With the French team Aleph pulling out, and just two months left to register, it’s down to four teams who are now expected to participate in the America’s Cup in San Francisco, half the number of teams that were expected to participate at this time last year.
Amended America’s Cup Host Agreement Approved [SocketSite]
And Then There Were Eight But Only Six That Are Known [SocketSite]

12 thoughts on “And Then There Were Only Four For The 34th America’s Cup In SF”
  1. So does this mean that Larry Ellison’s chances of winning will be increased due to less competitors, hence he will again decide where to hold the next America’s Cup?

  2. Great. Have they cut the economic impact projections in half too? Half the number of support teams, half the number of team groupies, half the number of races.

  3. what kind of sport championship is this, where teams can just choose not to compete? That’s why this event, or this sport, was never really taken seriously here. It’s more like a hobby.

  4. Very funny comment about winning the Bronze.
    Things are not looking very good for a successful America’s Cup, and I hope San Francisco does not plan on a huge event.
    The Bay area has too many other outside activities to draw a large sedentary spectator sport, hence the falling expectations.

  5. There seems to be a big difficulty with the literal size that the boats have evolved to for this year’s competition – they are simply too big and too expensive.
    I know this appears to be a cost no object game for the ultra rich, but Larry Ellison was quoted recently that if they were smaller you could ship them by truck overland and achieve many other cost efficiencies.

  6. Real bummer for the legions of diehard sailing fans out there. You know – the folks who travel the world and go to every race, cheering from the grandstands with their big foam fingers and air horns, and stimulating local businesses with their patronage. I guess they can always stay home and watch the race on TV. On the sailing channel. Which channel is that again?

  7. James wrote:
    > what kind of sport championship is this,
    > where teams can just choose not to compete?
    It is not just sailing, back in 2001 the rugby team from the “Junior University” decided that they did not want to play Cal since they were not good enough. I bet a lot of sailing teams realize that they are not as good (or as rich) as Larry and don’t want to compete.
    http://www.bearinsider.com/links/stanfurd/rugby/RugbyEmails.html

  8. FormerAptBroker:
    I once was talking with a Cal alum who said he almost went to Stanford. I asked why he did not. He said “I was not accepted for admission.”
    I have yet to meet a Stanford alum that rues the day he said no to the Cal admissions office.

  9. Oh, man, I just spent 2 million dollars on a place on Russian Hill because the realtor told me it would be great for watching the America’s Cup. I’m going to ask for half my money back.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *