The America’s Cup Event Authority (ACEA) today announced the venue for the 35th America’s Cup, which had been planned for Bermuda in 2017, will be moved to Ushuaia, Argentina. The reason for the change followed a determination that Bermuda was not sufficiently remote to prevent spectators from attending.
“San Francisco didn’t work because people got to watch for free,” explained ACEA CEO Russell Coutts. “We tried to monetize the spectating but it proved to be just a pain in the ass. We thought moving to Bermuda would restrict the number of freeloaders attending the event but now realise the harbor will be full of rich cruisers on the hook, watching for free, and that affects our commercial model.”
Comcast has reportedly offered $1 Billion (US) for the worldwide broadcast rights provided there are no spectators at the event. Races will now be held in Beagle Channel, about 55 nautical miles SE of Ushuaia.
