Having the America’s Cup back in the USA is a great commercial opportunity for the Californian economy, and if the teams ever getting around to funding themselves with sponsorship dollars, then there will be sponsors who find a good match between the 2013 cup and their market, but for Louis Vuitton, the cup’s only announced partner, the emerging markets of China and the Middle East are more important than the mature, and relatively slow growing western markets.

It’s important for the Cup’s title partner to be able to leverage the next America’s Cup to their fastest growing markets, and therefore it is little surprise that China will contest the next event. It would also not be surprising to see a round of the America’s Cup World Series staged in China.

Unlike some of the other campaigns that have been announced, with little or no funding, the China Team has the full support of the Chinese Government, and the announcement also came with photos of Bruno Trouble and quotes from Yves Carcelle, Chairman and CEO of Louis Vuitton.

With a couple of years to run, and enormous resources, China Team could be a worthy challenger if they can find the right sailors.

Mr. Wang Chao Yong, chairman of China Team says:

“All boats need to be designed by the team, and built in country. We have been working with some of the best worldwide designers for hull and wings for a few months already, in partnership with top Chinese Universities. This is an opportunity to showcase China’s talents in the leading-edge hi-tech areas of both hydrodynamics and aeronautics. Our boat will then be built in China, and ready to sail by February 2012. China Team, a boat which will truly represent China, as most sailors will be Chinese.

The folks at ACEA trotted out the “Formula One cars of the seas” line again, ignoring that there is already several F1 of the seas (UIM Class One and there is also a UIM F1)

Thierry Barot, CEO of China Team has been busy recruiting champion sailors who will be responsible for training the sailing team.

“Our boat will be powered mainly by Chinese sailors, and we are very fortunate to have an elite team of international sailors to come to China and train our Chinese team”.

Richard Worth, Chairman of the America’s Cup Event Authority should be smiling. The China deal should sure up the commercial package a little. He said:

“We are very pleased to welcome our eighth challenger, China Team, to the 34th America’s Cup. China Team makes a wonderful addition, bringing another continent of athletes into our international field of strong competitors, as well as a very powerful market to add to the commercial strength of the 34th America’s Cup.”

Yves Carcelle, Chairman and CEO of Louis Vuitton said:

“China has a 600-year-old tradition of sailing! They will have to win the Louis Vuitton Cup and beat all the challengers before getting a chance to compete against the American Defender, Oracle Racing. Just the kind of challenge the Chinese relish!”

More America’s Cup News

America's Cup - Present, Past and Future

It’s only when you see announcements like those from the America’s Cup Authority over the weekend, that you realise the extent to which people cut and paste content into websites. The announcement of Louis Vuitton as a partner for the 34th America’s Cup is not really surprising, and perhaps that’s why most of the press went with the pre-prepared, PR polished paragraphs without feeling the need to add any comment.

Louis Vuitton have announced that their 30 year involvement with the America’s Cup will continue, now that Alinghi and Ernesto Bertarelli is gone. The timing of last weeks announcement by the Swiss team not to compete and the confirmation of Louis Vuitton as partner could be coincidence, but there no love lost between the two parties.

Paul Betts, a guest of LV CEO Yves Carcelle said in the FT:

Yves Carcelle, the dashing and debonair head of Louis Vuitton, invited me to spend a weekend sailing in Dubai on some of the world’s fastest (sic) and most impressive racing boats… Carcelle soon fell out with Bertarelli, disliking his hands-on business approach to the competition. As a result the venerable French luxury company stopped sponsoring the selection of the challenger who would take on the previous winner of the America’s Cup and put an end to its 25-year association with this grand sporting event.

Betts goes on to quote Carcelle directly:

“Thank God that Bertarelli found himself opposed to someone like Larry Ellison,” Carcelle told me over a glass or two of champagne, just before dispatching me for my somewhat fraught Louis Vuitton racing experience. “He [Ellison] has very deep pockets and could afford to pay the lawyers and keep appealing and counter-appealing until he eventually was able to challenge Alinghi with his BMW Oracle catamaran in this year’s contest.”

But looking to the future, the luxury goods brand is looking to become the watch of choice for the Facebook generation. Louis Vuitton will become the Official Timing Partner for the 34th America’s Cup.

