and boasts a minimum prize pool of $2.7 million (£2 million) per season.
Borge echoed Haaland’s sentiments, stating, “Chess is ultimately about strategy and long-term thinking. Those are qualities that also define both elite sport and the ability to make sound investments over time. In many ways, chess sits right at the intersection of the worlds Erling and I come from.” He playfully added that he’s promised to provide Haaland with some chess training.
Haaland’s investment is notable as it appears to be the first major financial commitment to professional chess by an elite footballer. While the exact size of the investment hasn’t been disclosed, reports suggest it is substantial. This move underscores a growing trend of athletes diversifying their interests and leveraging their platforms to support ventures beyond their primary sport.
The partnership arrives at a moment when chess is seeking to expand its global reach. While figures like Magnus Carlsen have brought significant attention to the game, attracting new audiences and increasing spectator engagement remains a key objective. Haaland’s star power and massive social media following are expected to play a crucial role in achieving this goal.
In other sports business news, Hampshire Cricket has secured a continued partnership with Connect It Utility Services, renewing their front-of-shirt sponsorship for the 2026 season. This marks the fourth consecutive year of collaboration, with the Connect It branding prominently displayed on the Hampshire Hawks’ Vitality Blast kits and Hampshire Cricket’s One Day Cup kits.
The partnership extends beyond mere branding, with a focus on community engagement. Connect It plans to launch a new community initiative later this year, building on their previous efforts, such as providing a matchday experience for a young fan facing personal challenges in 2025.
Rob Paddon, Commercial Director at Utilita Bowl and Hampshire Cricket, highlighted the value of the partnership, stating, “Connect It have become an outstanding partner for the club, not just through their support of our teams, but through the positive impact they’re making in our community. Their commitment to creating opportunities for young people… embodies exactly what we look for in a long-term collaborator.”
New Balance is also making waves with an innovative marketing campaign for its new Ellipse running shoe. The brand has partnered with Transport for London (TfL) to launch the ‘Lose Track of Time’ campaign, featuring a takeover of an Underground station.
The activation transforms the station into a combined media and movement space, challenging the performance-driven culture often associated with running. The iconic TfL roundel has been redesigned as a stopwatch without numbers, and station vinyls replace train times with curated running routes. An experiential zone within the station offers product messaging and sampling opportunities.
The campaign also includes a co-branded running map highlighting routes across the city leading to the New Balance flagship store, a 48-hour takeover of the TfL website homepage, and social media amplification.
British Cycling has announced the appointment of Alice Wood and Jonny Clay as Race Directors for the Lloyds Tour of Britain women’s and men’s races, respectively. Wood, a former national road race champion, will become the first female Race Director of the women’s race, bringing a wealth of experience from her professional cycling career and recent involvement in event delivery.
Clay, an Olympic team pursuit bronze medallist, brings decades of experience as an Event and Race Director for major UK cycling events, including the Lloyds National Road Racing Championships. The pair will succeed Rod Ellingworth, who stepped down after two years in the role.
Jonathan Day, British Cycling Director of Events, praised the appointments, stating, “We are really pleased to be welcoming both Alice and Jonny to the team… Alice is a highly passionate individual… and her enthusiasm for bike racing is clear for all to see. I am thrilled to see her stepping into this position, and inspiring women and girls across the world.”
In the consultancy world, Rory Natkiel, former chief strategy officer at Sid Lee Sport, has launched Box Count, a specialist sponsorship consultancy. Natkiel aims to address what he describes as a “structural gap” in how sponsorships are valued, advocating for a more data-driven and effective approach.
Box Count will offer services in sponsorship strategy, activation planning, measurement and evaluation, and effectiveness transformation. Natkiel’s two decades of experience leading global strategy for clients like UEFA, Adidas, and Tommy Hilfiger underpin the consultancy’s focus on applying marketing science to the sponsorship industry.
“I’ve launched Box Count to help brands, rights holders, and agencies make more confident sponsorship decisions by applying the same evidence-based thinking that transformed marketing effectiveness,” Natkiel said.
Coolr, an independent social agency, has expanded into the sports sector with the launch of Coolr Sport, led by Ben Goldhagen, former executive at adidas and DAZN. The new division will focus on creating culturally relevant, platform-native content for brands, teams, leagues, federations, and athletes.
Goldhagen, as Director of Sport, will leverage Coolr’s established expertise in social storytelling and audience engagement to deliver fan-focused campaigns. He brings over 20 years of experience from his previous roles at adidas and DAZN.
“Coolr has an award-winning, industry-renowned foundation in creative social storytelling and audience engagement,” Goldhagen said. “With Coolr Sport, my focus is to bring a dedicated sports lens to an already exciting and credible agency proposition.”
Finally, BWT Alpine Formula One Team has partnered with hospitality provider Vision4Sport Events to offer a premium race weekend experience at the Monaco Grand Prix. The package includes access to a superyacht in Port Hercules’ Zone 1 Marina, providing trackside views, dining, and hospitality, along with opportunities to hear insights from BWT Alpine F1 Team representatives. Packages start at £2250.
Karl Wesson, Co Founder and Director, Vision4Sport Events, stated, “Collaborating with BWT Alpine Formula One Team is a hugely exciting moment for Vision4Sport… This will allow us to offer guests a truly special way to experience the race weekend from an incredible vantage point.”