AThe Morning Call Allentown, Pennsylvania Saturday, January 15, 1972 - Page 12
Profit Snafu Perils World Chess Match
Belgrade (AP) — The bank sponsoring Yugoslavia's $125,000 bid for the Fischer-Spassky world championship chess match threatened to withdraw its offer Friday because it said the World Chess Federation reneged on a deal for the profits.
Petar Besaraba, director of the Yugoslav Export and Credit Bank, said Belgrade offered $2,000 more than any other city on the understanding Belgrade would retain all profits.
Now the chess group was saying income from television coverage would have to be split four ways: between the sponsor, the chess association and the two players, Besaraba complained.
Besaraba said on the chess association's terms American challenger Bobby Fischer and Russia's reigning world champion, Boris Spassky, would certainly get more money, but the sponsoring bank would go in the hole.
Dr. Max Euwe, president of the chess association, was expected in Belgrade this weekend for talks with the bank. The match is to be played in the first half of this year.
