AMERICA’S CUP EVENTS RELEASES ITS AC36 OPERATIONAL EVENT REPORT

17/03/21 - Auckland (NZL) 36th America’s Cup presented by Prada America’s Cup Match - Day 7 Emirates Team New Zealand base, Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli Team base, AC Race Village
© ACE | Studio Borlenghi

America’s Cup Event Ltd (ACE) today released its event delivery report for the 36th America’s Cup presented by Prada.

A comprehensive review on all aspects of the delivery of the event by ACE of what was ultimately a highly successful global event given the challenges of organising an event of this scale in New Zealand and the unprecedented restrictions due to COVID19.

The detailed report can be downloaded HERE

As previously reported, AC36 was the most-watched America’s Cup of all time, with a Total -global audience of 941m people and a dedicated audience of 68.2 million viewers across the world, in 236 territories, viewing 52 hours of Live broadcast, putting Auckland, New Zealand and the America’s Cup firmly in the spotlight around the globe .

The America’s Cup race village had a total village attendance of 860,000 visitors over the race period (15 Dec- 17 March)

A legacy of the 36th America’s Cup has seen 26 new boats, used as course marshal boats be given to Coastguard for reassignment to posts around the country.

Also released today, the Hosts’ ‘Post AC36 evaluation report’ of the event which included the Cost Benefit Analysis of the event which included an assessment of social, cultural and environmental costs and benefits as well as the financial impact.

The cost-benefit analysis (CBA) identified that, Auckland had a cost benefit ratio of 0.85, and New Zealand had a cost benefit ratio of 0.79- this even with the significant restrictions of COVID19.  When considering financial returns only, Auckland got 72 cents back for every dollar put in. The same measure for New Zealand equates to 48 cents back for every dollar put in.  

As anticipated the overall economic return of the event was much lower than forecast due to the overarching impacts of COVID-19, significantly restricting international visitors, media and superyachts and teams as well as a reduced number of public race days in the race village due to increased covid alert levels and the Hosts costs being higher than forecast.

America’s Cup Event CEO Grant Dalton said, “Under the circumstances we are really pleased with the cost benefit analysis announced today. To have a cost benefit ratio of 0.85 for Auckland on an event that was massively compromised because of COVID-19 and the closed borders to international visitors, international media and superyachts.

Certainly the world changed significantly since we won the America’s Cup in 2017, and essentially the entire organisation of the event was flipped on its head 1 year out so even just the fact we managed to achieve putting on a successful major global sporting event in Auckland, while the majority of the world was locked down was a huge achievement.”