5:43 PM Thu 25 Feb 2010 GMT
If you're going to San Francisco
Be sure to wear some flowers in your hair
If you're going to San Francisco
You're gonna meet some gentle people there
For those who come to San Francisco
Summertime will be a love-in there
In the streets of San Francisco
Gentle people with flowers in their hair
All across the nation such a strange vibration
People in motion
There's a whole generation with a new explanation
People in motion people in motion
The lyrics of Scott McKenzie's '60's hit seem strangely poignant, now that the America's Cup has been won by a San Franciscan club.
Will the 34th America's Cup be the 'Flower-Power' Cup?
Is it possible to align the Defender's commitment to a 'love-in'/wide consultation with all parties - and at the same time observing the basic tenets of the Deed of Gift of the America's Cup? For some, these particular planets can't quite line up.
Don't forget that for most of the known players this 33rd America's Cup was an aberration - not part of the regular multi-challenger Cup cycle.
If the next event be staged in 2013, then six years is a long time when you are crawling in the desert of economic recession, without a lot of media exposure to be able to show sponsors - potential and existing. Maintaining, let alone building, a fan base in this environment in competition with other sports, is a daunting task to say the least.
As the most prestigious trophy in sport winds its way through the State of its new Holder, and the Nation of its Donation, domestic talk has turned as to where the next Match will be staged.
To recap, there are a five basic points the America's Cup game.
First it is a Challenge event - that implies a degree of healthy friction between the Challenger and Defender. The America's Cup is not a regatta for the Happy Clappers. That friction is the very life blood of the event, and why it has survived for around one and a half centuries
Second, the Defender gets to chose the venue of the Match.
Third, the Challenger gets to chose the yachts.
Fourth, the Challenger gets to set the dates of the Match.
Fifth, the Defender gets to set the rules and appoint the officials.
At the final Media Conference for the 33rd America's Cup, BMW Oracle Racing's team boss, Larry Ellison was quick to jump on the consultation bandwagon to differentiate his team and club from the previous regime, putting on the table the offer independent management for the 34th America's Cup.
To some extent that was the softest of the five cards to play.
The multi challenger Cups have always been conducted on a playing field of Mutual Consent - effectively independent management of the Rights and basis of the Competition. Since 2000, the conduct of the racing has been under the control of Peter Reggio and Harold Bennett, and both have done an excellent job. The vexed issue has been the roles of an International Jury and Arbitration Panel, with both having their merits, but neither being the required one-stop shop for clearing disputes.
Interestingly while US venues have been widely discussed since the conclusion of the 33rd Match, surely this card must also go on the consultation table - and the consensus view adopted. Even if that were that the 34th Match should be staged outside USA??
Similarly with yacht selection - some very lateral thinking has taken place over the last two weeks - most of which has ignored the fact that the America's Cup is not a local spectator event. In fact, most of the potential audience is probably asleep while the racing is conducted, and the majority of those that are watching are doing so on a screen, not from the shore, or on the water.
What the television audience needs is action.
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32nd America's Cup - Final Match - Day 5 - Alinghi vs Emirates Team New Zealand - the picture tells it all -
Photo: Gilles Martin-Raget
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If a multi-hull yacht is going at 10kts or 30kts it doesn't look too much different on screen. In fact, the giant multihull, while spectacular in real life is considerably less telegenic, based on what we saw in Valencia, in 2010, compared to the 2007 monohull edition with its one second final margin.
What is needed are crews, grinders, sails going up and down, and blowing out - not being rolled in and out like blinds. In other words, plenty of close up action is required to maintain viewer attention.
Timing of the next Match is another vexed issue. As we said before the 33rd Match was an aberration for most of the America's Cup teams. They couldn't participate, and had nothing to offer their sponsors and fans. And great event that it is, TP52 racing is a not really a viable off course substitute for an America's Cup team which would normally comprise sailors, designers, builders and support crew.
Reasons for delay in setting up the parameters for the 34th America's Cup pop up like mushrooms after a shower of rain.
There's always going to be Summer and Winter Olympics; Rugby and Football World Cups; economic recessions, and corporate issues leading to a less than ideal sponsorship market. The bottom line is that those that can compete, do and those that can't don't - and do something else, or gear up for the next cycle.
As a date, 2013 is a long stretch in our book, especially for an established team with a good competitive record that can make a pitch to sponsors and potential team members.
The America's Cup billard table has always been tilted in the favour of the established players, not the newcomers - many of whom drop out anyway, when the pace gets too tough. The established teams have a big head start, in terms of inventory and personnel, but thst is not to say that first time Challengers do not have a chance. Some have performed very well. But only one, Alinghi, have gone the whole way.
While there is no doubt that the opportunity currently exists to create a
Grand Coalition
for the next America's Cup, involving maybe the Louis Vuitton Trophy Series and other events. To work properly, that Coalition must involve the World Match Racing Tour, which is not the case at present.
The simple point is that in the current circumstances, an America's Cup sooner, is better rather than later.
While consultation is all very well, the fact is that the tight group of established teams led by the drawcards of Emirates Team New Zealand and Alinghi, along with the Defender should be calling most of the shots.
Without those hard benchmarks for the others to push against, the 34th America's Cup will lose a lot of its lustre.
Ernesto Bertarelli was right when he commented that he could not commit to another campaign, without knowing the five basics of the Match. Others are taking a similar wait and see approach. Even though Alinghi are not a formal challenger, they must be consulted, despite the smelly baggage between them and the current Defender. Ellison undertook to do just that.
The role of the new Challenger, too, will be watched closely.
So too will the nature of the consultation process - and whether all is on the table, or if there are some 'Givens' in the five key points of the America's Cup game.
The date is probably the first decision to be made. Our shot is that sometime in March 2012 is best - clear of the 2012 Olympics, and not the long six year stretch into 2013.
When Alinghi was driving the multi-challenger process, plenty of work was done on the boat options. And an eighty foot Box Rule monohull using manual power only should be fine. There is no need for any cute cost containment measures, which never work anyway. Two boats per team are fine.
The Defender doesn't need to compete in the Challenger Selection Series.
Having decided those two points - then work on the venue. Probably not the USA. A southern hemisphere, most likely Australian venue would seem to be the best option, for the timing and boat. Southport, anyone?
Of course, that will not sit well with the US sailing fraternity.
The reality of the 34th America's Cup 'Love-In' is that all the basic tenets of Venue, Yacht and Date, must be truly open for negotiation, along with Rules and Management, with no Givens. Otherwise we are back to what has gone before, and with goodwill that process can work just as well.
For the wider America's Cup family and fans, it will be fascinating to watch the first 'Love-In' unfold.
Just for how long the consulted parties will stay 'in motion' remains to be seen.
Only time will tell.
by Richard Gladwell
Click on thumbnails to enlarge and find more photos:
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Manly, QLD
