Team New Zealand "will fight for an America's Cup pre-regatta in Auckland," despite the event's organizers announcing all races will be in Bermuda in '17, according to Trevett & Tait of the NEW ZEALAND HERALD. PM John Key said it was "extremely unlikely" the team would get government funding following the announcement on the Cup's official website. Team NZ Board Chair Keith Turner said that it "was not the end of the road" for an Auckland qualifying race and the America's Cup Event Authority's statement was not legal. He said that the decision "was subject to a legal process after the ACEA backtracked on its decision to hold an Auckland event." Turner said that signed documents between Team New Zealand and ACEA "confirmed the Auckland event earlier this year and it was announced at a meeting with teams last month." Turner: "We are not at the end of the road. They can't do this, they can't sign us up to a qualifier and then change their minds suddenly. It is subject to arbitration, we have some documentation that's been signed between us and the ACEA" (NZ HERALD, 4/21). The AFP reported Key "expressed doubts on Monday about pouring more public funds into an America's Cup challenge." Key said that made it "hard to justify giving further taxpayer funds to Team New Zealand," with the government's contribution to the syndicate's coffers currently standing at about NZ$41M ($32M). Key: "I think it's very unlikely, I think we're at the end of the road really. The government's position has been pretty clear, unless there's an economic payback for New Zealand it's hard to justify more money" (AFP, 4/20). RADIO SPORT reported the future of Team New Zealand "is looking grim" after the announcement that there will be no America's Cup pre-regatta for Auckland. Responding to Key's comments, Taxpayers' Union Exec Dir Jordan Williams said that "taxpayers have done enough to fund Team New Zealand." Williams said, "Taxpayers have already stumped up significant amounts of money in order to support what is a rich sport. The return to taxpayers of propping up a team to go and sail on the other side of the world was always questionable." The government was expected to put in NZ$5M-NZ$10M ($3.8M-$7.6M) into the next America's Cup campaign if Auckland had been awarded qualifying hosting rights -- "meaning a loss of Government funding is not necessarily terminal for Team New Zealand" (RADIO SPORT, 4/20).
'KEY IS RIGHT': In an unsigned editorial, the DOMINION POST opined "Key is right:" if Auckland does not get any of the America's Cup racing, New Zealand taxpayers can not put any more money into the Cup. The argument that New Zealand gains from "investing" in Team New Zealand "has always been debatable." But "if there is no Auckland racing the investment argument surely collapses." What "would New Zealand Inc gain from a yacht race in Bermuda?" Team NZ Manager Grant Dalton "still hopes to overturn the sudden decision." Dalton's efforts to win the cup "have been admirable." He "has shown what a determined and talented Kiwi can do in footing it with the billionaires." But in the end if there is no national financial benefit for New Zealand "he must know he can't ask for taxpayer help." At that point, "it is a test of Team New Zealand's self-reliance and ability to win over enough big and small investors." That is "a very difficult task, but perhaps not an impossible one" (DOMINION POST, 4/21).
