Sailing Sponsorship

2005 - Sailing Record-Setter MacArthur May Not Prosper From Success

U.K. yachtswoman Ellen MacArthur's solo around-the-world record will rank her among sailing's most celebrated competitors. It may not make her rich.

"Ellen's achievement is about as impressive as you can get in sports but she isn't going to be able to buy a Ferrari on the back of this,'' Ceri Glen of London-based sponsorship consultant Redmandarin Ltd. said in a telephone interview.

MacArthur, whose two-month journey took more than 32 hours off the record set by Frenchman Francis Joyon last year, may struggle to command one of sports' bigger pay packets because of sailing's low profile in the U.K., its unpredictable schedule and the high costs of competing, analysts said.

Kingfisher Plc, the world's third-largest retailer, spent 5 million pounds ($9.3 million) on MacArthur's latest project, almost all of which went on the boat, equipment and a 15-member onshore team, according to Redmandarin.

"It would be different if she were a tennis player,'' Robin Knox-Johnston, a former around-the-world yachtsman, told the Times. "There are very few millionaires in this sport.''

MacArthur, 28, crossed the finish line near Ushant in France last night after 71 days, 14 hours, 18 minutes in a 75-foot trimaran -- the fastest and most dangerous type of racing yacht. She already became the quickest female and youngest sailor to span the globe non-stop in 2001.

The culmination of her latest record was broadcast live on U.K. television and she received messages of congratulations from Prime Minister Tony Blair and Queen Elizabeth II; normally, sailing struggles for exposure.

'Naive'
During last year's Olympic Games, the British Broadcasting Corp. devoted 100 of its 4,500 hours of coverage to sailing, even though Great Britain won more medals in the sport -- five -- than anyone else. The country's America's Cup team folded in November through lack of sponsorship.

"We have been a little naive in terms of promoting the sport,'' John Bagnall, marketing manager of the Royal Yachting Association, said in a telephone interview. ``We've fallen into the trap of working out what sailing wants and overlooking what the sponsor needs.''

Sponsors paid $234 million globally in 2004, ranking sailing ahead of rugby union and tennis as the eighth-most endorsed sport, according to the World Sponsorship Monitor published by Sports Marketing Surveys.

Simplifying a sport with many unconnected competitions and in which winning margins can sometimes be measured in days would help make sailing more popular, said Mark Turner, who co-owns the Offshore Challenges sailing team with MacArthur.

"From a commercial point of view we have to make the sport simpler,'' Turner said at a yacht racing business conference last month. ``We need to refine our offer and create conditions which mean television wants to follow it.''

'Unique Position'
For MacArthur, who lives in an apartment on the Isle of Wight off England's southern coast, her dedication may count against her. Nigel Currie, creative director of sports marketing agency GEM Group, said if she took a break and committed herself to commercial activities she could make as much as 5 million pounds in endorsements in 18 months.

"She's in a unique position to promote herself as one of the best sailors in the world,'' he said. ``There are some big opportunities out there if she chooses to go down that road.'' Derbyshire-born MacArthur, who saved her school dinner money to buy her first boat and sailed around Britain aged 18, will receive a 250,000-pound advance for her autobiography from Pearson Plc's Penguin Group Inc., the Times reported. Her ability to attract more sponsorship may be hampered by the infrequent nature of sailing, Redmandarin's Glen said. Unlike soccer players or Formula One drivers, MacArthur doesn't have an organized calendar of events to guarantee exposure.

"Sponsorship money has enabled Ellen to pursue her dreams and pay her mortgage, but what can she really achieve now that she hasn't already?'' he said. "Unless she comes up with another amazing challenge, sponsors may take some convincing.''

Bloomberg
February 8thy 2005