News Around the World
The first members of the SailGP women’s pathway programme prepare to make their debut in Cádiz – sadly the travel challenges of Covid made it unlikely that they would all compete at the final round in Sydney. Left to right: Nina Curtis (AUS), Andrea Emone (ESP), Liv Mackay (NZL), Katja Salskov-Iversen (DEN), Hannah Mills (GBR), CJ Perez (USA), Amelie Riou (FRA) and Sena Takano of Japan
I have a lot of training and experience in management subjects
but I don’t know as much about sailing as they do. My objective is a mature management structure, so that if I leave they can move on. As a team we are very close, very well protected. We are like a ‘pineapple’! I don’t know what makes us like this but it is one of the strengths of our team, something that others recognise and envy. SH: How much longer will you have financial support from SailGP? MMR: The initial agreement was that they were to sponsor five seasons. We entered the circuit in year two, and at the end of this season in March we will have three seasons left. But each year we are setting ourselves sales targets that we must meet to move forward. Remember that they can drop a team at any time if they have a reason. At first SailGP wanted skippers to be the CEOs of their teams but that doesn’t always work. We and France have a CEO who is not a skipper. Parallel to the sports competition, as CEOs we have an economic
competition that is just as stressful. If you do not own the franchise your survival in the circuit depends on the possible arrival of new teams… and results. If your team is last in the ranking you are vulnerable as much as if you are short of funding. When assessing teams SailGP considers sporting and financial performance on an equal basis. You can fall off the list and if you do then you will probably stay out. SH: Let’s talk numbers… MMR: SailGP’s initial contribution is US$7million. That includes the team operations, charter of the boat and material, shared services contribution and so on. Naming rights to a team cost $4million, and there are other smaller sponsorship deals available for less investment. We have a lot of pressure to get the money to ensure we can continue with the team, because Russell has many proposals from teams from all over the world who want to compete in SailGP. It is a competition parallel to the regattas at sea, to be able to continue on the circuit. Ownership of the franchise costs about $20million, but I think
that each proposal is assessed differently depending on the candidate. My plan is to sell shares in a team ownership – the circuit is growing and the commercial values are increasing. In a short time team ownership will also be worth more. This is what has been
34 SEAHORSE
happening in the NBA, with European football clubs, in F1 and MotoGP… though of course in these markets the numbers are very different!! SH:How do you see the reaction in Spain in terms of sponsorship? MMR: I think that after the event in Cádiz people opened their eyes. Initially it took a lot for the companies to even receive us, so that we could present the project to them, because they didn’t know what it was. They equated it with the typical sponsorship of a conventional sailing team. But this is not just sailing, it is like F1 or MotoGP, it has a big element of showmanship. The pandemic did not help us either. But it is true that now they are more receptive and after Cádiz
I was lining up new presentations more quickly. Having an event at home can help convince companies, even that we could host the event in a city that is especially important to them – if that is possible technically. The cities also became interested after that regatta, with several approaching Russell and ourselves as possible host-venues. SH: We know Russell wants more events with shorter set-up and dismantling times, but will the sporting format change? MMR: Hardly. Perhaps small adjustments will be made but the essence will stay the same. We want the regattas to be short. The habits of young people have changed. For them a video that lasts more than a minute on social media is long. SailGP is entertainment, the racing is also a television and digital show, we want everyone to understand it. Stadium sailing, short races and even a vocabulary that, especially in Spain, differs greatly from traditional nautical terms, all are necessary to achieve this. Much attention is also being paid to proper follow-ups. I remember
that after the second event Russell asked me why the races had been watched less in Spain; it was only because a long period of confinement was ending here and people wanted to get out! In Spain we were desperate to go out for a beer and eat some tapas, something that weeks before was impossible. SH: Is it still the same sailing crew next year? MMR: Now, in a post-Olympic year, we intend to make the crew totally Spanish. We trust that Jordi Xammar can join as skipper as soon as possible, and the others also. Florián Trittel wing trimmer,
BOB MARTIN/SAILGP
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