America's Cup- Then and now - Coutts on why Oracle won, and the Venue
by Sail-World.com on 27 Sep 2014
Final Race- San Francisco (USA,CA) - 34th Americas Cup - Final Match - Racing Day 15
ACEA /Gilles Martin-Raget
Writing on his Facebook page on the 12 month anniversary of Oracle Team USA's win in the 34th America's Cup, then team CEO, Russell Coutts cites seven reasons why the US team were successful in their Defence of the trophy.
Coutts' winning reasons are:
This time last year was the conclusion of the closest and most exciting final in America's Cup history.
Looking back, the key influences that turned the result in my view were:
1) Jimmy Spithill, his work ethic and his never say die attitude
2) Tom Slingsby and his persistent push towards upwind foiling
3) Ben Ainslie 'Calling tactics....how hard can it be?'
4) Paul Bieker 'I've got a few ideas about the rudder cavitation and I'll spend all night getting them on the boat'
5) JB and Tom Spear (sic) 'this is how we change the loading on the wing' (Should be Tom Speer))
6) The grinders...Grind as hard and as long as it takes to trim the wing and foils for upwind foiling
7) The amazing support of the whole OTUSA team. No-one ever gave up. Very proud moment.
A year later, writing for Associated Press, long time America's Cup correspondent, Bernie Wilson (San Diego) caught up with now America's Cup Event's Authority CEO, Russell Coutts.
One year after one of the biggest comebacks in sports, regatta officials are still sorting out details for the 2017 regatta. They haven't picked a venue, although it'll be either Bermuda or San Diego. They've yet to announce a major sponsor or TV deal, or the schedule for warmup regattas for the next two years.
Many in sailing feel the America's Cup has frittered away all the momentum it gained in the mainstream sports world when the once-stodgy sport zoomed fully into the 21st century on space-age catamarans that skimmed across San Francisco Bay on hydrofoils in September 2013. Oracle Team USA rallied to win eight straight races to stun Emirates Team New Zealand and keep the Auld Mug in the United States.
So what does America's Cup czar Russell Coutts say to the critics?
'You're wrong,' Coutts said during a recent visit to San Diego to meet with government officials and potential sponsors.
Coutts was then headed to Los Angeles to meet with television executives as he continues to try to sell his vision of stadium sailing that's accessible to TV viewers as well as spectators lining the shore.
A five-time America's Cup winner, Coutts said he wouldn't get in the door at any network if it hadn't been for Oracle's thrilling comeback led by skipper Jimmy Spithill.
'No way,' Coutts said. 'I think the television product really stood out and is giving us an opportunity. The networks are definitely interested in picking up the property. That of course spins off to all the other commercial aspects around the event.'
NBC broadcast the opening weekend of the last America's Cup, watched by nearly 1 million U.S. households on each of the first two days. But once the racing shifted to NBC Sports Network, viewership plunged. The clinching race was watched by 189,000 households.
Oracle Team USA owner Larry Ellison, one of the of the richest men in the world, apparently has gotten tired of plopping down $100 million here and $100 million there to pay the costs of not only defending the silver trophy, but staging the overall event.
Ellison has charged Coutts with coming up with a way to make the America's Cup pay for itself. It's expensive for participants and organizers alike.
Coutts took a first step by pulling the event from San Francisco, where, he said, it would cost some $38 million to stage the next regatta. The New Zealander was unhappy that San Francisco was unwilling to give cup organizers the same terms as last time, which included free use of piers and city services.
So, one year after the Oracle crew sprayed Ellison with champagne on Sept. 25, 2013, the America's Cup is struggling to convert the momentum into future value.
Coutts said he is talking with potential major backers. While he won't name them, he hinted that they include former sponsors. They might include BMW, a former sponsor of Oracle's racing team, and Louis Vuitton, the long-time sponsor of the challenger elimination series. Louis Vuitton is believed to have paid $30 million last time, and was believed to be unhappy with several aspects of the event.
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