PSA World Tour players have united in their praise and gratitude after billionaire businessman Mark Walter’s “game changing” investment into professional squash.

Walter, who is co-owner of Chelsea FC and the LA Dodgers, has acquired a stake in Squash Media and Marketing (SMM), the commercial arm of the PSA.

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

Walter, who’s already a squash benefactor after bankrolling the last three World Championships in Chicago and the Windy City Open since 2015, said he wants to make squash “a broader and more inclusive sport and to bring it to more fans.”

That is music to the ears of current players, particularly those outside the top 10 for whom the financial rewards of being a touring professional are currently modest.

As a former Wall Street banker, India’s world No.37 Ramit Tandon has greater insights into the world of investment than most squash players.

He told Squash Mad: “This is a big step for the PSA to have someone with his [Walter’s] expertise and resources on board and it’s something I believe the Tour needs. With this I see a lot more merger opportunities, sponsors and investors coming to the table.

“It’s also an achievement for the PSA and the players to be valued highly and get the recognition we feel we deserve.

“As an entity with Mark coming on board I definitely feel we have raised our value and I’m sure this will push our sport in the right direction from a financial and marketing standpoint.”

England’s world No.7 and Commonwealth Games women’s singles gold medallist, Gina Kennedy, echoed Tandon’s positive vibes.

“I think the new investment is absolutely amazing news,” the 26-year-old told us. “I am really excited to see the impact that it will have on the tour next season.

“I feel very fortunate to be an active PSA member at this exciting time and I have to applaud the PSA for securing this deal.

“The pro players will clearly benefit from seeing an increased amount of prize money and number of tournaments, which is a huge step for us as professional athletes. Hopefully the investment can help increase the popularity of the sport too.”

USA No.1 Amanda Sobhy tweeted: “Fantastic news for the sport and PSA World Tour! The Walter family have always been so supportive with the Windy City Open and World Champs, so it’s great to see him investing in Squash media & Marketing to help elevate our sport even more! Good things to come!”

France’s Victor Crouin had his say:

This is great news for our sport! Looking forward to seeing first-hand the impact this investment will have on the PSA Tour over the next few years ? https://t.co/wCBd9ieFHP

— Victor CROUIN (@VCrouin) May 23, 2023

And Egypt’s Marwan ElShorbagy commented: “Thanks to the Walter family for the continued support to our sport [and] all credit to the PSA World Tour for getting this deal done!”