NIL
Why chess is forging an unlikely partnership with esports
Norway’s Magnus Carlsen and Fabiano Caruana during the Norway Chess Open in 2024. – Carina Johansen/NTB Scanpix/AP The ancient game of chess is one steeped in tradition, with a history dating back centuries. It was once a game purely of endurance, a test of patience with titanic battles often taking days to find a winner. […]

Norway’s Magnus Carlsen and Fabiano Caruana during the Norway Chess Open in 2024. – Carina Johansen/NTB Scanpix/AP
The ancient game of chess is one steeped in tradition, with a history dating back centuries. It was once a game purely of endurance, a test of patience with titanic battles often taking days to find a winner.
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Much of that is true today, with the classical form of chess still prominent on the global stage. However, it’s no longer alone and perhaps in danger of taking a back seat.
That’s because of the explosion of shorter forms of chess, which compile all those existing traditions into bitesize matches taking just a matter of minutes from start to finish.
And, thanks to organizations such as Chess.com and streaming platforms such as Twitch, the game is now increasingly being played online – so much so that it’s set to make its debut at the Esports World Cup (EWC) later this year.
The tournament, hosted and part-funded by Saudi Arabia, was held for the first time in 2024 and brought together professional gamers, publishers and fans from across the world for an eight-week competitive gaming bonanza.
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Earlier this year, it was announced that chess would be included in the event, with the best players in the world competing for a $1.5 million prize pool – playing a new format which is deemed more accessible to an esports audience.
In a bid to compete in the new event, top esports teams have set about signing some of the best chess players on the planet.
Team Liquid, one of the biggest esports teams, didn’t hold back and signed Norwegian world No. 1 Magnus Carlsen and American No. 2 Fabiano Caruana.
“For us, we’ve been big fans of chess, and I think the main reason is because there’s a considerable amount of overlap in the demographics of gamers and chess players,” Team Liquid’s CEO Steve Arhancet tells CNN Sports, adding that “The Queen’s Gambit” television show and lockdowns sparked a surge of popularity in chess streamers.
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“I think folks now bounce around Twitch and watch different genres of content, and would pop into a chess streamer and watch games and then switch over to a League of Legends match. I think that cross pollination has always been of interest for us.”
Chess’ participation in the EWC has finally offered esports organizations a more serious business case to invest into chess and it could be a sign of things to come. It also offers chess another avenue in which to grow and capitalize on its surge in popularity.
Team Liquid CEO Steve Arhancet believes chess and esports can be a profitable partnership. – AWNewYork/Shutterstock
‘Chess is already a thriving ecosystem’
Ralf Reichert, CEO of the Esports World Cup Foundation (EWCF) which organizes the EWC, says merging the tournament with the chess world is a huge opportunity for both parties.
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Reichert says the EWCF held positive conversations with top players and Chess.com, largely considered the home of online chess, before announcing a three-year partnership which will allow teams to truly invest in the venture.
Carlsen, considered arguably the best chess player of all time, also agreed to work as an ambassador for the crossover.
“When we go into a game, when we go into any ecosystem, we want to get into it and add value and help grow it,” Reichert tells CNN Sports.
“And chess is already a thriving ecosystem – one of the fastest growing sports in the last few years. We thought that we can bring a real foothold for it in the esports ecosystem, specifically into the club ecosystem, and so that was almost the theoretical construct behind it.”
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The format, though, was something that took some time to settle on. The goal was to create a version which would stay true to tradition while incorporating elements associated with fast-paced esports games.
The result was the creation of a 10+0 format, which would give both players 10 minutes to make their moves without any chance to add additional time, increasing the chances of blunders as players battle against the clock.
Just 16 players will qualify for the tournament and earn their place through the Champions Chess Tour, hosted by Chess.com.
“It does make it a bit less like traditional chess, a bit more gamified,” Caruana, the current world No. 5, tells CNN Sports.
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“I think there will be players who are not super happy about that format, and some players who might like it more, and also some players for whom it will definitely benefit their chances. I can’t say for sure if it benefits mine.”
Fabiano Caruana, ranked fifth in the world, believes the traditions of chess can still exist. – Gregor Fischer/picture-alliance/dpa/AP
Future of classical chess
Caruana is excited to test himself against yet another online format – something which is becoming increasingly frequent for current stars – but understands that some in chess won’t be happy about the game drifting further away from tradition.
The American, who lost the classical World Chess Championship final against Carlsen in 2018, still sees value in the classic format and wants to “keep our historical legacy” which has “a lot of meaningful significance.”
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As chess continues to shift more towards online platforms, he envisions a future where the top players continue to split their time across all the different formats, allowing them to diversify their training.
“I think that we are seeing a general shift to faster time patrols, which is also driven a lot by players’ preferences, and perhaps also by the market, because most people, I would assume from the spectator side, want to see faster, and you could argue more dynamic and exciting formats,” he says.
“That’s something that’s already been going on for a long time. I think that chess joining esports is just another step in that direction, but we were already moving there.”
The International Chess Federation (FIDE) is still very much considered the home of classic chess but its CEO Emil Sutovsky tells CNN Sports that the game’s governing body is supportive of the esports partnership.
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He says FIDE was involved in early conversations with the EWCF, before Chess.com became the natural partner on which to stage the EWC.
“We are not, let’s say, just silent witness to what’s happening,” Sutovsky says.
“FIDE has a dual position. Not all the chess events have to go under FIDE, as long as it’s not the World Championships, and for us it’s important that if chess has a way to expose itself to wider audiences, the new partnerships, the new commercial entities, then that’s very much welcome because the entire chess community is going to benefit.”
Like Caruana, though, Sutovsky says FIDE will always look to uphold the values of classical chess and will not lose touch with the game’s core traditions.
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He also says that Saudi Arabia could well start hosting more top FIDE events in the not too distant future, in order to reach wider and youngster audiances.
“While trying to be zeitgeisty and popular, we cannot and shall not neglect the unique tradition and what is essence of chess,” he adds.
“We do not believe that classical chess will die out anytime soon, and we will certainly not try to contribute to that.”
Start of the beginning
While the EWC will be the showcase event for chess’ foray into esports, it looks as though we’re still at the start of what could be a profitable future for both parties.
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Team Liquid’s Arhancet can see the potential and has already spoken with Chess.com about how to collaborate going forward.
He has been particularly buoyed by speaking to sponsors who find the chess demographic to be a “really attractive” prospect.
“We’re just getting started,” Arhancet promised. “For us, time will tell how profitable or successful this venture is, but early onset is that we’ve made some really great decisions on getting involved in chess at the time that we did.”
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NIL
Trump signs order to clarify college athletes’ employment status
By WILL WEISSERT, Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump on Thursday signed an executive order mandating that federal authorities clarify whether college athletes can be considered employees of the schools they play for in an attempt to create clearer national standards in the NCAA’s name, image and likeness era. Trump directed the secretary of labor and the […]

