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IN SIDELINE SLANTS / BY JOE KLEINSASSER / ON SEPTEMBER 30, 2014 AT 4:37 PM 


We’re not shocked to hear about an arms race in major college athletics anymore, but this story flew under the radar because it involves college chess.

There is new scrutiny following revelations that a high-powered coach at Texas Tech University requested more than $1 million in funding, including a $250,000 salary.

Texas Tech declined, and the coach, Susan Polgar, left the school and took her entire team of grandmasters to Webster University in St. Louis, where the chess world thinks at least some of her wishes were met, according to a story in the Washington Post.

Webster has since won two straight Final Four chess titles amid a growing debate about the spending.

According to the article, Webster says it spends $635,000 a year on chess, including salaries and expense. That does not include full and partial scholarship totals for the program’s 15 players. Webster’s tuition is $24,500 a year.

At least these student-athletes don’t have to worry about concussions, although if I played one of them in chess it might give me one.

Full article here.

Chess Daily News from Susan Polgar
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