Can America’s Cup Sail On To Brand Expansion?

It had one of the greatest comebacks in sports, high speeds, crashes, horrific tragedy, billion dollar owners, space age technology, global brands and a picturesque setting.  It even picked up a steady casual following because of its elongated schedule and its drama on and off the course. So where does The America’s Cup go from here?

Well one place it’s not going is to New Zealand, as the Kiwi’s blew and 8-1 series lead, helped by some severe penalties as part of an alleged cheating scandal by Team USA, to let Team USA (which only had one American by the way) come back to eventually take the elongated series 9-8 in San Francisco Bay this past Wednesday. With the win, billionaire owner Larry Ellison gets to keep the Cup in the US, and can get set for the next challenge which he and America can host, probably in The Bay Area at some point…when?

That is one of the problems with America’s Cup. Olympics? Every four years. Ryder Cup?  Every other year. Davis Cup? Every year. America’s Cup? Anyone’s guess, as it is based on a challenge that could come at any point.  And while the challenges among nations have a structure in the year leading up to the final between two nations, there is no series in the gap between America’s Cup contests which can give structure that a casual fan can easily follow. No points system, no results standings, and with that little equity from America’s Cup to America’s Cup for stake holders.

Like Formula 1, the boats are high tech, high speed and high risk, bringing great attention and advances in technology. Unlike Formula 1, the lack of a series structure causes any equity built by teams to evaporate. If you enjoyed the personalities of Team USA, good luck finding them until the next challenge rolls around. Like the boats, brands also invest heavily in the massive exposure the series can bring. However just like the personalities racing, that brand equity leaves when the series ends. Emirates, sponsor of the New Zealand challengers, spent huge sums and collected great exposure in video, print and digital, but that exposure comes to a screeching halt when the final race ended.

On the technology and television innovation side, few sports can top America’s Cup. Micro cameras, expansive data collection and state of the art mapping gave fans both online and on broadcast a 3D up close image of what it is like for the skilled athletes aboard the boats, and that technology is one of the few carryovers from America’s Cup to its next challenge.  

So what’s next, America’s Cup? Can it translate the drama, technology, brand equity and power to gain consistent market share and interest year in and year out? Maybe. What does it need? Some thoughts:

Consistent Series: There is a need to have a set structure that helps build equity and drama in challenges leading up to the Final. Like there is in any circuit. A points system and consistent presences helps with media coverage and naturally with sellable assets.

Understandable Teams: Great that Team Oracle prevailed under the billionaire owner and gave America the Cup once again. However a team made up of the greatest crew, none of which are Americans, takes some of the luster away from national pride. For that matter, few of the country teams had athletes from their native nation. Having Italians from Italy, Japanese from japan and Australians from Australia seem to work in every other nation vs. nation sport. On America’s Cup, it is not the case.  Maybe it won’t work, but maybe there should be at least a few members from a home country on a boat, and building in a series maybe helps to cultivate those athletes over an extended period.

Tell All The Stories: There is perhaps no better event that extracts every possible storyline than  the US Open. Seamstresses, hair cutters, ballboys, old fans, athletes, officials, the USTA finds a way in two weeks to tell every story to the widest amount of media possible. The America’s Cup talks about sailing, with a smattering of brands and personalities. Reach a larger audience, tell people about every possible reason to have an interest. The more content the better, and the larger audience does not follow sailing. Sure you need to keep the core interested, and America’s Cup does that, but the casual? Need to give them more reasons to love the race.

Continue To Invest In Media: America’s Cup found a willing partner in NBC in the US, and created a compelling broadcast that held fans attentions, and in a crowded marketplace, did OK ratings wise. Their online presence, backed by all that technology, was really compelling, but now it’s time to continue to cut the edge and look ahead to what will come next not to draw the sailing viewer, but the casual fan, or the fan of even some extreme sports. Biometrics, more micro cams and microphones, and other evolving opportunities can keep the sport at and ahead of the latest tech advances, and with that will keep America’s Cup in the conversation amongst media for the years between challenges.

Take The Victory Tour: The Cup itself is beautiful, it’s athletes tremendous, its brands supportive. Take a page from The Stanley Cup and go on the road. Use The Cup as a platform to talk about all the AC green initiatives, education programs and all the healthy living examples that go with elite sailing. Building fans and equity off the excitement can only happen now, and a coast- to-coast tour is in the offing.

Now none of this should suggest that America’s Cup is not successful. Millions tuned in and logged on, the controversy surrounding the races brought more attention, and the great comeback by Team Oracle brought a new window of opportunity for one of the world’s most venerable sports brands. Will the leaders throw caution to the wind and build structure? The time seems right, the opportunity  is there, and the pieces for growth are assembled.

Sail on, brand success.