it to a two-year cycle, and restricting the number of training boats was quite a surprise. Coutts explained why he thinks introducing these changes will improve the event.
“What they [five of the six ACC teams] have agreed on is if any of these five teams win, then these are the rules that will apply. What that does is creates certainty for the stakeholder with a good idea of what the event will look like in the future. In the past it was the new winner who decided how it [the following event] was run.
“Essentially, if you have certainty around the rules and around the concept of the event for the future, then that will allow new teams to come and plan their entry. The more stable a platform you have, the better it is commercially, and the more sustainable it will be for those teams.
“Clearly if the teams are losing money, that’s not sustainable, whereas if the teams are, first able to pay for themselves and, secondly able to make a small profit to start with, then that becomes sustainable, and those teams can now plan for the long term future.”
Questioning the changes and whether they are allowed within rules of the Deed of Gift Coutts confirmed, “It all fits in with the original Deed of Gift, which says you can stage an event within nine months. What it does allow is for new teams to come in and plan their future and know with certainty what the rules are they are racing under.”
Shortening the ACC format to a two year cycle is hugely beneficial all round according to Coutts: “Most of the value when you look at media values for example, is in the lead up to the final races and currently that is over one month.
“In terms of media value, this is in the final races. So, if you have those more regularly then that produces more value. Also because of less time involved, it reduces costs. So on the one hand you are reducing costs, and the other you are creating more value, which means it is working in your favour both ways.”
Coutts says that teams like Land Rover Team BAR are a good example of a team that has plans for the future: “They now have a sailing academy where they are bringing young sailors through with an eye to the future. These changes will really allow teams to look at this not just as a one or two year cycle but more long-term, which is fantastic for the future health of the
© Sam Greenfield
KEY DATES FOR YOUR AMERICA’S CUP DIARY
26 May – Louis Vuitton America’s Cup Qualifiers Round Robins - Opening ceremony
4 June – Louis Vuitton America’s Cup Challenger Playoffs Semi-Finals
10 June – Louis Vuitton America’s Cup Challenger Playoffs Finals
12 June (TBC) – Louis Vuitton America’s Cup Challenger Playoffs Finals
12 June – Red Bull Youth America’s Cup Qualifiers start
13 June – America’s Cup Superyacht Regatta starts
© Chris Burville
sport. For partners coming into the event this is also important because they can now look at it as a longer term project.”
Finally, when asked who he would you ‘put his money on’ to win the Cup at the end of June this year, Coutts replied: “Honestly? It is too close to call. If you had asked me that question in previous years I would always have had an answer but this one, I genuinely do not know. If you said today [28 February], on current form, who is going to win I would have an answer for you?
So, who would that be? “I think it would be close between Oracle Team USA and Team New Zealand but that changes by the week, even by the day. Knowing who is going to win in three months time, I have absolutely no idea.”
15 June – America’s Cup Superyacht Regatta ends
16 June – America’s Cup J Class Regatta starts
17 June – America’s Cup Match starts
20 June – America’s Cup J Class Regatta ends
20 June - Red Bull Youth America’s Cup Finals start
21 June – Red Bull Youth America’s Cup Qualifiers Finals end
27 June (TBC) – America’s Cup Match ends
For full America’s Cup event schedule visit
www.americascup.com
ONBOARD | SPRING 2017 | 105
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