GCL chairperson expects Bengaluru edition to be well received
The Global Chess League (GCL) is set to host its fourth edition in Bengaluru starting September 5. Chairperson Peeyush Dubey expressed optimism about the event's growth, noting increased interest from investors like Gerard Pique and strong engagement from the local tech-centric audience.
Why it matters
The league's expansion into India highlights the growing commercialization and popularity of chess as a spectator sport.
The Global Chess League, the fourth edition of which opens at Bengaluru on September 5, is aiming to bring the mind sport closer to the common man even as it is attracting new investors, including a football World Cup winner.
The GCL chairperson Peeyush Dubey is delighted that former Spanish defender Gerard Pique has picked up a stake in the franchise Fyers American Gambits, whose owners include former India cricketer R. Ashwin.
“The fact that Piquet has become an investor shows the global interest the GCL has generated,” Dubey told The Hindu over the phone from New Jersey. “Most of the sponsors associated with the league in Mumbai last year are with us for this season too, and there are some new entrants as well.”
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