Yves Carcelle, Chairman and CEO of Louis Vuitton Malletier said in the official piece:

“We are thrilled to announce today the continuation of our 30-year partnership with the America’s Cup. Having met with the team several times, we believe that the 34th edition will be the best America’s Cup yet.”

In 2013, the Challenger Series will be staged with the winner earning the right to compete in the America’s Cup Finals. The Challenger series will be once again called the Louis Vuitton Cup, recognizing the brand’s long partnership with the America’s Cup.

So while the cup is looking to innovate and rebrand for the future, the name will stay the same as it has for 30 years. Announcing the deal as if it was some great sports marketing coup, Richard Worth, chairman of the America’s Cup Event Authority said:

“We are extremely priveleged that our vision for the next America’s Cup has attracted the return of a company like Louis Vuitton. The 34th America’s Cup will culminate in 2013, marking the 30th anniversary of Louis Vuitton’s support of the sport of sailing, so we could not be more proud to see this great partnership continue and strengthen.”

The Louis Vuitton Cup will be in the summer of 2013, with the America’s Cup Finals in early fall.

Is the hype to reinvent the America’s Cup all hype? Does the Defender really want to make the America’s Cup a great entertainment event for television that attracts a young audience, or will it slowly revert to normal? Louis Vuitton are on the record as being against sponsors who don’t fit the traditions of the event. In 2007, Bruno Trouble said:

“The day we get a pizza company with its brand on the mainsail of a competing yacht, that is the end of the America’s Cup as it is now,”

The piece in the FT suggests that Louis Vuitton are still of that view. While Russell Coutts and Richard Worth are out selling a commercial package, their new title partner says that the emphasis is on returning the America’s Cup to a “sport-orientated venture rather than a commercial circus”.

Meanwhile, the World Sailing Teams Association (WSTA), which is enshrined in the current protocol for the 34th America’s Cup is reported to be being wound up.

More America’s Cup News.

The America’s Cup was back in the news yesterday for all the right reasons. A much anticipated press conference presented a new vision for the trophy – a united front, with Defender and Challenger of Record in agreement on the manner in which to move forward. But Russell Coutts and Vincenzo Onorato will have to state some preferences and show some leadership, otherwise the design by consensus process outlined may produce a compromise event.

Russell Coutts started by acknowledging a subtle change in the communications from BMW ORACLE and the Golden Gate Yacht Club. The event was compared by America’s Cup sailor Cam Lewis, a sailor, not an ‘off the water’ rules expert.

But Coutts’ opening remarks also made reference to the business of the America’s Cup, citing past tycoons that had participated including; J.P Morgan, Sir Thomas Lipton and Ted Turner. These were not just people who transformed sailing, they were men who transformed business. The AC34 organisation now needs to walk a fine line between keeping the traditions of the cup alive while going after the cash in the form of television and venue revenues.

The headlines

• New rules issued before entries closed with independent professional management.
  
• A new class of fast, exciting boats created in conjunction with all teams.
• Annual racing in multiple venues to increase commercial viability
  
• Transformed television and online coverage

Coutts said that ‘they’ wanted to give a voice to experts who have never been asked before. These included fans, but more importantly for the money men television executives and event management companies. The changes to sailing could be far reaching, having an effect on fundamental elements of the sport including boat design and rule changes to allow race officials to change the course and length of racing to fit television schedules.

New Class.

One thing that is certain from yesterday’s press conference is that there will be a new boat. Bruce Nelson and Peter Melvin have been asked to create concepts – one monohull and one multihull. Coutts and Onorato refused to express any preference for one or the other yesterday, instead falling back on what may become a stock phrase for the next few months; “We’ll let the teams decide.”

The brief given to the designers of the new America’s Cup Class rule are:

• It should produce dynamic and close racing
• It should use advanced, efficient (green) and cost-effective technologies
• It should be distinctive as an America’s Cup class
• It should be able to race in any venue in winds from 5-35 knots

The last condition is a result of television executive input based on America’s Cup events of the past. Coutts and Lewis agreed that for a race that is supposed to be the pinnacle of sailing to be cancelled because of too much wind sent the wrong message. Coutts also said that his preference was for boats that were ‘physical’  – where all the sailors on the boat were active, not strategists.

Whatever the final shape and size of the boat, the plan is to have them racing in a regular series by 2012.

The Venue.

