Imagine jumping from a window of a moving car at 100 kph in the rain, scurrying across the roof and trying to get back into the vehicle through the other side.
Phil Kennard, the CEO of Canada's SailGP sailing team, would explain the high-speed racing to those who are not familiar with it. He no longer needs the analogy.
Kennard, CEO and team principal for Canada's NorthStar SailGP, told.
SailGP features thirteen national teams that race in foiling 50-foot catamarans with high speeds. Since the first six teams set sail in 2019, the series has seen significant growth. League-wide revenue is expected to reach $200 million by 2025.
SailGP claims that?its teams are worth on average $60 million. The broadcast audience of SailGP also increased to 215 million last year. This is an average of 18 million viewers for each event.
Ben Johnson, SailGP’s chief revenue office, said: "We set ambitious plans for SailGP’s growth and I believe we are really proud of the results we have been able to achieve in the first couple of seasons."
Johnson stated that SailGP has "really ambitious plans" to become a mainstay of professional sports.
Johnson said that when we examine the way the teams operate and the goals of the league we want to ensure that it will last for many years.
SailGP's co-founder Russell Coutts previously stated that he wanted to have 20 teams at most, as this would provide more exposure.
Kennard stated that "if we see teams from China, Korea and Japan, India and Mexico, they will open up a huge audience for the growth of sport."
CELEBRITY INVESTORS, A UNIQUE EXPERIENCE Boosts Interest
SailGP's team has been attracting a celebrity investor lineup in recent years. This includes Real Madrid forward Kylian MBappe, Formula One champion Sebastian Vettel, and actors Anne Hathaway and Hugh Jackman, as well as Ryan Reynolds and Anne Hathaway.
Johnson said that the SailGP has been able to reach "a much more diverse audience very quickly" because of these high-profile stars.
Johnson stated that "authentic, passionate engagement by individuals such as Mbappe, Ryan Reynolds, and Hugh Jackman really strikes a cord?with the people's fascination and curiousity about getting involved in something brand new."
Johnson stated that one of the biggest challenges SailGP had to face when it launched was making its product accessible to a public who?might know little about sailing. It has been able to target people who are looking for new experiences by creating a product that is both thrilling and immersive.
Kennard stated that "the first time they witness 12 or 13 boats speeding at 100 kilometers per hour, they will say, "I have never seen anything similar before". "And I think that the world is filled with copycats."
Johnson believes that SailGP is unique because of this wonder.
Johnson stated that "these (catamarans), start to look like a modern plane or spaceship rather than a traditional sailing boat."
"It captures the childhood imagination and affinity that is lost in many traditional sports." (Reporting and editing by Pritha Sakar in Toronto. Nicole Fernandes reported from Toronto.
(source: Reuters)
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