By WILL WEISSERT, Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump on Thursday signed an executive order mandating that federal authorities clarify whether college athletes can be considered employees of the schools they play for in an attempt to create clearer national standards in the NCAA’s name, image and likeness era.
Trump directed the secretary of labor and the National Labor Relations Board to clarify the status of collegiate athletes through guidance or rules “that will maximize the educational benefits and opportunities provided by higher education institutions through athletics.” The order does not provide or suggest specifics on the controversial topic of college athlete employment.
The move comes after months of speculation about whether Trump will establish a college sports commission to tackle some of the thorny issues facing what is now a multibillion-dollar industry. He instead issued an order intended to add some controls to “an out-of-control, rudderless system in which competing university donors engage in bidding wars for the best players, who can change teams each season.”
NIL
The Clemson Insider
CHARLOTTE — After a career year a season ago, Antonio Williams seriously considered forgoing his senior season at Clemson and making the move to the NFL. Williams was a catalyst for the resurgent Tigers’ offense last season, recording 75 receptions for 904 yards with 11 touchdown catches, leading the team in all three categories. After […]

CHARLOTTE — After a career year a season ago, Antonio Williams seriously considered forgoing his senior season at Clemson and making the move to the NFL.
Williams was a catalyst for the resurgent Tigers’ offense last season, recording 75 receptions for 904 yards with 11 touchdown catches, leading the team in all three categories. After that kind of season, it would have been understandable had he decided to enter the NFL Draft.
However, Williams wasn’t pleased with some of the feedback he was getting and ultimately decided to return for one more go around at Clemson.
“I had to really sit down and think about what was best for my future,” Williams told The Clemson Insider. “I didn’t like some of the grades I was getting back from the draft. I didn’t want to settle and just go be a draft pick just because I could. I have a level of expectation for myself of where I want to go and what type of player I think I am. That was the biggest thing coming back.”
There is a risk/reward involved with coming back due to the ever-existent possibility of an injury. After missing most of his sophomore campaign for that very reason, it’s something Williams is more than familiar with.
At the end of the day, Williams decided the risk was worth the reward because he feels that he has unfinished business with the Tigers.
“Wanting to be remembered and build a great legacy here,” Williams added. “I want to leave the receiver room better than I found it.”
Then there is the money factor. With the advent of NIL and a new revenue-sharing model that took effect on July 1, Williams is going to be well compensated for his final season at Clemson, and depending on where he might have been picked, possibly being paid even more than he would have next season had he decided to enter the draft.
“For sure. When you look at the numbers and things like that, if we couldn’t make any money in college, then obviously, if you are in it for money, then there would be no question of going to the NFL,” Williams said. “You can actually profit off your NIL in college and that is great.”
NIL
Cumberland partners with Opendorse to launch NIL program
Cumberland is partnering with Opendorse to enhance its efforts surrounding name, image and likeness (NIL), providing Phoenix student-athletes the tools and resources needed to build their personal brand and capitalize on new opportunities. Opendorse is a leading NIL platform and marketplace in college athletics, helping student-athletes connect with brands, fans and donors to monetize their […]


Cumberland is partnering with Opendorse to enhance its efforts surrounding name, image and likeness (NIL), providing Phoenix student-athletes the tools and resources needed to build their personal brand and capitalize on new opportunities.
Opendorse is a leading NIL platform and marketplace in college athletics, helping student-athletes connect with brands, fans and donors to monetize their name, image and likeness. With this partnership, Cumberland student-athletes will gain access to a suite of tools through the Opendorse platform including education, compliance resources and marketing opportunities to support NIL growth.
NIL
What to know about Donald Trump's executive order on NIL and college sports
President Donald Trump on Thursday issued an executive order titled “SAVING COLLEGE SPORTS,” a directive aimed at regulating the rapidly shifting landscape in college sports. Since 2021, college athletes have been able to profit off their name, image and likeness after a Supreme Court ruling on antitrust laws went in favor of the athletes. In […]