Coutts states that the right to choose the venue of the America’s Cup is one of the most rewarding aspects of winning the trophy. While Valencia was chosen by Alinghi because Switzerland has no open sea, it would be a big shift in the America’s Cup for the defender not to hold the final races on home soil. Despite the USA having about 12,000 miles of coastline, Coutts refused to confirm that racing would be held there. Given the commitment to transform the televisual element of the event, perhaps the final will be held in a timezone that would make the event broadcast on US prime-time.

The venue will be announced by the 31st of December.

Given the venue for yesterday’s announcements, Rome may have a place in part of the America’s Cup sailing calendar. Russell Coutts responded to local media saying he wouldn’t rule it out and Vincenzo Onorato said that they needed to look into it.

Annual Series.

Even if the Americas Cup is tweaked to bring the event in line with other major sporting events, the cycle makes it very difficult to make the trophy financially viable without resorting to private cheque books. Teams have struggled to stay afloat in the years where there is no racing and commercial partners can’t make the most of their investments.

Russell Coutts has announced that there will be an annual America’s Cup series using the new class of boats. While he admits that this will increase the costs for teams, he believes that there would be increased value to cover it. The conference was attended by Bruno Trouble and Paul Cayard representing the World Sailing Teams Association (WSTA) and the Louis Vuitton Trophy. Coutts said that there were large sponsors from the past who were pleased with the direction the Defender was taking, hinting that Louis Vuitton would return to the America’s Cup after a very public spat with Alinghi.

While the boat class and the protocol are open to the teams for discussion, the format of the annual series is looking like a done deal. The official press release includes a sales-pitch from Paul Cayard that doesn’t mention any of the reforms to the Cup, but rather positions the WSTA and Louis Vuitton Trophy as the natural home of the America’s Cup Class…

“We believe that the WSTA and its Louis Vuitton Trophy events are exactly the type of activity that needs to be incorporated into the big picture of the America’s Cup. With its global venues in important markets, regular calendar of events, tight racing in America’s Cup class boats, equal representation for each team, these events represent great commercial value that the teams can pass along to their sponsors.”

The announcement of the regular racing may impact on series like the Audi Med Cup where several teams are currently competing.

The Future of the Cup.

Yesterday’s conference was a lot of symbolic smoke and spin, but it needed to be done. Coutts and Onorato seem to think that teams who want to compete will come to a consensus about what the boat will look like and how the event will be run and Turner Sports or ESPN will tweak it so that we all tune in to watch.

One of the more interesting questions that Russell Coutts did express an opinion on, was about the introduction of nationality rules for crew. Coutts initially answered with the stock “We’ll ask the teams”, but then added that personally he would be in favour of such a change.

Key Dates Announced

• Protocol for the 34th America’s Cup will be issued by 31st August
• Design rule released by 30th September
• Notice of Race & Sailing Instructions published by 31st December
• Venue confirmed by 31st December
• Challenge Period open from 1st October – 31st January 2011

You can watch a replay of the Press Conference here…

Regular readers will know that the vast majority of sailing sponsorships are designed for a business to business audience. Some are lucky enough to rank as major events which drive tourism and investment in regions and towns. While many of sailing’s ‘politicians’ are trying to tear down perceptions that yacht racing is an elitist sport, the backers of the Louis Vuitton Trophy have a vested interest in keeping the sport exclusive.

Bruno Trouble, who has been a driving force behind the new event that features the old Version 5 America’s Cup boats, was once quoted as saying:

“The day we get a pizza company with its brand on the mainsail of a competing yacht, that is the end of the America’s Cup as it is now.”

Major events though, do give local development agencies a great chance to attract investment and business to a region. Any city with the infrastructure and logistical capabilities to host eight professional sailing teams and press and meet their requirements shows that longer term, the same city can provide a good environment for a company to locate a corporate HQ or facility.

Team Côte d’Azur, a promotion and economic development agency for the region around Nice is using the Louis Vuitton Trophyto host a small number of company leaders from Telecom and Life Science sectors. As this is Frnace, company heads were mostly sailing buffs and responded immediately to the development agency’s invitation. The leaders spent a day enjoying the competition while discussing also the reasons that had led them to invest in the Nice Côte d’Azur region to grow their business.

