ESPN Acquires Rights To 35th America’s Cup

August 20, 2015

ESPN has acquired the exclusive multiplatform rights to the 35th America’s Cup in more than 40 territories, including Mexico, Central America and South America, and non-exclusive rights in the Caribbean, the America’s Cup announced today.

Under the agreement, ESPN International will air live racing and highlights of all events in the 35th America’s Cup, including the Louis Vuitton America’s Cup World Series in 2015 and 2016; the Louis Vuitton America’s Cup Qualifiers and Challenger Playoffs; the Red Bull Youth America’s Cup; and the America’s Cup Match presented by Louis Vuitton from Bermuda in May and June 2017.

espn internation august 20 2015

“We’re happy to be working with the ESPN team again to build on the strength of what we achieved together in the last America’s Cup,” said Harvey Schiller, the Commercial Commissioner of the America’s Cup.

“This agreement will bring America’s Cup racing to millions of fans in Mexico, Central and South America, as well as the Caribbean.”

“This is a wonderful opportunity for ESPN International to broadcast one of the marquee sailing events in world sport,” said Tim Bunnell, senior vice president of production, programming, marketing and advertising sales of ESPN International.

“Fans will be able to watch live and highlight programming of the America’s Cup on a variety of platforms, including television, broadband and mobile.

ESPN will air the Louis Vuitton America’s Cup World Series in Gothenburg, Sweden, with racing on August 29-30, 2015.

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Comments (30)

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  1. Unbelievable says:

    Amazing.

  2. Pea El Pee says:

    Do you know what this means Bermuda? A Royal Commission of Inquiry! haha let’s politicize everything…nothing is safe. Freedom of Speech is our god given right no matter how wrong we are!

  3. St Kool says:

    Oh this will be criticized too, just watch…

    • Regina says:

      Just sitting here waiting for Betty to earn her plp-aycheck – please tell us Betty, how is this a horrible thing masterminded by our current govt? Do tell, our not-so-smart one, Betty.

  4. Kim Smith says:

    It would be interesting to know what proportion of the ‘rights fees’ will be coming to Bermuda.

    • Kim Smith says:

      I would now like to understand what there is to Dislike about the comment I made. Not taking it personally, just curious what’s to dislike???

    • Don Burgess says:

      Hi Kim,
      I believe, and someone can correct me if I am wrong, that none of this goes to Bermuda. However, the contract that Government signed with the ACEA stipulates that beyond the $52 million as part of hosting the America’s Cup, we are on the hook for up to an additional $25 million if the ACEA fails to secure enough sponsorship for the event. I believe this will go towards that amount along with the other TV contracts that have been signed. The AC has already signed on many major sponsors like BMW and Bremont besides the title sponsor Louis Vuitton.

      What Bermuda gets out of the ESPN deal, like the other TV deals, is having the island promoted.

      Hope that helps.

      • Kim Smith says:

        Thank you Don. I appreciate your taking the time to explain that.

        • Don Burgess says:

          Not a problem! Part of the reason Bermuda was chosen to host the America’s Cup is we are in a really great time zone to broadcast the event to most of the rest of the world. Besides the ESPN deal, they have signed

          NBC for the US
          BT and BBC for the UK
          Canal for France and 50+ French speaking countries
          Sport TV for Portugal
          CCTV in China
          FOXTEL in Australia

          There will be other deals (or I may not be aware of them) as it will need to be both broadcast in Japan and Europe. Those TV deals also cover the World Series events so Bermuda will get publicity in the two years leading up the AC in 2017.

          On a side note, in 2013, The Louis Vuitton deal with the America’s Cup was worth $10 million sponsorship based on six teams. If that’s the case this time as well, Bermuda is probably pretty safe in not having to worry about paying anything on the $25m sponsorship guarantee.

