Grant Dalton opened the call with some thoughts about the new Protocol and the introduction of the America’s Cup Partnership (ACP) – a framework agreement between the teams created to take over the running of AC38 and subsequent editions.
“In terms of the Protocol the moves are significant, but the bigger move is the structure of the America’s Cup going forward,” he said. “The America’s Cup has always had this Achilles heel in that it is boom and bust every two, three, or four years. So it’s very difficult for the teams to plan long-term strategy around employment, sponsors, media, TV, and venues.
“This move takes that uncertainty away and puts the control into the hands of the teams. Just as an example, the Defender doesn’t necessarily have the venue next time and that venue can be planned. The Cup of 2029 can be started to be planned now. That’s more like other sports and we and Athena just believed this was the right time to make this move.”
Ben Ainslie echoed those thoughts.
“I think all of us who have been following the Cup feel this has been a long time coming, in terms of the continuity that’s required for both teams and the event to be able to plan for the long-term and to give the event the commercial viability the event needs." he said. "But it’s not just that – I think some of the announcements we put in the Protocol are really pushing on from AC37 that again, together as Challenger and Defender, we put in place. So, yes it has taken a while to get there, but it is a really exciting day for the Cup and the sport of sailing.”
The call was then opened up to questions from the journalists.
What were the reasons for the delay in reaching an agreement on the new Protocol?
Dalton: “So it’s been complex. This responsibility that we have between us is over a history of 176 years. There have been sticking points and what’s changed specifically over the last four weeks is that Athena and the clubs – and I can’t emphasise enough that the clubs have been very important in this, because sports teams will just argue – and ourselves have been able to become much more pragmatic. We have taken input from the other teams, but actually made decisions, and that’s what has brought it together in the last few weeks.”
