10:47 AM Wed 23 Dec 2009 GMT
Despite the apparent silence since last Thursday's meeting in Valencia, discussions are believed to be proceeding positively with the Spanish authorities over arrangements on the 33rd America's Cup.
At this stage the Match is still as the New York Supreme Court ordered - for a best of three Match starting on the 8 February 2010.
Sources spoken to by Sail-World said that discussions were taking place directly between the Valencian authorities and Societe Nautique de Geneve, the Defender of the America's Cup and the Event Organiser, as stated in the Notice of Race for the event.
As the 33rd Match is being conducted in the absence of Mutual Consent, the Defender is acting independently of the Challenger, as it would be expected to do in such circumstances.
Part of the difficulty over the organisational arrangements is the relations between the two parties, which have publicly been very strained throughout the two year legal saga are continuing to be so.
'It is extremely difficult to negotiate around the table when the side at the other end of the table threatens you with anti-trust and lawsuits and things like that,' Sail-World was advised.
Nothing is in place with the broadcast. 'There are discussions which are ongoing with the City but nothing is decided, nothing is agreed.' The talks with the City were are described as being very positive and very direct, when SNG was talking one on one with the Spanish authorities.
At the first round of the discussions last week, with all teams present it is claimed that both teams agreed to be based inside the Darcena (inner harbour) at Valencia, and arrangements began to be made on the basis of a centre stage for the Challenging and Defending teams.
However subsequently 'one of the teams decided that they could not commit to that point anymore.' That team is believed to be BMW Oracle Racing due to concerns that they would not be able to swing their boat (with wingmast erect) off a mooring in the Darcena, and also that there would not be room for the US team to lower the wing mast inside the Darcena if a storm approached.
The US Challenger, which has just passed through the Panama Canal en route to Valencia is expected to be moored outside the inner harbour, and will enter the Dracena 'as wind conditions permit'.
Although there is nothing in firmly place for the media arrangements, particularly the live television broadcast, Sail-World was told that this situation could crystallize at any time.
On the vexed issue of whether there would be live television coverage, and on the basis of what is known at present, no undertakings could be given. It is expected that there will be some television coverage, albeit delayed.
There is the possibility of a graphics package being used, and that would be a more likely scenario for live coverage, given that a broadcast using a single land based camera could be used for some of the coverage while the two yachts are closest to shore, switching to increasing graphics content as they moved away from the shore - expected to be over 20nm away at its furthest point.
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The 'uTrack' device (blue box) used by ARL for position tracking with its graphics package is considerably smaller that the 2007 version (orange box). uTrack is expected to play a crucial role in the 2010 America’s Cup broadcast. -
ARL Media
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Such coverage would be along the lines of a Louis Vuitton Trophy series broadcast, using just a single camera in stead of the multiple video cameras used in the Monsoon Cup coverage.
The graphics based broadcast model would not be without difficulty due to the distance offshore and issues of getting a reliable signal back to a base. However it would lend itself to being distributed via the Internet for live transmission, being backed up with delayed video coverage after the race to a world wide television audience.
At this juncture there is no indication as to who would fund the broadcast. Last Thursday, it was believed that the City would pick up all onshore costs, leaving SNG free to handle race management. It is not clear whether this meant the City was also picking up the cost the Host Broadcast.
As matters stand, Societe Nautique de Geneve are liable for the Event Fee, payable to the ISAF of 150,000Euros, and no entry fee is being charged to recover the costs of the regatta.
There is obviously no requirement in the 19th century Deed of Gift relating to television broadcast obligations, however as holder of media rights for all sailing events, the International Sailing Federation has assigned its media rights to SNG as event organiser, and it is SNG's expected responsibility to make the best arrangements possible for the event in the circumstances.
With six weeks left until the start of the 33rd Match, and the Festive Season intervening, discussions are expected to continue with only a brief pause, until resolution.
by Richard Gladwell
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