President Donald Trump on Thursday issued an executive order titled “SAVING COLLEGE SPORTS,” a directive aimed at regulating the rapidly shifting landscape in college sports.
Since 2021, college athletes have been able to profit off their name, image and likeness after a Supreme Court ruling on antitrust laws went in favor of the athletes. In the ensuing years, players have been able to get paid legally via third parties, and after a separate lawsuit was settled in June, athletes can now also be paid directly by their schools.
The NIL era, however, has raised a variety of concerns for both schools and athletes, with issues ranging from maintaining equality in women’s sports to a potential push for collective bargaining between athletes and their respective colleges.
Trump’s order, which is not itself a law, essentially calls for an implementation of policies that are widely viewed as NCAA (as opposed to athlete) friendly.
Here’s what to know.
What exactly does Trump’s order call for?
Trump’s order said that, in the wake of legislation that allows athletes to be compensated and transfer freely between schools, “the future of college sports is under unprecedented threat.”
The EO goes on to say that the recent rulings have unleashed “a sea change that threatens the viability of college sports” and more guardrails are needed to ensure a fairer system.
So, what would Trump like to see? The order calls for the following:
- Prohibiting third parties from engaging in direct “pay-for-play” payments to athletes, which the order deems improper. Currently, school boosters can sign players to multimillion-dollar NIL deals that are widely viewed as a workaround to directly paying players to attend a certain university. Trump’s order says players should only earn “fair market value” for a legitimate service to a third party, such as a brand endorsement. Advocates for athletes say this would impose a cap on their earnings.
- Protections on scholarships for nonrevenue sports, requiring schools to maintain or increase scholarships for such sports, depending on the revenue of their athletic departments. This would be a measure largely to protect Olympic sports and women’s sports from potential decreases in funding as more money goes to revenue-generating athletes in football and basketball.
- A clarification from the National Labor Relations Board on the employment status of athletes “that will maximize the educational benefits and opportunities provided by higher education institutions through athletics.” During the Biden administration, the NLRB issued a memo stating that certain college athletes should be considered employees. That memo was rescinded earlier this year, and now Trump is seeking to codify athletes as non-employees, which would almost certainly take away any opportunity they have to collectively bargain with schools.
- Protections for the NCAA from lawsuits by athletes. The NCAA has been lobbying for these protections for many years, as many of the big changes in college athletics have come as the result of antitrust lawsuits. Protections against further court cases would allow the NCAA to enforce its rules on issues such as transfers and third-party payments without fear of them being upended by another court ruling.
What does this all mean for the immediate future?
Nothing immediately.
Trump cannot unilaterally impose rules in this scenario. His executive order also comes as the House tries to push through the SCORE Act, a bipartisan piece of legislation that is aligned with much of Trump’s executive order. The SCORE Act has moved through committee and can be debated on the House floor when representatives return from recess in September.
Meanwhile, there has been a bipartisan push in the Senate to introduce its version of legislation regarding college athletes, with Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, and Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., among those involved.
“The many challenges facing college sports are important and complex,” Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., said in a statement to NBC News. “The Executive Order recognizes the importance of preserving Olympic sports, women’s sports, and maintaining competitiveness for big and small schools alike. I’m disappointed that the President abandoned his earlier plan for a commission to examine all the issues facing college sports. We need a sustainable future for college sports, not a future dominated by the biggest and wealthiest schools who can write their own rules without accountability.”
NIL
Saban praises Trump order on college sports, pay-to-play restrictions
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! Former Alabama head football coach Nick Saban gave kudos to President Donald Trump for signing an executive order that set new restrictions on payments to college athletes on Thursday. The order prohibits athletes from receiving pay-to-play payments from third-party sources. However, the order does not impose any […]

