The race is making a firm commitment to visiting North America, South America, Australasia, China, and at least five major European markets at the very minimum once every other edition (and in some cases every edition), making it easier for two-cycle sponsor commitments to be made to teams before fully detailed final routes are fixed.<\/p>\n
Turner explained: \u201cOne expected result of these changes will be teams and their sponsors committing for 2 races at a time, over 3 to 4 years \u2013 something that has rarely happened in the past with a previous timespan of 2 races in 6 years being too long a commitment for most companies. That means more continuity for everyone, more sponsor activation and general \u2018noise\u2019 between races since the teams will not close down, and more effective long-term sailing team set-ups in both sporting and commercial terms.<\/p>\n
\u201cLosing the long gap of over 2 years between the races helps solve many problems \u2013 including the sales process for teams, who today, since the switch to provide One Design boats, end up trying to sell sponsorship when there is no race on. Going forward that activity will happen during one edition, for the future ones \u2013 the best time to sell being during the action.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere will still be plenty of breathing space for this iconic event, though \u2013 between one finish and the start of the following race, there is still going to be 16 or so months, so we are not over-exposing it either.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Volvo Ocean Race is relatively unique in sports business, being owned by its joint Title Partners, Volvo Group and Volvo Car Group. This continues to provide important long-term stability to the event, something extremely valuable to other stakeholders involved in the race on team, event and host venue side.<\/p>\n
The race has already announced that the 14th edition in 2019-20 will be contested in brand new foil-assisted monohull boats. The addition of \u2018flying\u2019 multihulls for use inshore means the race will provide the toughest all-round test in sailing.<\/p>\n
The switch in cycle could also help complete the alignment of sailing\u2019s big race calendar. For the first time in history, the Volvo Ocean Race, America\u2019s Cup, Olympics and Vend\u00e9e Globe\u2019s 2 and 4-year cycles should be in sync with no direct overlap of the actual events.<\/p>\n
The Volvo Ocean Race was originally run every four years from its first edition in 1973-74, when it was known as the Whitbread. Since 2005-06, it has been on a three-year cycle.<\/p>\n
The race is committed to two more starts \u2013 after the 2017-18 edition \u2013 from its established home in Alicante, Spain.<\/p>\n
In the future, newly imagined race routes are possible, including starts and\/or finishes outside Europe and a non-stop leg around Antarctica.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe race will always go around the world and the Southern Ocean will always, always be at the core of the challenge we set for the world\u2019s best professional sailors, with a new non-stop full lap of Antarctica likely to be included as a leg in most editions too,\u201d said Turner.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe believe for the first time we are managing to increase the sporting equity and value, AND the commercial value at the same time. It\u2019s no longer a compromise between the two.\u201d<\/p>\n
–NOTES–<\/p>\n
The Sports Consultancy<\/p>\n
UK-based agency The Sports Consultancy has worked with the Volvo Ocean Race for over 10 years to develop Host City partnerships.<\/p>\n
via Volvo Ocean Race switches to a 2-year cycle and a 2019 start for 14th edition| Volvo Ocean Race<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The race is making a firm commitment to visiting North America, South America, Australasia, China, and at least five major European markets at the very minimum once every other edition (and in some cases every edition), making it easier for … Continue reading