A quintet of five competitors from sailing’s iconic America’s Cup have officially launched their governing partnership and announced the renewal of the competition’s title sponsorship deal with luxury goods giant Louis Vuitton.
Louis Vuitton, which has been a sponsor of the America’s Cup since 1983, stepped up to the role of title sponsor in 2023 ahead of the event’s 2024 edition, and will maintain that role for the next edition of the match in 2027, as well as the pre-race regattas.
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The iconic brand will maintain a prominent branding presence across the event, including on sails utilized by the teams themselves.
This partnership was launched at an event in Naples, Italy, where the defending champions Emirates Team New Zealand and challengers and participating teams Athena Racing (Great Britain), Luna Rossa (Italy), Tudor Team Alinghi (Switzerland), and K-Challenge (France), also confirmed the establishment of the America's Cup Partnership (ACP), a new governing partnership agreement aimed at modernizing the event.
These teams will operate under a collective framework governing both sporting and commercial aspects, with a shared revenue system and cost control measures enforced to ensure greater financial sustainability and maintain parity between competing organizations.
This also means that, unlike all editions previously, the organization of future editions of the America’s Cup will not rest solely on the shoulders of the defending team, but rather the burden will be shared across the ACP organization.
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By GlobalDataCrucially, the partnership has established that from 2027 onward, the America’s Cup will be contested on a biennial basis, aiming to ensure consistency with a format that previously lacked a fixed calendar.
The 2027 America’s Cup will take place in Naples, and the ACP announced that the opening two races will take place on July 10, with the contest running through to July 17 and 18.
Speaking on the ACP launch, Emirates Team New Zealand chief executive Grant Dalton commented: “The Partnership is a watershed for the America’s Cup that shares governance and the event’s future direction and development, and having Louis Vuitton announce their continued commitment to the America’s Cup is a testament to the new direction.
“It’s absolutely vital to the long-term but, in the near-term, the ACP will guarantee some of the closest racing and a contest unparalleled.”
Ben Ainslie, the team principal of Athena Racing, added: “. The teams have come together to set a clear line in the sand and begin a new era of strong governance and neutral management, all with the ambition of growing the fanbase and the commercial appeal of the event.
“GB1 are already seeing that vision come to life through the strength of our partnerships, including securing significant investment from Oakley Capital and engaging in exciting conversations with major global brands. The America’s Cup is an iconic event, and this new chapter could elevate it into the highest tier of global sport.”
With ACP established, the participating teams have also committed to supporting future editions of the Women’s and Youth category America’s Cup competitions.
