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Francesca Rudkin: Here's what makes me lose interest in the America's Cup

Author
Francesca Rudkin, Newstalk ZB,
Publish Date
Sun, 14 Feb 2021, 10:45AM
( Photo / Getty )
( Photo / Getty )

Francesca Rudkin: Here's what makes me lose interest in the America's Cup

Author
Francesca Rudkin, Newstalk ZB,
Publish Date
Sun, 14 Feb 2021, 10:45AM

I have come full circle with my love of the America’s Cup.

There is no other competition like it right?

I’m always on board when we’re racing – whether it goes our way or not. Like so many New Zealander’s, when it comes to the actual competition I’m there. Full support.

I also become an expert at foiling, which to be honest I know little about.

Okay so maybe yesterday’s first two races of the Prada Cup Final where a little underwhelming; but most of the time it’s thrilling, unpredictable and dangerous as crews attempts to control these technical AC75 beasts in our fickle winds.

The great thing about the America’s Cup these days is it’s not huge time commitment, which means it’s easy to make it appointment viewing, although yesterday I missed both the starts, and the starts are where you get to see the best sailors in the world strut their stuff.

At some point during an America’s Cup campaign however I lose interest. It’s got nothing to do with the action on the water. I lose interest when questions about the America’s Cup event management hit the news, when high court action is threatened over graphics and undertaken to keep news organisations from publishing details of a leaked confidential draft report. I lose interest when the rules are constantly changed. Honestly google rule changes American’s Cup 2021, there’s a list.

And let’s not forget the course selection drama of October 2020.

This is a game played like few others, and it seems anything goes as long as it’s in the best interest of the team.

While I call it a game, it’s not really. It’s a business, an expensive business that requires partnerships and sponsorship's to make it work, and if it’s going to continue to grow and increase in popularity it needs more than 4 teams to enter.

That’s why I wasn’t surprised this week when the latest America’s Cup leak revealed Team New Zealand had commissioned a major London based sports consultancy to run a world wide selection process aimed at finding a host for the 2023 or 2024 America’s Cup Event.

If Team New Zealand retains the Cup, Auckland will not necessarily be the host city.

According to Grant Dalton, Covid-19 and the lost revenue from this year's tournament was the driver behind the move to look overseas because the team needed to find a way to come up with the money needed to compete again. Once again, team first.

Commentators, the Auckland Mayor Phil Goff and other personalities around Auckland spoke out about how due to Covid, New Zealand hasn’t been able to get a return on its investment.

Hindsight is a wonderful thing. I would think that if we’re committing $250 million of local and central government money to this event, someone would have thought to put a clause in the agreement stating Auckland had first dibs on the next event if Team New Zealand won it.

But of course we have to win it first.

And that’s why I’m no longer interested in the machinations of this turbulent event. At the end of the day much of the infrastructure that’s been put in place for the Cup was always going to be done, it’s just been done quicker. It’s been more painful for Aucklanders but it should be complete soon, so let’s take that as a win.

Over 200,000 people have visited Auckland's waterfront to watch the sailing since racing started in December. It’s not the numbers we were expecting - but it’s better than nothing.

Viewing numbers have been impressive too it’s been reported that preliminary international viewing statistics provided to Auckland Unlimited show around 100 million people watched the four days of December racing, about 25 per cent of the total viewership of the whole of AC35, the previous cup in Bermuda. That’s not so bad for New Zealand either.

So from now on, I’m going to take a cue from the fearless, talented sailors on these boats, and stay out of the messy squabbles. There’s bound to be more but I'll focus on the racing, and just enjoy the tournament while it’s here.

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