Adam Cooper: Should we be staking national pride on the America's Cup?

It's being billed as Great Britain versus New Zealand with the 37th America's Cup beginning off the coast of Barcelona overnight on Saturday. 

But is it really? And is it something we should still be putting our national pride on the line for? 

It's two big money-making syndicates with egos on the line just as much as sailing on the water - with a couple of countries' flags and colours thrown on the AC75 yachts for good measure. 

For me, there's a continued sour taste around how this whole regatta's been arranged, most notably around the Barcelona location. 

I think the whole ordeal has taken much of the spark off the previous high regard many held Team New Zealand in. 

Given the support, engagement, and investment the syndicate received from up and down Aotearoa when the last edition was here in early 2021, Team New Zealand owed it to Kiwis to stage it here again. Not screw around the government support and the many willing to make something happen. 

I have enormous respect for the likes of Peter Burling and some of the sailors, and also admire the fact Team New Zealand bases itself in Auckland – that brings employment and financial benefits to the city. 

But realistically, it's a syndicate largely backed by a pile of big overseas companies, that reap the financial benefits of using the New Zealand brand without the country itself reaping the full benefits of so called “Team New Zealand”. 

The regatta being staged in Barcelona is extremely telling when it comes to the team's priorities. 

I may be proven wrong, but I think the overnight TV time slots along with the growing distrust from many Kiwis will be the beginning of the end in terms of this country's odd fascination and engagement with the America's Cup. 

Sad, given the joy it's brought so many of us over so many years. 

And equally sad that's a situation that could so easily have been avoided. 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the All Sport Breakfast podcast with Darcy
Waldegrave from Newstalk ZEDB.

Speaker 2 (00:12):
Twenty nine past seven here on the All Sport Breakfast. Well,
it's been billed as Great Britain versus New Zealand's with
a thirty seventh America's Cup beginning off the coast of
Barcelona tomorrow morning. But is it really and is it
something we really should be putting our national pride on
the line for? For me, it's two big money making
syndicates with egos on the line just as much as
the sailing on the water, A couple of country flags

(00:34):
and colors thrown on the yachts for good measure. It's
just a continued sour taste in my mouth about how
this whole regatta has played out in terms of the location.
And I think it's taken a lot of spark off
the previous high regard many of us held Team New
zealand And over the past couple of decades, given the
support and traction the syndicate received from up and down

(00:56):
New Zealand when the America's Cup was here in New
Zealand a few years ago, I thought they would have
owed it to us to have the Cup here again,
not screw around the government support and willingness to make
something happen and give the country a much needed boost. Again. Now,
I have enormous respects for Peter Burling many of the
sailors on board the boats, so also admire the fact
that New Zealand are based in Auckland obviously have employments,

(01:18):
which benefits the country realistically, though it's a syndicate largely
backed by a lot of big overseas companies that reap
the financial benefits of using the New Zealand brand without
the country itself reaping the full benefits of so called
Team New Zealand. Taking this regart it to Barcelona is
so telling when it comes to the team and its

(01:39):
personnel's priorities. Now I may be proven wrong here, but
I think the overnight TV viewing time, the growing distrust
from many Kiwis will be the beginning of the end
in terms of this country's fascination and engagement with the
America's Cup sat given the joy it's brought so many
of us over so many years, but it is a

(01:59):
situation that so easily could have been avoided.

Speaker 1 (02:03):
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