Should the America’s Cup be worried?

by Craig Leweck, Scuttlebutt Sailing News
The quiet period between America’s Cup events hasn’t been too quiet. The Challenger of Record had a divorce and the Defense split from its 3-time winning skipper.

Conversely, there’s little known about the next America’s Cup, which is increasingly odd given the desire to maintain interest in a crowded commercial sporting landscape.

After Team New Zealand won 36th America’s Cup in March 2021, here was the timeline for planning the 37th America’s Cup:

November 2021 – Protocol released
December 2021 – Entry period opened
March 2022 – Barcelona named as venue
March 2022 – AC75 Class Rule confirmed
April/May 2024 – AC75s launched
August 2024 – Challenger Series began
September 2024 – America’s Cup began

The Kiwi team successfully defended the trophy in October 2024, which starts the wheels turning for the 38th edition.

The Defender wants racing in 2027, which squeezes the schedule. There is no Protocol yet, without which a team would enter. There is no venue or Class Rule, without which a team can design their boat.

Team New Zealand built their winning boat in 10 months, and American Magic estimated they had nearly twice the design hours as build time. For AC37, teams had two years to go from computer concepts to completed construction.

Right now, there is nothing to design. The confirmed venue won’t be revealed until June 2025. Assuming the AC75 Class Rule is confirmed as well, design teams – now with the knowledge of measurement and weather conditions – can start the serious work.

But before designers design, prospective teams must accept the Protocol, and that hasn’t happened. The prospects of new teams participating does not seem realistic, and already one competing team from 2024 won’t return. With SailGP seemingly going from strength to strength, should the America’s Cup be worried?