We can’t only be fair weather fans

The National Hockey League hosted the 2025 4 Nations Face-Off on February 12-20, replacing its annual All-Star Game with this in-season tournament featuring Canada, Finland, Sweden, and the United States. Games were held in Montreal and Boston, with fan interest spiking as the North American border nations advanced to the final.

Fueled by recent political comments, national pride played out on the ice, attracting a huge television audience of more than 16 million in North America for the championship game. People like to cheer for their nations, which is also good to elevate interest in the sport. Sailing commentator Tucker Thompson wishes that for his sport and nation too:

American sailing fans need to get behind our American sailing teams that are striving to compete at the highest level. This support is crucial so they can deliver for their sponsors and so they can afford to keep trying to deliver for us. We can’t only be fair weather fans. If nothing else, American fans have always supported American athletes competing at the highest level in any sport.

I have given hundreds of talks at yacht clubs across the country and I always end with one message. “American sailing needs an American sailing hero to look up to again!”

Not since the days of Dennis Connor in 1987 have we seen an All-American crew take on the world and bring home victory. When else has an American sailor graced the cover of Time Magazine? That win invigorated the entire American sailing industry and created countless numbers of new American sailors. Never since then has the sport of sailing been so popular or so vibrant in America.

The efforts of the United States SailGP Team and the NYYC American Magic challenge for the America’s Cup should be celebrated and supported because, let’s face it, they’re all we’ve got, and our support should not be subjective or results based.

These teams, and our Olympic athletes too, should not have to struggle to earn our praise when they represent all of us, or beg for financial support when they represent the world’s strongest economy.

I have seen first-hand the massive wave of Kiwi supporters cheering on their team, and the vast sea of New Zealand flags at the recent America’s Cup in Barcelona and at every other Cup I have covered over the past 25 years. Win or lose, they’re always there and it’s paid off in the long run. The results speak for themselves.

As Americans, our pride in our athletes should speak louder than our criticism. They represent all of us and if all of us get behind their efforts eventually we may see one of them on the cover of Time Magazine again!