AC spend figs

[Rob_Webb]

Given recent discussions around the 'obscene' or 'immoral' levels of spend that goes into the Americas Cup and questions about the true figures and benefits, the following might be of interest:

Yesterday the NZ goverment immediately plegded an initial $10m to help Team NZ retain/secure top talent for the 2009 Americas Cup. This is based on them being very happy with their $34m investment in the 32nd Americas Cup and they've indicated that support for the 2009 event will likely reach the same level.

Figures

$34 million: Amount injected into ETNZ by NZ government for the campaign just gone

$ Undisclosed: Sponsorship from Toyota, Emirates, Estrella Damm (Lion Nathan breweries) and other companies

$85 million: Amount injected into the New Zealand economy by the Team NZ challenge over the 2003-07 period, with a related 540-830 jobs.

$22 million: Amount Team NZ paid in PAYE as of May. That, combined with tax paid by contractors, means the initial $34 government million investment had been paid in full.

NZ Sports Minister Trevor Mallard said 55 Kiwi companies had hosted almost 600 people from 160 companies at events in Valencia, promoting New Zealand technology, products and services to high-value offshore business contacts and international audiences.

Helen Clark said there had been "months of unprecedented, high profile publicity" which was good for every part of the economy. Putting a price on the amount of publicity and the price of being perceived as being right up there with great design, determined people - I think it's immeasurable and I'm satisfied it's been a good taxpayer investment."

 

[DJE]

I was in NZ way back in '94 when they were preparing an AC campaign and was very impressed by the level of public awareness. Posters everywhere and I seem to remember collecting boxes in the shops for people to make donations. They certainly seemed to the whole country behind them (or at least the whole city of Auckland where it feels like every second person has a boat). Is it still the same with the present team?

 

[Rob_Webb]

Yes there has been a huge level of public awareness. In offices, watercooler chat has been about the latest results and prognosis for ETNZ and people with little or no knowlegde of sailing have been asking the rest of us "what's happening?" and "can you explain things?" etc.

And despite the late hour (races starting at 1am our time) it has been shown live on mainstream TV and then on the primary breakfast TV channel they show the highlights from 7-7.30am - so everyone comes to work armed with last night's result, ready to talk about it.

And of course it's all over the newspapers, not just the sports sections, but the front page when something of note happens.

So yeah, pretty big backing really and a turnaround from the undignified loss of 2003. The general feeeling is that despite having not won the AC, winning the LV Cup so convincly and being only marginally behind Alinghi in the main event was a great result - and an effort worth recognising and supporting another go.

Only Dalton, Barker and his team seem to be berating themselves for not winning. Understandable really cos they say they went to Valencia to win not just race.

 

[Thaumaturge]

Why isn't the UK government capable of such radical forward thinking?

 

[peterb26]

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Why isn't the UK government capable of such radical forward thinking?

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Dont tempt me..........