The financial injection will help develop new digital products and services for squash fans and ramp up the creation and distribution of engaging content

PSA

Squash Media & Marketing (SMM), a commercial entity created and managed by the Professional Squash Association (PSA), has sold a stake to the Sports, Media and Entertainment Group, led by businessman and philanthropist Mark Walter.

The move is part of a major investment in the sport, with the money set to be used to optimise the structure of the PSA Tour and enable SMM to deliver more events, increase player compensation and improve the fan experience.

The additional funding will also be used to increase marketing of the sport and the PSA’s athletes, develop new digital products and services for squash fans and ramp up the creation and distribution of engaging content.

Walter said: “I think professional squash is a global, highly diverse and exciting sport with a tremendous growth opportunity. We are excited to invest in the future of the sport and look forward to working with the PSA to make this a broader and more inclusive sport and to bring it to more fans.”

He has been a long been supporter of squash, including sponsoring the Windy City Open and PSA World Championships. The 2022-23 PSA World Championships finished earlier this month in Chicago, with Ali Farag and Nour El Sherbini being crowned World Champions on an all-glass court erected at Chicago’s Union Station.

PSA chief executive Alex Gough said: “Mark Walter has been an incredible supporter of the sport since 2015 and his investment will enable us to accelerate our development of the professional game.

“We have an ambitious strategy that aims to modernise and grow the sport at the highest level. We will also be looking to streamline the PSA Tour structure to increase the playing opportunities and earning potential for our athletes, as well as helping them rise up the PSA World Rankings.

“This is an incredibly exciting time for everyone involved in professional squash. Since our Chairman Ziad Al-Turki came aboard in 2008, the professional game has gone through unprecedented growth and this investment represents the next step in the sport’s evolution. We look forward to releasing details of our long-term strategy to the squash community in due course.”

The Professional Squash Association (PSA) is the global governing body responsible for the administration of both men’s and women’s professional squash around the world.

Pictured: Chicago’s Union Station hosts the 2022-23 PSA World Championships.