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
Former Alabama head football coach Nick Saban gave kudos to President Donald Trump for signing an executive order that set new restrictions on payments to college athletes on Thursday.
The order prohibits athletes from receiving pay-to-play payments from third-party sources. However, the order does not impose any restrictions on NIL payments to college athletes by third-party sources.
“I think President Trump’s executive order takes a huge step in providing the educational model, which is what we’ve always tried to promote to create opportunities for players, male and female, revenue and non-revenue, so they can have development as people, students, and develop careers and develop professionally if that’s what they choose to do,” Saban told “Fox & Friends” on Friday.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM

President Donald Trump shakes hands with legendary Alabama football coach Nick Saban before delivering a special commencement address to University of Alabama graduates at Coleman Coliseum. Graduation occurs over the weekend. (Gary Cosby Jr.-Tuscaloosa News)
“I think we sort of need to make a decision here relative to do we want to have an education-based model, which I think the president made a huge step toward doing that, or do we want to have universities sponsor professional teams? And I think most people would choose the former.”
The order states that “any revenue-sharing permitted between universities and collegiate athletes should be implemented in a manner that protects women’s and non-revenue sports.”
“The Order requires the preservation and, where possible, expansion of opportunities for scholarships and collegiate athletic competition in women’s and non-revenue sports.”
No clear guidelines for how those sports would be accounted for were provided in the initial announcement. However, Saban seemed confident that college sports are safe.

President Donald Trump poses with Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Nick Saban and members of the Crimson Tide ceremony honoring the college football playoff champion Crimson Tide on the South Lawn at the White House on April 10, 2018. (Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports)
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“I think the clearing house is there to authenticate name, image and likeness. In other words, is your marketing value relative to what you’re getting paid to do a marketing opportunity? When you cross that line, that’s when it becomes pay for play,” he said. “So you have collectives that raise money that pay players, and they really don’t do a relative marketing job to earn that money, and that’s where this whole thing has kind of gotten sideways. I think this whole clearing house is there to sort of protect the collective affecting competitive balance in college sports.”
“I’m for keeping all the sports that we have as many as we can have, but there are financial concerns relative to how many sports can you promote that don’t create revenue,” Saban added. “I think one of the things people need to understand about college sports, they say it’s a business, but it’s really not a business. It’s revenue-producing, and two sports have created the revenue to have 20 other sports. And I think that’s why it’s important we have a system in place. I think President Trump’s made the first step…that would protect the opportunities that we’ve been able to provide male and female non-revenue sports. I think it’s everybody’s goal to keep all those opportunities intact.”

