America’s Cup has devolved into a spectacle

Dr. Hamish Ross, who has previously been a legal advisor for America’s Cup teams, and who completed a PhD at the University of Auckland on the legal issues surrounding the America’s Cup, shares his opinion on the event status:

The looming absence of an American team at the 38th America’s Cup marks a significant and sobering milestone. While a slim chance still exists for a new American challenge to emerge, the reality appears grim: this could be the first time in history that the nation which created the Cup—the world’s first perpetual international sporting trophy—does not field a competitor.

This development is not a reflection of American sailing’s decline but rather a symptom of deeper issues embedded in the current management and governance of the event. If America sees little hope of victory, what message does that send to the rest of the world?

The 38th America’s Cup has devolved into a spectacle where the defender seems poised for effortless victory, leaving challengers disillusioned by the insurmountable barriers to genuine competition. Constraints on boat development, the re-nationalization of vessels through cosmetic modifications, exorbitant entry fees, and technological disparities have created a disparity so vast that few can realistically bridge it.

The advent of battery-powered, computer-assisted, and AI-aided sailboats edging toward automation and near-crewless vessels further distorts the traditional spirit of the race. Tokenistic rules and oversimplified restrictions have only exacerbated these issues, eroding the Cup’s integrity and diminishing its appeal.

It is no surprise that teams and nations are withdrawing, recognizing that the format is skewed towards entrenching the defender’s advantage. Once a celebration of innovation, competition, and international camaraderie, the America’s Cup risks becoming nothing more than an overpriced, hollow spectacle—distanced from its roots and its dedicated fan base. At what point does gerrymandering turn into old-fashioned cheating?

Historically, the Cup was proudly called “New Zealand’s Cup” on two victorious occasions. Today, irony and disappointment overshadow that legacy, with the event becoming more of an embarrassment than a showcase of sailing excellence.

The Cup now hangs Coleridge-like around New Zealand’s neck—not because of their failure, but because of the few, appropriately cloaked in black, whose actions have tarnished its and the event’s reputation. They need to do New Zealand—and the sport—a favor and stop sequestering the nation’s name to their activities. They lost the country when the promise of local defenses was sold off to the highest bidder.

The solution must be reform. A concerted effort is needed to restore the America’s Cup to its former glory. This includes establishing an independent, transparent, trustee—free from current management’s influence—and dismantling restrictive protocols that prioritize private profits using public property over the sport’s integrity.

The focus should shift back to a core, accessible sailing competition: embracing a recognized accessible class of yachts that attract the world’s best sailors. Such a revival would foster increased international participation, enthusiasm, and genuine competition based on skill, seaworthiness, and strategic acumen, rather than technological gimmickry.

Ultimately, the future of the America’s Cup depends on a return to its foundational principles: high-level competition open to the world’s best sailors, raced at sea level on real yachts with real strategy, passion, and challenge.

Only then can the Cup regain its stature and relevance, inspiring a new generation of sailors and fans.
It will come one day. Let us hope that the lamps will once again be lit in our lifetime, illuminating a path toward a revived and authentic America’s Cup.

The close of the initial entry period is October 31, 2025, with late entries considered up to January 31, 2026. If no USA team participates in the 38th America’s Cup, it will be the first time in the event’s 175-year history.

Details: https://www.americascup.com/

Defender New Zealand and Challenger of Record from Great Britain confirmed the Protocol for the 38th America’s Cup on August 12, 2025. No additional challenge entries have yet been revealed, while American Magic will not compete. After the 2024 event, Barcelona, Spain declined hosting another edition, with the venue moved to Naples, Italy . Racing will be in the spring and summer of 2027.