6.11.2020 08:15:00 CET | Play Magnus AS | Inside information

(Oslo, 6 November 2020) - Play Magnus Group has entered into an agreement with
Eurosport for the pan-European and Asian broadcasting rights to the 2021 season
of the Champions Chess Tour, the first professional online chess tour. The game
will take its place alongside other premium sporting events on Eurosport's
platforms for viewers in more than 60 markets across Europe and Asia. The rights
do not apply in Norway.



Play Magnus Group CEO Andreas Thome said: "We are happy and proud for this
important collaboration. By partnering with a leading sports network like
Eurosport, we are able to bring chess entertainment to a whole new audience and
extend our reach globally. Instead of exploring a traditional sale of rights, we
have decided to focus on working closely together with Eurosport to develop the
sport of chess. At this stage, securing wide distribution is critical for
attracting commercial partners for the Champions Chess Tour and building the
value of chess broadcast rights over time."

Trojan Paillot, VP Rights Acquisitions and Distribution at Eurosport, said: "
Chess has a great potential to attract a dedicated, global audience and
Eurosport has a proven track record in its ability to increase awareness of a
sport and establish a solid platform for rights holders to grow their fanbase
and attraction towards new territories. Play Magnus Group is known for
innovating and modernising a game played by over 650 million people globally.
Eurosport will facilitate and fasten the development of the game thanks to a
combined linear and digital approach, bringing Chess to the widest number of
people through our broadcast and distribution operations." 

The rights for Eurosport do not apply in Norway. Play Magnus Group announced on
15 October 2020 that NRK and TV 2 jointly have purchased the broadcasting rights
for The Champions Chess Tour in Norway.

The Champions Chess Tour was started as a response to the Covid-19 outbreak in
the spring of 2020, when all physical chess tournaments were cancelled. The
first season, which went by the name Magnus Carlsen Chess Tour, was the first
professional online chess tour and became a great success with over 17 million
unique viewers. The tour included 5 tournaments, and 25 of the world's best
players participated.

In the 2021 season of the Champions Chess Tour, which runs from November 2020 to
September 2021, Magnus Carlsen and the world's top players will compete over ten
tournaments for a total prize fund of USD 1.5 million. The tour features
fast-paced, exciting rapid-format chess with all games played on www.chess24.com
[http://www.chess24.com]. Beginning on November 22, fans will experience
coverage from the world's best commentators, opportunities to interact with the
players, and a modern broadcast production that highlights the excitement and
emotions of chess.

What viewers can expect: 

 * Live coverage of the knock out section of each tournament broadcasted in
   English, German, French and Spanish with distribution on Eurosport Player
   (Europe), D Play (Finland) and Discovery Plus (India)
 * Highlights of every tournament broadcasted on Eurosport 1, Eurosport Asia and
   Eurosport India in prime time and with replay the following day
 * Editorial coverage by Eurosport on Social Media, including key moments from
   each tournament and segments focusing on the competition format of the
   Champions Chess Tour as well as the rules and specifications, giving their
   audience the keys to understand the Tour.

DISCLAIMER

This information is subject to the disclosure requirements pursuant to section
5-12 of the Norwegian Securities Trading Act.

CONTACTS

 * Andreas Thome, CEO, Play Magnus Group, +47 975 11 688, andreas@playmagnus.com

 * Arne Horvei, Tour Director, Play Magnus Group, +47 906 62 249,
   arne@playmagnus.com 

ABOUT PLAY MAGNUS AS

About the 2021 Champions Chess Tour

The 2021 Champions Chess Tour will, for the first time in history, determine the
world's best chess player over a full competitive season of online chess.
Beginning in November 2020, the Champions Chess Tour will feature monthly
tournaments culminating in a final tournament in September 2021. The best chess
players in the world will compete in a total of ten tournaments of rapid chess.
All games will take place online on www.chess24.com [http://www.chess24.com/] 
with players competing for a total prize pool of USD 1.5 million.

About Play Magnus Group

The Play Magnus Group is a global leader in the chess industry focused on
providing premier digital experiences for millions of chess players and
students. The company offers e-learning and entertainment services via its
market leading brands: chess24, Chessable, CoChess, the Play Magnus App Suite,
and the Champions Chess Tour. The Group's mission is to grow chess to make the
world a smarter place by encouraging more people to play, watch, study, and earn
a living from chess.

ATTACHMENTS

 * Download announcement as PDF.pdf
   [https://kommunikasjon.ntb.no/ir-files/16823864/168/186/Download%20announceme
   nt%20as%20PDF.pdf]