Team Côte d’Azur’s director Philippe Stefanini:

“It is very interesting for us to bring together prospects from different sectors for such a prestigious, exciting venue as the Louis Vuitton Trophy. The exchanges among our guests allow them to grasp the reasons why similar international companies have chosen to locate here and that helps them in their decision making.”

http://www.investincotedazur.com/en/newsletter/index.php?txt=act8937

The Louis Vuitton Trophy in Nice is a relatively risky undertaking, even with the backing of the long time America’s Cup luxury goods sponsor (sorry – partner) and Bruno Troublé. The event was hastily arranged and the Nice was not the first choice for the November date.

Troublé has spoken about how the new event came to be on the Côte d’Azur and where we might see the Louis Vuitton Trophy next.

“We were supposed to go to Hong Kong in November but because there was only one place to go in Hong Kong, and the pier there was not finished, we had to cancel Hong Kong in June. We were willing to have an event in November, so we managed to convince Nice very very quickly.”

“At the end of the season there are not many places in Europe where you can sail: Marseilles, for example, is a great venue, but the wind is blowing 40 knots every day. Nice is also a very dynamic city. The Mayor is also the Minister of Industry, so he has a lot of power and he managed to make a decision in a week, whereas normally with public support like that takes months. So he is so powerful he has no problem to make a decision and then make it happen.”

The Louis Vuitton Trophy has improved upon the mecahnisms available to teams to promote their sponsors. One of the reasons for the event was to try and salvage some media value for partners who have been denied an America’s Cup appearance thanks to the squabbling between Alinghi and BMW ORACLE.

Troublé is proud of the technique they have introduced allowing teams to show their own branding on board. Each team purchases their own genniker from the organisers, while at the beginning of each day team a large patch with the team branding and logo is velcroed on to the mainsail in reverse order that the teams will be sailing a particular boat. When teams swap boats the outgoing team simply peels off their mainsail branding cleverly revealing the branding of the incoming team.

Louis Vuitton Trophy regattas in 2010 are planned for – Auckland in March, La Maddelena, Sardinia in May-June, Newport, RI in August and Hong Kong in November.

For better or worse, depending on where you sit, sport is now business. Big business. All sports are having to come to terms with the realities of the economics and business models of sports – whether it be professional events or grass-roots development.

Most would agree that the business of yacht racing is confused and fragmented. Even at the top level, many teams are not run as a business with gaps in revenue filled by wealthy owners out of their own pocket. It seems that anyone can announce a new series or a new event or a new class – irrespective of the impact it might have on the sport as a whole.

The only way that the sport of sailing will compete for share of media, sponsorship dollars and talent is to come together and talk through some of the issues facing the sport, and to that end the World Yacht Racing Forum is a must for anyone who is in the business of yacht racing.

The first forum, held in Monaco in 2009 attracted over  300 delegates from 37 countries, the second edition of the Forum returns to Monaco this 9-10th December, 2009. The topics promise to address some of the most pressing issues facing the sport – with sessions for debate including:

• Yachting Sponsorship – can Sailing deliver real value for money?
• Leveraging a Sponsorship Deal – How do we maximise the investment?
• Can Yacht Racing deliver economic returns for host cities and ports?
• Tapping into new Media audiences – The Future of Sailing on the Web and Television
• How can event costs be trimmed for today’s economic climate?
• Governing the Sport – What Can Sailing Learn from other Sports?
• What space is there for Multihull Racing in the international calendar?
• Americas Cup: How do the Challengers see the future of their event?

Over 60 speakers will address these issues, not just from the sailing world, but from Formula 1, Tennis and other sports that arguably do it much better than sailing does it.

This year’s World Yacht Racing Forum promises an outstanding line up of sailing personalities and top speakers including Conference Chairman Peter Gilmour (AUS) and keynote addresses by Tom Whidden, CEO of North Sails, and two time Vendee Globe winner Michel Desjoyeaux. Other confirmed and invited speakers include;

