Christopher BarrettOn the eve of its UK event in Portsmouth this weekend, SailGP has outlined plans to transform the championship by the end of the decade.
The SailGP 2030 strategy, details a roadmap that outlines the plans to expand the league with more teams, more events staged and and an expanded global audience.
It said the aim is to become one of the world’s leading sports and entertainment properties by the end of the decade. Sail GP currently involves 13 national teams racing across 13 events. Among its target markets are China, Hong Kong, India, Japan, Mexico and the Middle East.
The broadcast of the 2025 Sail GP Season was watched by a cumulative audience of 215 million, by 2030 the aim is to expand that to more than 30 million viewers per event. Its otger goals include increasing the number of fans in the SailGP database to 5 million and to attract around 250,000 attendees to its events per season.
The UK SailGP event, the Emirates Great Britain Sail Grand Prix, will be staged from 25 to 26 July at Southsea Common in Portsmouth, with production handled by LS Events, and Arena Group being among the key suppliers. A behind the scenes report from the event will be filmed for the AAA Explores series.
SailGP CEO and co-founder Sir Russell Coutts said the league is now entering a new era after spending its first five years building the foundations of the championship: “When Larry Ellison and I founded SailGP in 2018, our goal was to redefine the way the sport of sailing is viewed, perceived and experienced: inspiring the next generation through a first-of-its kind championship for the top professional athletes in the sport, competing on equal terms, in the world’s most iconic destinations.
“Our first five years were about building strong foundations, creating an exceptional, fan-centric sporting product, testing what works and learning.
“Now we move into a different phase, one that’s defined by audience growth, consistency and scale. We have a product that can stand shoulder to shoulder with the world’s leading sports championships in terms of its appeal as a sports and entertainment property, and the next five years are about making sure the world’s sports fans, cities and brands know it.”