SailGP: How series got on its foils, and away from Ellison’s wallet Sport Business Ahead of its first season in 2019, the American billionaire Larry Ellison agreed to fund a new racing league on water called SailGP for five years. At the conclusion of its fifth season last year, when British entry Emirates GBR picked up a first title, that funding agreement came to an end. But the league [...]
Exclusive: SailGP to target teams in India and South Korea Sport Business SailGP will target teams in India and the Middle East and races in Hong Kong and Italy as the Formula 1 of sailing breaks the $200m revenue mark. Record attendances, including 20,000 at the UK leg, have driven record revenues in SailGP’s fifth season, with founder tech tycoon Larry Ellison able to scale back funding [...]
Exclusive: Three nations in €100m battle for new SailGP franchise Sport Business Three nations are locked in a €100m battle to join the SailGP grid as the sailing series expands to 14 teams, City AM can reveal. The fifth season of the competition concluded at the weekend in Abu Dhabi with British team Emirates GBR winning their first title. And the 12-team sailing competition will expand to [...]
America’s Cup chaos as US entry withdraws two days before deadline October 29, 2025 US sailing team American Magic has withdrawn from the next America’s Cup after British entry Athena and holders New Zealand signed a new commercial deal. American Magic, whose founders include Indianapolis Motor Speedway owner Roger Penske, cited issues with the present structure, insisting it “does not provide the framework for American Magic to operate a [...]
SailGP to announce expansion team in coming weeks September 11, 2025 The expanding SailGP sailing series will announce details of a 13th team in the “coming weeks” before adding a 14th in 2027. The Formula 1 of water has an eclectic mix of celebrity, brand and private owners and will see two further teams join the regatta series in the coming years. Two years ago there [...]
Exclusive: America’s Cup deal opens door to sailing prize money August 13, 2025 The new commercial partnership signed as part of the coming 38th America’s Cup opens the door to the world’s oldest sporting trophy offering prize money, City AM can reveal. An agreement signed by the defending champions, The Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron, and the British challenger, The Royal Yacht Squadron, is seen as a seismic [...]
Chelsea investors Ares buys stake in Mbappe SailGP team June 18, 2025 Chelsea, McLaren Racing and Miami Dolphins investor Ares Management has joined Kylian Mbappe in buying into the French SailGP team. The US firm’s minority stake will see the sailing team become entirely privately owned, and follows recent celebrity investments in the series from the likes of Anne Hathaway (Italy) and Ryan Reynolds (Australia). Ares Management [...]
The Devil Wears Prada star Anne Hathaway buys into SailGP team May 27, 2025 Star of The Devil Wears Prada and Ocean’s 8 Anne Hathaway has become the latest celebrity to buy into SailGP. The actress has joined a consortium led by Assia Grazioli Venier, the co-founder of Muse Capital and youngest ever board member at Juventus, in buying into the Italian sailing team. She follows footballer Kylian Mbappe’s [...]
Naples, Italy to host 2027 America’s Cup with PM Meloni backing May 15, 2025 Naples in Italy will host the 38th America’s Cup after holders New Zealand were unable to stage the sailing regatta in their own country. The Aotearoa government rejected attempts by Emirates Team New Zealand after the Kiwis won the last event in Barcelona, beating Sir Ben Ainslie and Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s challenger Britannia. “While the [...]
America’s Cup: Government reject New Zealand attempt to host on home soil March 31, 2025 America’s Cup winners New Zealand will not defend their title at home in Auckland after the nation’s government refused to back plans for the 2027 regatta. New Zealand are double defending champions having won the 36th America’s Cup in 2021 in Auckland before successfully winning a second consecutive title in Barcelona. The Government of Catalonia, [...]