• Mark Turner CEO, OC Group
• Nick Fry Chief Executive, Brawn GP
• Nathalie Quéré Head of Global Sponsorship, BT Global Services
• Michael Rasmussen Chief Marketing Officer, VELUX
• Daniel Miles Group Head Marketing, Puma AG
• Jerome Pels Secretary General, ISAF (International Sailing Federation)
• Vincenzo Onorato CEO, Mascalzoni Latino
• Jamie Singer Partner, Onside Law
• Bruno Troublé Founder, Louis Vuitton Cup
• José Antonio Muñoz Manager, Deporte Andaluz
• Knut Frostad CEO, Volvo Ocean Race
• Scott Macleod Senior Vice President- New Business, Sony Ericsson WTA Tour
• Ignacia Triay Director, Audi MedCup
• Julien Benoist Head of Sponsorship, Foncia
• Richard Moore CEO, Capitalise
• Richard Brisius CEO, Atlant Racing
• Maria Moynihan Lee Festival Director, City of Galway
• Daniel Calero Manager, Puerto Calero – Canaries
• Ulrich Lacher Managing Director, IFM Sports
• Henrik Sund Managing Director, Grow AB
• Stéphane Kandler CEO, K Challenge
• Ian Taylor CEO, Virtual Eye
• Richard Simmonds Managing Director, Sunset & Vine
• Marijn Harinck Founder, United Games
• Jean-Dominique Lauwerins CEO, Be Tomorrow
• Michel Desjoyeaux Multi Vendee Globe Winner
• Josh Hall CEO, Portimao Global Race
• Dominique Wavre President, IMOCA
• Riccardo Simoneschi CEO, B Plan Marketing
• Paul Cayard Professional Sailor
• Stephan Kandler CEO, K Challenge
• Sotoris Buseas CEO, Greek Challenge

This year, a new event has also been added to the schedule – the Yacht Racing Design and Technology Symposium – which will run parallel to the Forum in an adjoining conference room (www.yrdts.com). The Symposium will include presentations and panel discussions from experts in the field of yacht racing design and technology including the latest developments in performance hull and composite design, hydrodynamics, coatings, rigging, sail making and much more. Owners of racing yachts from a select number of classes are being invited to the Symposium free of charge. A total of 14 panel sessions and presentations are scheduled across both conferences, plus two evening functions for all participants.

Both conferences will share an exclusive exhibition and networking lounge with over 30 stands allowing delegates to meet and network with new contacts and industry colleagues. Participants will also have the opportunity to visit the exhibition area of the adjoining Motorsport Business Forum at the Grimaldi Forum on the same dates, plus an invitation to the exclusive ‘Track & Ocean’ cocktail reception jointly hosted on 9th December at the Meridien Beach Plaza Hotel.

Although only in its second year, the World Yacht Racing Forum has already found its place firmly on the yachting calendar as Event Director James Pleasance explains;

“What last year’s Forum proved is that the sailing industry absolutely needs an event like this. By industry professionals coming together and sharing strategies and best practices, it helps raise the quality and value of the sport globally, as well as addressing some of the sports key issues. It is also an excellent place to network and make new contacts. Monaco is very accessible in December, it really is a must-attend event for anyone in the business of sailing and yacht racing.”

Register at http://worldyachtracingforum.com/registration.php

The Louis Vuitton World Series (LVWS) and the World Sailing Team Association (WSTA) held a press conference in Paris yesterday to outline more details about their plans. The first event will be sooner than some might have thought, November this year in fact in the French city of Nice. There’s quite a lot of detail in this story and we will be digging a little more over the coming days, but in the meantime, here are the highlights from the official announcement.

As reported last week, the new event will be based on the successful Louis Vuitton Pacific Series held in Auckland in February 2009, using version 5 America’s Cup monohulls. There will be 10 places for teams, with eight slots already filled.

The second Louis Vuitton World Series event is scheduled for March 2010 in Auckland, New Zealand, followed by a Series in La Maddalena (Italy) in May 2010.

Organizers are also evaluating interest from other international cities to complete the racing calendar for 2010 and 2011. Bruno Troublé, creator of the Louis Vuitton Cup and LVWS spokesperson comments:

“We have received serious interest from cities like Athens, Greece; Valencia, Spain; Newport, RI, USA; Cape Town, South Africa; Hong Kong, and Abu Dhabi to host future events. ” The WSTA and Louis Vuitton will announce more events (2010/2011) during the Nice regatta this year.”

Teams confirmed for the first event in Nice include: BMW ORACLE Racing (USA), Emirates Team New Zealand (NZL), Italia by Joe Fly (ITA), K-Challenge (FRA), Mascalzone Latino (ITA), Swedish Challenge Artemis (SWE), Synergy Russian Sailing Team (RUS) and Team French Spirit (FRA) .