          Don

  5. Hi. I’m 7 yrs old. Do PLP ever congratulate OBA for good work? I mean ever? ever? ever? I’m learning about politics because I want to be the leader of Bermuda one day. Thank you

    • Young Grasshopper.
      you are very wise and very brave, and should be commended for your very astute early understanding of mud slinging dirty politics. Please grow quickly and gain knowledge, so one day you can lead us on a righteous path to good clean politics, no matter what party you end up with. Bravo.

    • Toodle-oo says:

      Better get to work on getting a solid back ground in economics and finances because if you ever do become the leader of the island those qualifications will be necessary as we’ll still be trying to figure out how to pay all of this debt off.

      Then you can worry about all of the other stuff later.

    • Unbelievable says:

      You lot actually think a 7 year old contributed to this? Hahah You lot believe anything on the internet.

      • like your dunmb a** comment. No matter what age the truth hurts

      • PBanks says:

        You never know, there’s probably some kids out there being indoctrinated to believe that A=good and B=evil when it comes to local political parties. Whether or not they’re actually typing this stuff out on Bernews, yeah I’d be a bit of a skeptic too :)

      • Toodle-oo says:

        Although I am skeptical myself you can’t completely rule it out . Especially when you’ve driven past primary schools on election day and seen dozens of kids between the ages of 5 and 8 behind the fences yelling out to everything that moves .. ‘Vote pee aal pee’

        As PB says below .. ‘indoctrination ‘

    • Onion Juice says:

      Well grass hopper you need to tell your parents to give you a History lesson on Bermuda politics, but I guess they would try to keep that part of embarrassing moment from you, but until you get that teaching you would understand your present.
      PS
      Maybe your too young to remember but ask them did UBP ever, ever congratulate PLP for their good works, and just in case it runs across your mind OBA and UBP are the same, but I guess they wouldn’t explain that to you either.

      • Anbu says:

        Ya and d pee el pee are majority ex ubp members so shush ya mouf bie

      • Garlic Clove says:

        @ Onion Juice
        What is/was there to be embarrassed about. 1. they left a huge $kitty FOR THE ISLAND before the pp got ahold of it,;and 2. the then opposition plp had some decent level headed members that spoke sense not garbage like the present group.
        PS
        just in case it runs across your mind the plp is also the peoples choice etc.

        • jt says:

          I’d make sure you don’t get influenced by people like OJ who have a chip on their shoulder. Recognize their weakness and be more than that.

  6. bermy bud says:

    Go get the rights for the EPL cuz NBC has ruined for everyone in the carribean region

    • PBanks says:

      NBC just signed that big contract extension so we may be screwed unless the local bodies can overturn SportsMax’s Caribbean rights… or everyone stumps the extra dough for Sportsmax

      • George says:

        Just an FYI – Sportsmax do not have the rights to broadcast every sport for the Caribbean region! They have the territorial rights to broadcast British Premiere League football and some other games at this time. As the NBC Sport Network have the rights to broadcast rights to the same games for the US, Bermuda Cablevision can not legally rebroadcast their coverage on Island. Now only if ESPN International kick up a stink with Bermuda Cablevision for rebroadcasting the NBC Sports Network coverage of the Americas Cup would we possibly lose out as a country. If this happens the Americas Cup Event Authority should step in and do something about it. With Bermuda being the host country it would be an international faux pas if Bermuda didn’t receive decent television coverage of the biggest sporting event to hit these shores – ever!

  7. stunned... says:

    curious…will the BTA try to claim this as their achievement?

  8. Lol says:

    What, no transparent bidding process? I see the OBA are giving contracts to their friends again. ZFB should have had the rights! Discrimination against Bermudians!

  9. HeyBye says:

    The question is now, whether Cablevision will black out the ESPN coverage and telecast it on local TV with sub standard transmission quality like they have done with other big sporting events?

  10. Tom Cooke says:

    For a minute. .. can you imagine. .. what the island will look like … in June.. from a helicopter. .. it will be breathtaking. …
    And.. thank god.. show none of the trolls who live underground. ..

  11. Bill says:

    Surprised we haven’t heard from the BTA saying that they were behind the negotiations to bring ESPN here.

    Bonus time again!