The COVID-19 pandemic has seriously affected professional sports – so many top-level competitions around the world have not been canceled since World War II. The Summer Olympics, European, American and African football championships, international basketball, hockey and many other sports tournaments were postponed.
But sailing got a little less. Which, in general, is not surprising, because distancing is present here historically – especially between spectators and athletes. And the main competition in the discipline – the America’s Cup – will take place, as originally planned, in March. Nevertheless, the organizers suffered serious losses and even missed several participating teams.
America’s Cup is a historically elite tournament. 170 years ago, in 1851, the schooner “America” bypassed 15 boats from Britain in the regatta around the Isle of Wight and became the first winner of the Silver Cup. In honor of the winner, he was actually named. The winner of the cup promised to arrange races every few years to prove his superiority, but he got a big advantage – to determine all the rules next time. For more than 130 years, the trophy was registered in the New York Yacht Club – the rivals did not manage to defeat the representatives of New York in any of the 15 regattas held until the end of the 1980s. In terms of duration, this is the longest winning streak in the history of sports.
But it all comes to an end. Over time, other masters entered the arena – Australians and New Zealanders. With some interruptions they dominate Formula 1 sailing to this day. The new America’s Cup is being held in New Zealand. The country received this right after four years ago, the team of the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron yacht club defeated the former champions in Bermuda – the Golden Gate Yacht Club from San Francisco. A distant country in Oceania is not too spoiled by the largest sports forums. As a rule, sports functionaries do not seriously consider it as a suitable site – an exception is made only for rugby. The geographical factor plays an important role; it is at least difficult to get here from most countries of the world.
Therefore, for such a mega-event as the America’s Cup, in Auckland they began to prepare in advance. In particular, they planned to invest in the tourism sector, infrastructure, retail and other industries. The total amount of financial injections was estimated at $ 250 million.According to preliminary estimates of economists, wealthy foreign tourists, who form the basis of the fan base in the upper echelons of sailing, should have generated revenue of up to $ 1 billion and contribute to the creation of up to 8,000 jobs (in the future, 35 years ahead for every $ 1 of infrastructure investment in New Zealand, more than $ 7 benefits are expected).
However, COVID-19 thoroughly ruffled the nerves and plans of the organizers. As a result, due to the pandemic and the restrictions caused by it (citizens of a few countries can enter New Zealand – and then after a long quarantine in specially designated institutions, but the average number of new cases of coronavirus infection in the last two weeks does not exceed five per day), the organizers have to hope mainly on local fans and participants. Even superyacht owners, who usually flock to watch America’s Cup races, ignore the event. According to the head of the Royal New Zealand Yacht Club, Aron Young, more than 140 superyachts applied to attend the regatta in Auckland before the pandemic. Now there are fewer than 40 boats left on the list who want to enter New Zealand waters.
But in the composition of the participating teams, little has changed due to the pandemic. Yes, as a result of restrictions due to the pandemic in 2020, two preparatory America’s Cup regattas in Sardinia and in the UK were canceled. However, the sponsors – Louis Vuitton, Airbus and Emirates have not abandoned their obligations.
Virus free sport
In general, sailing of this format is generally perfect for the post-view reality. Unlike many other sports (football, hockey, basketball), spectators do not play such a big role in the sail. Firstly, it is very difficult to admire the regattas live: the races, as a rule, never pass close to the coast, as such the “track” is not fixed and depends heavily on the direction of the wind, etc. So the concept of traditional stands does not work. Consequently, the organizers focus on broadcasting with a large number of cameras and infographics.
And secondly, and this is perhaps the most important thing, syndicates (as teams are traditionally called in America’s Cup) are expensive toys in the hands of wealthy owners, for whom plus or minus $ 10 million is not of fundamental importance. So, over the years, the title was defended or claimed by syndicates led by such businessmen and tycoons as banker John Morgan (founder of JPMorgan Chase), the Vanderbilt family, tea king Thomas Lipton, founder of CNN Ted Turner, our contemporaries, billionaires Ernesto Bertarelli and Larry Allison.
If initially, in 1851, the trophy cost only £ 100, now, in order to qualify for it, about $ 100 million must be invested in one four-year cycle. According to experts, approximately 40% of the budget goes to physical assets – in particular, build a pair of super-innovative carbon yachts (21 m long and 6.5 t in weight with hydrofoils instead of a keel and a sail-wing, which can go faster than the wind and accelerate to 50 knots (under 100 km / h), purchase several support boats, equipment, maintain a training base, etc. The remaining 60% is the cost of salaries and royalties.
Of course, the earnings of athletes in sailing, even among its elite, are far from those earned by hockey players, and even more so by footballers. However, the salaries of the best sailors in the “thinking” positions of tactician or helmsman can be several hundred thousand dollars a year. One way or another, experts say that now only Emirates Team New Zealand has a budget of less than $ 100 million – and that is solely due to a smaller payroll.
In mid-January, the qualifying stage for the final, the Prada Cup, began in Auckland. Three teams participate in it: favorites Ineos Team UK from Great Britain (sponsored by a syndicate of one of the richest Britons – Jim Ratcliffe, founder of the chemical giant Ineos), Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli Team from Italy (headed by Patrizio Bertelli, CEO of Prada Group) and American Magic – New York Yacht Club from USA (Doug Devos from Amway and Roger Penske from Penske Corporation). The winner of the selection will have the right to fight in March with the trophy holders – the New Zealanders. In the decisive regatta, the syndicate that finishes first in seven races wins.
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