Is SailGP Replacing The America’s Cup?

Let’s talk about the question a lot of sailors have been quietly (or loudly) asking at yacht clubs, marinas, and comment sections around the world:

Is SailGP replacing the America’s Cup?

That’s not a small question. It’s like asking if Formula E is replacing Formula 1. Or if the X Games replaced the Olympics. The America’s Cup has been around since 1851. SailGP was founded in 2018. One is a 170+ year-old aristocrat. The other is a fast-talking startup wearing sunglasses and live-streaming everything.

But here’s the thing — SailGP is growing fast. It’s flashy. It’s global. It’s television-friendly. And it might just be the most exciting sailing product the sport has ever created.

So let’s break this down like two friends leaning on the dock after a race — slight humor included.

First, What Exactly Is SailGP?

SailGP was founded by Larry Ellison and Russell Coutts. If that second name sounds familiar, it should. Russell Coutts is a multi-time America’s Cup winner. So yes — SailGP wasn’t born outside the Cup world. It came directly from it.

SailGP races identical 50-foot foiling catamarans called F50s. They fly above the water at speeds approaching 60 mph (around 50+ knots). That’s absurd. That’s jet ski speed. That’s “hold onto your hat” speed.

The racing format is short, tight, and aggressive. Think stadium sailing. Races are usually 10–15 minutes. Multiple races per event. Close to shore. Big cities. Big crowds.

Compare that to the America’s Cup, which is held every few years, with long build-ups, legal drama, boat development cycles that cost hundreds of millions, and match racing formats that can stretch across weeks.

Different vibe entirely.

Why Is SailGP So Popular?

1. It’s Made for TV

Let’s be honest. Traditional sailing is… hard to watch.

Boats are far apart.
Wind shifts are invisible.
Commentators say things like “they’re looking good on starboard layline.”

The average viewer is lost.

SailGP fixed this.

They use augmented reality graphics on the broadcast. You see boundary lines. You see speed differences in real time. You see predicted flight paths. The boats are mic’d up. You hear the grinders breathing like Tour de France cyclists.

It feels modern. It feels like esports meets Formula 1 meets water.

And the numbers reflect that growth.

SailGP has reported global broadcast reach climbing into the hundreds of millions of cumulative viewers across seasons. Individual seasons have surpassed 200 million cumulative global audience figures across TV and digital platforms. Social media engagement is massive compared to traditional sailing.

Is it NFL numbers? No.

But in the world of sailing, that’s enormous.

The America’s Cup also draws big audiences — especially during finals. The 2021 Cup reportedly attracted hundreds of millions in cumulative global reach as well. But here’s the key difference:

The Cup is episodic.
SailGP is seasonal.

SailGP has multiple events per year across different countries. It builds narrative. It builds team rivalries. It keeps fans engaged annually.

The America’s Cup goes dark for years at a time.

In today’s attention economy, that matters.

2. The Boats Are Insane

Let’s talk technology — because this is where things get spicy.

SailGP F50

50-foot foiling catamaran
Fully hydrofoiling
Speeds exceeding 50 knots
Identical one-design platform
Wing sail (rigid wing structure)

These boats are violent. They accelerate like rockets. When they crash, they crash hard. There have been capsizes. Wing failures. High-speed wipeouts.

Now compare that to the America’s Cup AC75.

America’s Cup AC75

75-foot foiling monohull
Canting foil arms
Fully foiling at high speeds
Highly custom, cutting-edge designs
Development budgets in the hundreds of millions

The AC75 might actually be more technologically extreme than the F50. The engineering complexity is outrageous. Teams are essentially aerospace companies with sails.

But here’s the key difference:

SailGP uses standardized boats.
The America’s Cup is an arms race.

The Cup pushes design limits aggressively. Each cycle introduces new design breakthroughs — sometimes revolutionary, sometimes controversial.

SailGP pushes athletic performance and race format.
The America’s Cup pushes design engineering.

So are they pushing technology too far?

That depends on what you mean by “too far.”

How Risky Is It for the Competitors?

Short answer?

Very.

When boats are traveling 50+ knots and flying above water on razor-thin foils, the margin for error is tiny.

SailGP has seen:

High-speed collisions
Foil failures
Rig collapses
Crew injuries

There have been serious incidents. While safety protocols have improved dramatically, these are elite athletes operating at extreme speeds.

The America’s Cup also has a sobering safety history. In 2013, British sailor Andrew “Bart” Simpson tragically died during training in a foiling AC72 in San Francisco. That incident changed safety culture dramatically in elite sailing.

Modern AC75 and F50 campaigns now include:

Mandatory helmets
Impact vests
Strict safety reviews
Chase boats and divers on standby

But let’s not pretend this is casual sailing.

This is high-performance extreme sport.