Pietro Beccari, Executive Vice President of Louis Vuitton, in charge of Marketing and Communication, notes:

“We only announced the Series last week and already another four teams have expressed interest for the remaining two berths for Nice. We will soon confirm the remaining teams for the LVWS – Nice.”

Yves Carcelle, Louis Vuitton’s Chairman and CEO, is delighted with this new chapter, which complements but is separate from their 25 year association with the Cup:

“In the wake of the Louis Vuitton Pacific Series, which brought a breath of fresh air to the sailing world, this Series will allow, once again, the teams to come together in a competitive but friendly atmosphere.”

Grant Dalton, CEO of ETNZ and a WSTA founding team explains:

“The Louis Vuitton Pacific Series was a great success. It seemed logical to try and build on this and that is what we have done. It is a win-win situation for Louis Vuitton, the teams and the host cities.”

Russell Coutts, CEO of BMW ORACLE Racing, a WSTA founding team, explains:

“Sailing teams at the top of the sport require sponsorship. Sponsors require an annual global calendar of compelling events. And the sailors seek a highly-competitive series where they can face their toughest opponents on a fair playing field. We see this Series as addressing all of those elements and are excited by the potential.”

As many predicted, long time America’s Cup sponsor (sorry, partner) have been working on an expanded version of the successful Louis Vuitton Pacific Series held in Auckland at the beginning of 2009. The series has strong support from well funded teams however there is bound to be fallout for other professional series.

The new tour will be called the Louis Vuitton World Series, but the organisational structure is based on those in other successful pro-sports with the competing teams forming the WSTA (World Sailing Team Association).

Ten teams will be invited to confront each other in successive duels over a fortnight on two pairs of identical boats chosen by lot. The racing boats were sailed in the 2007 LV Cup.  This concept, which demonstrates the desire to return to the original spirit of “match racing”, provides an exhilarating show and is easy for spectators to understand.

Ten teams will be invited to confront each other in successive duels over a fortnight on two pairs of identical boats chosen by lot. The racing boats were sailed in the 2007 LV Cup.  This concept, which demonstrates the desire to return to the original spirit of “match racing”, provides an exhilarating show and is easy for spectators to understand. The WSTA and Louis Vuitton plan to organise several regattas a year. Many cities of which Nice, Hong Kong, Auckland, New York and several other European venues have shown their interest.

In  a statement issued by Louis Vuitton today, America’s Cup challenger teams like K-Challenge (France), BMW Oracle Racing (USA), Emirates Team New Zealand, Mascalzone Latino (Italy) will be joined by Artemis (Sweden), Team Synergy (Russia), Joe Fly Italia (Italy) and Team French Spirit (France).

The news is good for sailing, though series like the RC44 and Audi Med Cup may suffer as teams like Artemis and Emirates Team New Zealand are unlikely to compete in both events. It should be good for the World Match Racing Tour, which is a well proven development environment for America’s Cup style match racing helmsmen and crew.

Many of these things have been announced before and have never happened, but one imagines that with Louis Vuitton’s backing and event gurus like Bruno Trouble on board, the new event has a good chance of success. A press conference will be held in Paris on Tuesday the 8th of September where more details will be released.

Now.. where do we file this?

NYYC Event Chair John Mendez has announced that Henri Lloyd has joined the NYYC Invitational Cup as the Official Clothing Sponsor. Henri Lloyd joins previously announced official sponsors Rolex Watch U.S.A., Sperry Top-Sider and Nautor’s Swan in supporting the event.

Paul Strzelecki, Joint Chief Executive of Henri Lloyd noted:

“We are uniquely positioned to participate as a corporate sponsor. As a company globally recognized as a leader in high-performance clothing, sailors have looked to Henri Lloyd for the perfect balance of style, comfort and performance. Partnering with NYYC is a privilege and represents a natural kind of alliance for two organizations committed to the advancement of sailing worldwide.”

One of the teams competing will be Yacht Club de France. Skipper Bruno Troublé commented on Newport as a venue, saying:

“While everything changes in Europe with a lot of new developments going on everywhere, Newport doesn’t change much. It’s the same atmosphere, same bars and restaurants-Black Pearl, Candy Store, etc.-same sticky fog, same smell. Going there is like returning to the 1977 America’s Cup with Turner and Jobson.”