FILE – President Donald Trump gestures as Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Nick Saban (L) smiles at a ceremony honoring the college football playoff champion Crimson Tide on the South Lawn at the White House on April 10, 2018. (Geoff Burke-USA Today Sports)
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Saban and Trump met back in May to discuss the current state of college athletes and NIL deals. Saban retired in 2024, largely due to the new culture.
Fox News’ Jackson Thompson contributed to this report.
Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
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Florida AD Scott Stricklin issues statement regarding executive order on NIL
President Donald Trump issued an executive order Thursday designed to improve the state of name, image and likeness, specifically to prohibit third-party payments. The order, titled “Saving College Sports”, is in lockstep with the goals established by the College Sports Commission’s name, image and likeness clearinghouse and is widely supported by athletic directors around the country. The College […]

President Donald Trump issued an executive order Thursday designed to improve the state of name, image and likeness, specifically to prohibit third-party payments. The order, titled “Saving College Sports”, is in lockstep with the goals established by the College Sports Commission’s name, image and likeness clearinghouse and is widely supported by athletic directors around the country.
The College Sports Commission, or CSC, was established to govern financial issues in the revenue-sharing era, and it was created in partnership with financial consulting firm Deloitte, . The CSC established an “NIL Go” portal designed to ensure fair market value and valid business purpose based on an actual endorsement. The NIL Go portal provides student-athletes an avenue to report third-party NIL deals to be evaluated for rules compliance; an athlete can do this before accepting any deal, ensuring their eligibility won’t be jeopardized.
The executive order also has the support of the NCAA, which released a statement late Thursday after the executive order was issued.
“The NCAA is making positive changes for student-athletes and confronting many challenges facing college sports by mandating health and wellness benefits and guaranteeing scholarships, but there are some threats to college sports that federal legislation can effectively address and the Association is advocating with student-athletes and their schools for a bipartisan solution with Congress and the Administration,” NCAA President Charlie Baker wrote in a statement. “The Association appreciates the Trump Administration’s focus on the life-changing opportunities college sports provides millions of young people and we look forward to working with student-athletes, a bipartisan coalition in Congress and the Trump Administration to enhance college sports for years to come.”
In the 24 hours since, athletic directors around the country have chimed in on the order, including from the Southeastern Conference; Alabama’s Greg Byrne praised the order, for example, Thursday night.
“The University of Alabama applauds this executive order from President Trump to help ensure a long-term, sustainable model of intercollegiate athletics,” Byrne wrote. “We are proud of our broad-based athletics programs and strongly support future regulatory and congressional action that will preserve these opportunities for student-athletes.”
Now, Florida’s athletic director, Scott Stricklin, has followed suit, praising the order and its intention to improve the current state of collegiate athletics in the era of NIL and, most recently, revenue sharing.
“The attention President Trump and congressional leaders are giving to the future of college athletics is welcomed and appreciated. Yesterday’s executive order underscores the growing recognition in Washington of the need to modernize the collegiate model while preserving the educational and competitive opportunities it provides to student-athletes nationwide,” Stricklin wrote. “At the University of Florida, we remain committed to supporting our student-athletes in every aspect of their development. We’re encouraged by the White House’s and Congress’s engagement and look forward to working with policymakers, the SEC, and our peers across college sports to shape thoughtful solutions that ensure the long-term strength and sustainability of college athletics.”
Unsurprisingly, the current state of collegiate athletics was a consistent talking point at SEC Media Days, with coaches in attendance discussing the impact of NIL and revenue sharing following the House v. NCAA settlement.
“Right now, I would say that there’s a ton of different interpretations of the market,” Florida football head coach Billy Napier said at SEC Media Days in Atlanta. “We need clarity on: what is the role of a collective? What is going to be approved from a third-party NIL deal? What is legal relative to high school players, pre-enrollment? And then, you know, we have no idea what this market – where’s the dust gonna settle for a veteran player on the team when it comes to marketing, corporate sponsorship, true NIL. We don’t know.”
Less than a week after Napier’s comments, the immediate future of the roles collectives looked a bit clearer. Ross Dellenger of Yahoo! Sports reported attorneys for the House plaintiffs reached an agreement with NCAA officials and the power conferences to allow booster-backed collectives or any “school-associated entity” to operate as traditional businesses do in handing out NIL deals and sponsorships.
If there’s any guarantees regarding NIL and the state of collegiate athletics, President Donald Trump’s executive order won’t be the final action taken at the federal level – it’s simply the latest implementation.
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