If you capsize a 75-foot foiling monohull moving at highway speed, things can go wrong fast.

So yes — the risk level is real. These boats are pushing both physical and technological boundaries.

But that’s also part of the appeal.

People watch because it’s dramatic.

Has SailGP Replaced the America’s Cup?

Okay. Here’s where we slow down.

Replaced? No.

Challenged? Yes.

The America’s Cup is still the oldest trophy in international sport. It carries prestige that no modern series can replicate overnight. Winning the Cup is historically monumental.

But the Cup has a problem:

It’s irregular.
It’s expensive.
It’s political.

SailGP is:

Annual.
Standardized.
Commercially streamlined.

If you’re a sponsor, SailGP looks attractive. You get predictable exposure. Multiple events. Multiple cities. Global broadcast.

If you’re a fan, SailGP gives you consistent content.

If you’re a billionaire wanting to win the America’s Cup? That’s a whole different level of commitment.

The Cup is still the pinnacle of design and legacy.
SailGP is becoming the pinnacle of professional sailing competition.

They’re different categories.

But culturally? SailGP might currently be more visible year-to-year.

The Viewership Comparison

Let’s look at this more directly.

America’s Cup:

Massive spikes during finals
Hundreds of millions cumulative reach in major cycles
Heavy interest in host nations
Long gaps between events

SailGP:

Growing annual audience
Over 200 million cumulative global reach in recent seasons
Strong digital and streaming growth
Consistent yearly schedule

In a streaming world, frequency matters. Algorithms reward consistency. Sponsors reward consistency.

SailGP fits modern media better.

The America’s Cup still commands prestige and historic gravity — but it doesn’t feed the content machine as often.

Technology: Innovation vs Standardization

This might be the biggest philosophical difference.

The America’s Cup has always been about innovation. Radical yachts. Rule loopholes. Engineering genius. It’s part science lab, part sporting event.

SailGP said: “What if we freeze the boat and let the sailors fight it out?”

Identical F50s mean closer racing. It reduces the design advantage. It focuses on skill.

From a spectator standpoint, that’s great.

From a design standpoint? It’s less revolutionary.

So if you’re an engineer, the Cup is still the Super Bowl.

If you’re a pure racing fan, SailGP might be more fun.

The Risk of Pushing Too Far

Are these boats going too far technically?

We’re definitely at the edge.

Foiling catamarans and monohulls are essentially airborne machines. They’re closer to aircraft than traditional boats. Structural loads are extreme. Speeds are borderline absurd for wind-powered craft.

But here’s the reality:

Technology trickles down.

Foiling has already filtered into smaller racing classes.
Hydrodynamic research benefits cruising designs.
Materials innovation improves safety and durability.

Every generation says, “This is too extreme.”

And then it becomes normal.

Remember when 30 knots was insane?
Now we shrug at 50.

So… Is SailGP Replacing the America’s Cup?

No.

But it might be redefining what professional sailing looks like.

Think of it like this:

The America’s Cup is the chess match.
SailGP is the UFC fight night.

Both are intense.
Both are elite.
But they attract slightly different audiences.

SailGP is better packaged for modern media. It’s city-based. It’s fast. It’s easy to explain.

The America’s Cup carries mythology.

You don’t “replace” mythology.
You evolve alongside it.

Future Prospects

SailGP’s Future

Likely continued expansion
More teams
More host cities
Growing broadcast partnerships
Possibly higher sponsorship valuations

It’s structured like a franchise league. That’s stable. That’s scalable.

If it maintains safety standards while preserving intensity, it could become the dominant annual sailing property globally.

America’s Cup’s Future

The Cup isn’t going anywhere. It does need to find its identity. It went from a prestige event with strong national ties to a corporate event with almost no nationality. It’s hard to really recognize it as a competition between friendly nations anymore when the holder of the cup doesn’t even host it in their home waters anymore.

It must evolve to survive:

More commercial consistency
Potentially shorter cycles
Continued design innovation
Heavy national identity marketing

Its prestige is untouchable — but it may have to adapt to modern attention spans.

Final Thoughts (Dockside Summary)

If you ask me — leaning on a piling with a cold drink — here’s the honest answer:

SailGP hasn’t replaced the America’s Cup.

But it has absolutely changed the game.

It’s faster.
It’s louder.
It’s easier to watch.
It fits the 2020s media world.

The America’s Cup is still the crown jewel of sailing history. But the modern incarnation has lost its way.
SailGP is the future-facing global league.

And honestly?

We’re lucky to have both.

One reminds us where sailing came from.
The other shows us where it might be going.

Now the real question is…

Would you rather design the boat?
Or drive it at 50 knots with five other maniacs holding on?

Either way, sailing just got a whole lot more interesting.