Like the America’s Cup competitions of the 1960s, ’70s, and early ’80s, the NYYC Invitational Cup will have a strong amateur focus, something that Troublé thinks is important for the sport.

“Sailing is now fully professional at the top level, and we need events where the quality of racing is amazing without so many pro sailors around.”

A fascinating article from Richard Gladwell, writing for Sail-World about a new sailing World Series backed by long time America’s Cup sponsor (sorry – partner) Louis Vuitton. Our initial reaction to news like this is – do we really need another sailing competition? but it would seem that a lot of good thinking has gone into the concept, using existing events to create a progression for teams whose ultimate goal is the America’s Cup. Here are some of our highlights of a much longer article.

An final decision is still pending on an extension of the highly successful Louis Vuitton Pacific Series, which will introduce a new world series of sailing regattas using America’s Cup class yachts. Already several meetings have been held with 12 teams from 10 countries being present at one discussion. The shape of the new series is expected to be a combination of recent developments in the America’s Cup, Louis Vuitton Cup, Louis Vuitton Pacific Series, and the Acts sailed in 2005 and 2006 sponsored by Louis Vuitton.

For the first time in the America’s Cup’s 158 year history there is been no Defender essentially controlling how the Challengers can operate in the buildup to the next America’s Cup and the unique opportunity is now there to set up a new game.

The most likely shape of this new competition would appear to be an extension of what was tried in with the Louis Vuitton Pacific Series Auckland. Namely a ten team regatta, maybe 12, using two pairs of America’s Cup yachts from 32 AC.

The first venue in the series is expected to be Hong Kong, in January, followed by Auckland in February or March. Two more regattas are expected to be held in 2010, and it is believed at this stage, that Valencia will not be a venue. One of the venues could be in Africa, and Newport, USA is believed to be a strong option.

Louis Vuitton and their long time emissary, Bruno Trouble, are believed to be the drivers behind the ambitious project. A considerable amount of work has gone into the project, which is a ‘once in a lifetime’ opportunity for the America’s Cup family. It was Louis Vuitton who picked up the initiative for the Pacific Series, staged as a celebration of one of the longest running sponsorships in sport, but clearly as a test of a future event.

What the World Series will do is create a new layer of competition that will sit between the World Match Racing Tour and the America’s Cup. This layer, coupled with the supplied boats nature of the competition, will allow new teams to form out of the WMRT and go up the next stage into the World Series, and if they can achieve the results at that level, then they can go into a full America’s Cup program with some confidence.

Obviously from a sponsor viewpoint, backing a new team for a couple of years on the World Series, to see how they go is going to be a lot more attractive than ponying up for a full blown America’s Cup program. So the entry cost into the America’s Cup will be substantially lowered, and teams will be able to build a track record of performance without incurring a massive design and boat program overhead. The cost of competing in Auckland was about USD250,000 per team for the three weeks. While this is not insubstantial, with proper venue selection it should be possible to provide a good return to sponsors. A key to this will be the availability of coverage and use of a web graphics package such as Virtual Eye, on public release, as well as using the same Virtual Eye package for TV, will be a key to the take up by the major networks. International coverage of these events offers huge scope for both television and the internet – far beyond what was possible given the short notice of the Auckland based Louis Vuitton Pacific Series.

Additionally, the organiser’s ability to take the World Series into different continents around the world gives some alignment with other major sporting events, but at greatly reduced relative cost (compared to say Formula 1). Previously any America’s Cup build up series has been limited to one city or one venue or one continent. moving an event between continents does generate interest in the local event and that interest remains for following venues in the same series.

The numbers of spectators at the recent stop overs of the Volvo Ocean Race, should not be lost on sponsors and promoters of the World Series, with up to 500,000 expected to pass through the village at Stockholm. The recent announcements made by the Volvo Ocean race organisers are clearly aimed at making the event more attractive to more professional racing teams – providing certainty around dates and venues.

The Volvo Ocean Race, with professional forward thinking management and an inclusive style is a serious threat to the old type America’s Cup organisation. A new way forward is required, with a professionally organised global event. Louis Vuitton and Bruno Trouble have the record and are currently without peer in this regard, but a green light from both sides in the 33rd America’s Cup is preferred, but maybe not required.

Read the Full Article here…