America’s Cup, Team New Zealand vitriolic against Wellington government: Athens in pole position for next edition

The bombshell had been in the air for a few weeks now, and now it has finally exploded: the 2027 America’s Cup will not be held in Auckland. A vitriolic press release made official the break between Team New Zealand and the Wellington government, a rift that, according to the tone and content, appears totally irremediable.

Team New Zealand’s statement.

“After winning the 37th America’s Cup in October last year, the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron (RNZYS) and Emirates Team New Zealand sought to explore the possibility of hosting the 38th America’s Cup in Auckland, with the understanding that it would take a combination of private support and aid from local and central government to make it happen, without going to the expense of funding other priorities in the current difficult economic climate. During this time, the team had the backing of private support and worked with Tātaki Auckland Unlimited, which proactively promoted the bid. However, we learn with disappointment that MBIE (Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment) and the central government have decided not to support the 38th America’s Cup in Auckland in 2027.
Although the significant economic benefits of hosting the America’s Cup and other major events are amply demonstrated, such as the €1.034 billion (NZD $1.9 billion) of economic benefits to Barcelona in 2024, we understand that there are other priorities for the New Zealand government at this time.”

A rather cold communiqué, whose only mitigation toward the government is that“current difficult economic climate.” Reality or war of nerves set up by Grant Dalton to pressure the central government? The feeling is that the rupture is difficult to heal.

America’s Cup 2027, where will it take place?

Let’s start with the only certain news: Team New Zealand has pledged to announce its next venue by June 2025. Within about three months then we will know where the next America’s Cup will be held, and the number one candidate, according to the latest rumors, would seem to be Athens. Behind the Greek candidacy would be George Prokopiou, a shipowner of commercial companies, an avid sailor, with interests therefore in the Athenian port areas and who would see the Cup as a potential business opportunity as well as the allure of the sporting event. Athens’ bid is very strong from so many points of view: glamour, infrastructure, weather conditions, enthusiastic European public, the America’s Cup in Greece in short would have so many positives.

Instead, it is difficult to think of an Italian alternative. Naples would have given it some thought, but the exorbitant demands of the New Zealanders without a strong private push would hardly be accommodated in Italy, and Louis Vuitton, which is expected to be confirmed as the event’s main partner, is not too supportive of bringing the Old Pitcher into Prada, the latter detail being absolutely not insignificant.

Then there is another factor, the management of Team New Zealand is starting to be a bit “indigestible” to several players: to the potential candidate cities (Athens aside perhaps) who are faced with very high economic demands at a time when the international economic situation is not very favorable, but also the teams themselves see a management of the Kiwis that offers little or no chance for the challengers to be able to really compete against the defender. The very strict constraint on nationality, some of the boat management software provided by the defender, which in the last edition also had a chance to compete in the round robins, in short, a Cup that is excessively skewed in their favor. The AC 75s are very complicated boats, and for the challengers to have even these kinds of disadvantages is likely to bring the chances of snatching the Trophy from the New Zealanders almost to zero.

Luna Rossa at the moment, as is its tradition by the way, is silent about everything and remains at the window. Of the potential challengers, the Italian one remains the most dangerous, not least in light of the internal feuds within the British team, but even for the Lunatics to be able to undermine the Kiwis remains a fairly distant goal.

Mauro Giuffrè