One of the two Red Bull branded AC’45 is already assembled in San Francisco’s Union Square, ready for the presentation that will take place there today, Thursday, at 10:30am local time. Nine hours earlier, at 10:30am Central European Time, Iain Murray, CEO of America’s Cup Race Management, will have made a similar presentation and announcement in Venice, Italy, just before racing kicks off.
As per the logos on the AC45 wing in San Francisco, Red Bull will be the title sponsor of the Youth America’s Cup, scheduled to take place next summer, in the gap between the Louis Vuitton Cup and the proper America’s Cup. As a major sailing website we can only rejoice with such an announcement and the entry of such an important brand in the America’s Cup.
However, the devil is in the details and in particular in the involvement of the America’s Cup Defender, Oracle Team USA. It appears that, in addition to the Youth America’s Cup, Red Bull will also sponsor the American team. If true, this will make it the second company, after Puma, that partners with both the Defender and the Organization, blurring the lines of “independence”. Similarly, it seems that the AC45′s used in the YAC, will either be from now-defunct teams (such as Green Comm or Aleph) or from Oracle Team USA. If true, this, once again, prove the “incestuous” nature of sailing’s pinnacle event.
Just to give a small example, PUMA’s red container shop has a prominent location in the race village and sells PUMA-branded merchandising. This gives Oracle Team, PUMA being an official supplier to the event and the team, a clearly advantageous spot to sell its own merchandise. Larry Ellison is one of the world’s richest men and an extremely shrewd businessman. It would be naive to think he would give up the prerogatives that come from owning the America’s Cup.
If Oracle has brokered a similar deal with Red Bull it will further leverage its privilege of being the judge, jury and executioner. Not that there is anything wrong with that!! That’s the essence of the America’s Cup and the reason it is so special. The real challenge lies in winning an event where the cards are, almost, all stacked in favor of the Defender. Nevertheless, all that flies in the face of Oracle Racing’s PR and preaching in the last five years…
Ready to announce the America's Cup deal. San Francisco, 16 May 2012
Ready to announce the America's Cup deal. San Francisco, 16 May 2012
Ready to announce the America's Cup deal. San Francisco, 16 May 2012
Ready to announce the America's Cup deal. San Francisco, 16 May 2012