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Einstein Reveals Game Plan
The deal gives Einstein Group a five-year contract with World Chess Champion, Vladimir Kramnik; all contracts/arrangements relating to the proposed ‘Brains in Bahrain’ (Man v Machine) tournament; all contracts relating to the Dortmund qualifying rounds of the Chess World Championships and all contracts/arrangements relating to the proposed Chess World Championships in 2003. Intellectual Leisure Ltd will now be a subsidiary of Einstein Group plc.
Steve Timmins, CEO, Einstein Group, says “This deal offers enormous potential for Einstein Group, giving the brand an unbeatable edge over any other educational based, digital TV channel rivals. Indeed, there are two major areas of synergy between Einstein Group’s digital science and technology TV channel, einstein.tv, and Intellectual Leisure Ltd: einstein.tv provides a television platform for World Championship chess matches, enhancing the potential for sponsorship funding and subscriptions. Intellectual Leisure Ltd provides Einstein with intellectual property, sports rights, high profile content and an intellectual gaming future.
Timmins adds: “There is an almost exact demographic, intellectual and editorial fit between einstein.tv and the world of chess which will offer distinct distribution and territorial advantages. Indeed, news of the potential relationship has met with much enthusiasm in countries worldwide who are already in negotiations to have einstein.tv’s science and technology programming. In terms of education, chess has proven intellectual benefits for young people and the highest growth in chess playing is being seen both on the Internet and in schools.”
Vladimir Kramnik, World Chess Champion, says of the deal: “We have never seen such a combination between World Chess and a multi media company. This could lift chess into another dimension. As the World Champion I am sure that Einstein Group was very clever in making this move. The company discovered a real niche in the market and hopefully this deal will bring the wonderful and intellectual game of chess to everyone, in particular, kids.”
It is estimated that there are in excess of two hundred million chess players worldwide and other games such as Go, Chinese Chess, Shogi, Backgammon and Checkers have in excess of 100m lifelong players worldwide.
Notes for Editors
For further information please contact:
Einstein Group Press Office
Zena Howard: 07989-441293/ 0207 074 3900 zena_howard@einstein.tv
World Chess Championships: The next World Chess Championship will be held in 2003. The venue has yet to be confirmed. Eight of the world’s best players have been invited to participate in the Candidates’ tournament in Dortmund (Germany), in July 2002. The winner of this tournament will be the Challenger in the World Chess Championship final in 2003, playing Vladimir Kramnik. Some $500,000 of sponsorship has already been secured for this event.
Man v Machine Competition: For the first time since Garry Kasparov spectacularly lost to IBM’s Deep Blue in 1997 the World Champion Vladimir Kramnik will play the world’s best chess program, Deep Fritz, for a $1m prize fund. The “Brains in Bahrain” tournament will take place in October 2002, in the Meridien Hotel, Bahrain, under the patronage of the Emir of Bahrain and Bahrain Government Youth and Sports Organisation.
Einstein Group plc, founded in 1999, is an international multi-media group. It floated on the Alternative Investment Market (AIM), of the London Stock Exchange in March 2000. It includes Einstein Consulting which offers external clients a wide range of strategic and “hands on” consultancy services in the areas of channel management, production technology, marketing & PR, and new media business development. Einstein Entertainment Ltd, the programme division of Einstein Group plc, produces output for the UK and overseas.
By early 2002, einstein.tv (Sky Digital channel 576 and at www.einstein.tv) is expected to have rolled out across 15 European territories in three languages, including the Benelux countries, Scandinavia and Central & Eastern Europe. It currently transmits across the UK, Germany and Switzerland.
On a global scale, discussions are underway for a roll out into North and South America, Asia Pacific, the Middle East and Africa. Einstein.tv’s corporate identity has won several design awards and the brand was chosen to represent the best of British design and innovation at the Great Expectations Exhibition in New York organised by the Design Council.
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