AFort Lauderdale News Fort Lauderdale, Florida Friday, July 07, 1972 - Page 88
ABC Sports
has acquired the exclusive rights to televise the World Chess Championship between challenger Bobby Fischer of the United States and champion Boris Spassky of the Soviet Union, it was announced today by Roone Arledge, president of ABC Sports.
The comprehensive coverage on the Television Network will be the only telecasts of the competition available in the United States.
Highlights of championship games, possibly as many as 24 in all, will be seen on “ABC's Wide World of Sports.” The championship will run a maximum of eights weeks; the first “Wide World” telecast will air Saturday (5 to 6:30 p.m.) on channels 10 and 12.
The World Chess Championship will be held in Reykjavik, Iceland, a country of devoted chess aficionados. This marks the first time in history the matches will be played outside the Soviet Union. ([In an island nation which is very much under the influence of the anti-American Soviet underbelly of U.S.S.R. propaganda]).
The first game was played Sunday, July 2; the second on Tuesday, July 4; the third on Thursday July 6. Thereafter, games will be played every Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday for eight weeks. Highlights will be seen on Saturday's “Wide World of Sports” program.
A maximum of 24 games will be played. As soon as one competitor earns 12½ points, the championship is decided and play is terminated. One point is awarded for a victory, a half point for a tie. Defending champion Spassky needs only a 12-12 tie to retain his world title.
Fischer, a prodigy who stunned the world by winning the United States national losing three games and tying twice between 1960 and 1970. Yet, following his relatively easy succession of triumphs in preliminary competition, Fischer is probably the favorite.
Spassky is the latest in a long line of Russian champions. A representative of the Soviet Union has held the World Championship for the past 23 years.
After much negotiating, Iceland became the host country for the matches, offering $125,000 in prize money. The winner will get $78,125; the loser the rest.
In addition to providing exclusive coverage of the actual play, ABC Sports will have interviews with Fischer and Spassky, coverage of their training methods and analysis of strategy and vital moves.
