Americas Cup 2017

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BlueShift

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#214090 27-Apr-2017 13:36

I thought I'd kick this topic off not because I'm a sailing nut, but because I like the scenery. I have family in and from Bermuda, and spent several weeks there a couple of years back.

I'm looking forward to watching the races, to back the kiwi team (cue controversy about national vs professional teams) but mostly so I can say "I've been there!"

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#1771241 27-Apr-2017 13:44

I've been watching the buildup, and the videos of the practices that some really keen (and awesome) local in Bermuda is uploading to YouTube (myislandhomeBDA).

No idea how the teams stack up. The technology is awesome, and those boats are freaks. ETNZ look OK, apparently they have some toys up their sleeves. The other teams, no doubt will be the same.

I'm hoping (from an ETNZ point of view) that whatever they have got make them faster, and that they reveal it too late to be copied (unlike in 2013, when they revealed to the world they could foil the big cats, and got caught in the end).

mattwnz

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#1771248 27-Apr-2017 13:55

It all seems to be stacked towards the defender this time around, as they also seem to be also racing in the challenger series, even though they don't have to. It was great in the 90's when we won as we were the underdogs with little funding. But now the teams all seem to be very similar, and they move between teams. But I will be surprised if we manage to win this time around.

Wheelbarrow01

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Chorus

#1771250 27-Apr-2017 13:59

Personally I don't like the way Dean Barker was treated in the aftermath of the last cup, so even though I have always been a staunch Team New Zealand supporter, I am secretly hoping that Barker and Team Japan can get one over TNZ just to prove a point.

And yes, I periodically hear or read comments from people spouting on about what a waste of money it is for the govt to contribute $36 million to the cup (or whatever the exact figure was). That figure was over a 3 or 4 year period, but it pales in comparison to the $78 million paid out for rugby injuries by ACC in 2016 alone...

davidcole

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#1771281 27-Apr-2017 14:13

Apart from sky, how can it be watched? Having watched America's cup since the late 80s I'm keen to see how we'll go this time. And while i have a weeks fanpass voucher...the AC goes for longer than that....and fanpass doesn't seem to include popup channels.

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BlueShift

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#1771319 27-Apr-2017 14:48

davidcole:

Apart from sky, how can it be watched? Having watched America's cup since the late 80s I'm keen to see how we'll go this time. And while i have a weeks fanpass voucher...the AC goes for longer than that....and fanpass doesn't seem to include popup channels.

Last time round we streamed it via, I think, YouTube.

trig42

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#1771329 27-Apr-2017 15:17

I think Sky is the only way to watch in NZ. Not sure if it is on a Pop-Up or not (hope not, as I will be using Fan Pass, and luckily the AC coincides with the Lions Tour, so Fan Pass is a justifiable expense for a couple of months. I think most of the LV/AC (if ETNZ get that far) races will be on between 5 and 7am.

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itxtme

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#1771333 27-Apr-2017 15:22

Wheelbarrow01:

Personally I don't like the way Dean Barker was treated in the aftermath of the last cup, so even though I have always been a staunch Team New Zealand supporter, I am secretly hoping that Barker and Team Japan can get one over TNZ just to prove a point.

And yes, I periodically hear or read comments from people spouting on about what a waste of money it is for the govt to contribute $36 million to the cup (or whatever the exact figure was). That figure was over a 3 or 4 year period, but it pales in comparison to the $78 million paid out for rugby injuries by ACC in 2016 alone...

It was a bit like how Ross Taylor was treated, not so much the action of removing him from position but the PR disaster that went along with it. Personally I do not have a problem with removing Dean, its a shame if he wasnt steering the boat he didnt want to be a part of the team (he was offered an alternative position). Making use of younger guns in this new format is essential, and IMO the right move by Grant Dalton.

The counter argument for not funding is illogical, and talking sensibly to people about it I have found to be near impossible. Most people just do not grasp the idea government spending could actually increase GDP over and above the initial investment. The brand TNZ and the use of Kiwi sailors [in other teams also] and boat manufacturing for other teams makes NZ probably the premium boat technology producer n the world right now.

I am very excited for racing to get cracking, so much sandbagging going on out there its hard to know where anyone stands.

trig42

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#1771340 27-Apr-2017 15:34

itxtme:

Wheelbarrow01:

Personally I don't like the way Dean Barker was treated in the aftermath of the last cup, so even though I have always been a staunch Team New Zealand supporter, I am secretly hoping that Barker and Team Japan can get one over TNZ just to prove a point.

