Carlsen - Anand, More Mainstream Press

Last week we saw Anand - Carlsen, Mainstream Press ('Model is greatest ever, but not in modeling'); this week it's a tidal wave of mainstream articles about the new World Champion. The latest chess piece from Yahoo.com muscled its way into the highbrow company of 'Kim K. charity move slammed' and 'Bowling tries a new look'.

Unlike 'Model is greatest ever', the headline and caption...

Chess champion could revolutionize the sport • Magnus Carlsen earned the title of world chess champion at age 22, as well as a massive payday. His mass-marketing appeal.

...actually had something to do with the content. Don't take my word for it, read the article yourself: Chess has a handsome, charismatic new star in world champion Magnus Carlsen [sports.yahoo.com]. In case you're still mystified about the reason for the media excitement, here's a clue from the article:-

With the "nerd dollar" one of the most powerful forces in modern marketing, Carlsen's combination of charisma and supreme strategic intelligence looks certain to pocket him some serious cash, as well as lead to a surge in popularity for his game of choice.

It's all about the 'nerd dollar'!