And yes, I periodically hear or read comments from people spouting on about what a waste of money it is for the govt to contribute $36 million to the cup (or whatever the exact figure was). That figure was over a 3 or 4 year period, but it pales in comparison to the $78 million paid out for rugby injuries by ACC in 2016 alone...

It was a bit like how Ross Taylor was treated, not so much the action of removing him from position but the PR disaster that went along with it. Personally I do not have a problem with removing Dean, its a shame if he wasnt steering the boat he didnt want to be a part of the team (he was offered an alternative position). Making use of younger guns in this new format is essential, and IMO the right move by Grant Dalton.

The counter argument for not funding is illogical, and talking sensibly to people about it I have found to be near impossible. Most people just do not grasp the idea government spending could actually increase GDP over and above the initial investment. The brand TNZ and the use of Kiwi sailors [in other teams also] and boat manufacturing for other teams makes NZ probably the premium boat technology producer n the world right now.

I am very excited for racing to get cracking, so much sandbagging going on out there its hard to know where anyone stands.

Exactly. I'd say just the tax take alone on what Oracle has spent here over the last few years would amount to more than the Government has put into Team NZ. on top of that, a lot of the One-design components for the current race boats and their surrogates is made in NZ.

AFAIK, this time round, there is hardly any government funds. They gave the team some cash after 2013 to try and hold the team together I think, but that is it.

mattwnz

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#1771341 27-Apr-2017 15:35

Did taxpayers donate money to it this time? I didn't think they did, I thought they were going it alone this time. ALthough doing a google lookup on this, it looks like they did get a government research and development grant in 2016, but that looks to be a different thing and not as much as the 35 mil for the previous one.

davidcole

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#1771343 27-Apr-2017 15:38

BlueShift:

davidcole:

Apart from sky, how can it be watched? Having watched America's cup since the late 80s I'm keen to see how we'll go this time. And while i have a weeks fanpass voucher...the AC goes for longer than that....and fanpass doesn't seem to include popup channels.

Last time round we streamed it via, I think, YouTube.

Making youtube think you're in the US? I'm sure over here it was blocked because Sky has the rights.

old3eyes

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#1771395 27-Apr-2017 15:57

I seem to remember seeing it on a tablet app last time. It was on Youtube but got geo blocked after a couple of days no doubt because Sky complained..

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mattwnz

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#1771397 27-Apr-2017 16:00

I think if taxpayers are putting money into it, it should definitely be FTA. We do need the laws amending for sport events of national significance to be Free to air, like they are overseas. Especially as sport is seem as a big part of our culture. Personally I don't have that much of a problem with them getting taxpayer funding due to it allowing NZ to sell it's technology around the world. Especially as for more money is wasted on other things that are less important. BUt I would like to see NZer as actual shareholders in it, so if it works out, we can get a return on that investment.

trig42

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#1771399 27-Apr-2017 16:01

There is an App. Not sure if it will work in NZ though as Sky will have the rights.

from the AC website:

The America's Cup Mobile App (iOS & Android)
If there is no broadcast arrangement in your country, live coverage is available on mobile devices from the AC App.

*PLEASE NOTE: For the following countries there will be no live video coverage on the AC App, but virtual graphics with commentary only:
United Kingdom, Ireland, France, Monaco, Australia, Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, Venezuela

itxtme

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#1771410 27-Apr-2017 16:19

No funding like last time; as you said mattwnz the funding was pulled when the Auckland pre-regatta got canned by the AC authority that Russell Coutts is in charge of. Allegedly TNZ won their protest but due to the muzzling rules set out by Coutts etc. the outcome of that ruling cant be published. The speculation is they won millions of dollars, but nobody can confirm that.

MikeAqua

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#1771732 28-Apr-2017 10:14

When high profile athlete gets fired, its often a PR disaster: "I never saw it coming" "no-one talked to me". I've never believed those statements.

When you get selected as a pro-athlete or coach, you're already fired - publicly. It's just a matter of when.

In the intervening period you get paid shed-loads of money.

Some of that money could be used to invest in a few cement pills to toughen up in preparation for the inevitable.

Mike

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