Please select your home edition
Edition
North Sails Loft 57 Podcast

An interview with Volvo Ocean Race CEO Knut Frostad

by Yacht Racing Forum on 7 May 2015
Volvo Ocean Race CEO Knut Frostad Ainhoa Sanchez/Volvo Ocean Race
Volvo Ocean Race CEO Knut Frostad tells Yacht Racing Forum about the commercial situation of the Volvo Ocean Race and - more generally - about the importance of having a clear vision for the future of the sport of sailing.

Yacht Racing Forum: Knut Frostad, how is the Volvo Ocean Race doing from a commercial point of view?

Knut Frostad: We are in a better place than I feared we could be considering the state of the economy. A good illustration is the response from the venues, which has been positive. Alicante and South Africa witnessed a massive increase of engagement compared to the past, with more local sponsors and a very large public. China and the Middle-East were comparable to the last editions; New Zealand was great as usual. And finally we broke all records in Brazil!

Yacht Racing Forum: The stopovers are much shorter than they used to be. Why is this?

Knut Frostad: They are meant to last approximately nine to fourteen days. Sailing events are often too long, which isn’t good for public and partners. It is better to concentrate the action. For example, we had 34,600 visitors per day on average in Alicante, during ten days. Three years ago, we had 13,000 over 23 days. It felt better this time, and the partners were happier.

Yacht Racing Forum: It also cheaper for your organisation and for the teams…

Knut Frostad: Yes, precisely. But it is harder for the crews, who have less time to recover.

Yacht Racing Forum: Are you satisfied with the media coverage so far?

Knut Frostad: The results are improving. There’s been strong moments; obviously Vestas’ grounding reached a massive, non-sailing audience. Dongfeng also changed the game: they have a growing follow-up in China and they start to reach mainstream media. We started receiving partnerships requests from China, and this is obviously a new market opening up for everyone!

Yacht Racing Forum: What is the event’s commercial value for the teams?

Knut Frostad: First of all, the investment is lower than it used to be - approximately 45% less! As for the media return, it is either similar or increasing compared to the last edition. We measure this precisely thanks to our partners Meltwater, Repucom and PwC. The interesting factor is that the current race leading team doesn’t lead the media coverage ranking. Dongfeng currently leads the media race, amongst others thanks to Mark Turner’s transparency policy. When they broke their mast, he was tweeting before we even had time to breathe…

Yacht Racing Forum: How do you analyse the evolution of new media and social networks?

Knut Frostad: It’s fundamental. Facebook, for example, has become more important than our website. The live coverage is also successful as a digital product. The new technologies allow us to broadcast the arrivals and departures live without being constraint to a set broadcasting schedule. It is cheap to produce and very effective; we had 94,000 people following the arrival live in Cape Town; interesting by the way to note that the arrivals are the most popular shows… In general social and digital media offer a better opportunity for sailing as you don’t have to compete with mainstream sports the same way as on TV. You only have to make good quality and promote it.

Yacht Racing Forum: And it doesn’t cost anything else than the production…

Knut Frostad: That’s right. Last time, our live coverage for traditional TV was expensive and with a disappointingly low audience. Now we control the production and we know the coverage in real time.

Yacht Racing Forum: On a more general note, what is your perception of sailing as a sport, from a commercial point of view?

Knut Frostad: Sailing has a great potential and offers extraordinary opportunities. However, it is still conservative and old fashioned, with unadapted governing structures. Look at golf, for example, fifty years ago, sailing had the same reach. Then golf organized itself professionally, controlling the top of the sport whilst sailing did the contrary. As a result, golf is run very professionally today with a clear definition of what matters in the sport whilst sailing’s commercial entities are still hard to understand for an outsider.

Yacht Racing Forum: Can you give some examples?

Knut Frostad: For example, you can create a new class and organise a world championship tomorrow, or the America’s Cup can change its boats from a day to the next… There are many other examples. The key for the sports’ commercial partners is certainty and visibility. Our sport doesn’t provide this and needs to improve

Yacht Racing Forum: How can / should the sport evolve?

Knut Frostad: I strongly believe that we need a powerful governing body and clear rules for everyone as well as a very strong focus on what makes sailing unique. If the sport of sailing wants to move forward, its key actors need a forum to meet and exchange ideas. That’s why I think the Yacht Racing Forum is important: it is the one and unique opportunity to do this.

Yacht Racing Forum: You have been a keen supporter of the Forum and already confirmed your participation at the next event…

Knut Frostad: Yes, because I strongly believe that we need to discuss the commercial side of the sport, out of the context of a competition. The world of sailing is moving fast. We need to look big, and anticipate the development of our sport!
Allen Dynamic 40 FooterNorth Sails Loft 57 PodcastDoyle_SailWorld_728X90px_cruise BOTTOM

Related Articles

Transpac 2025 underway
Sixteen boats hit the line for the first start, departing LA for Hawaii Sixteen boats hit the line for the first start of three in the 2025 Transpac. Next stop: Hawaii.
Posted today at 1:13 am
GKSS Match Cup Sweden & Nordea Women's Trophy D2
A challenging southerly breeze and short three-lap course put teams to task A challenging southerly breeze and short three-lap course put teams to task on the second day of racing at the GKSS Match Cup Sweden and Nordea Women's Trophy in Marstrand, Sweden.
Posted on 1 Jul
Rolex TP52 Worlds in Cascais - Practice Day
Will Platoon Aviation's big breeze, big pressure experience prove key to their fourth world title? Of the three past and present world championship winning crews which completed their final practice today in typically muscular 25 knot breezes and big waves out of Cascais, Portugal it was Harm Müller-Spreer's Platoon Aviation which showed best today.
Posted on 1 Jul
Some thoughts on provisioning for distance sailing
A new perspective on provisioning and time spent at sea One of the great joys of distance racing unfurls the moment that the dock lines are untied. Suddenly, the myriad packing lists that inevitably define most trip-planning efforts become about as relevant as a tax return from eight years ago.
Posted on 1 Jul
LA28 sailing venue decision driven by politicians
The LA28 Olympic "dinghy" events will be sailed alongside a working container port. The decision to stage the Los Angeles "dinghy" events alongside a working container port appears to have been a determination by local politicians.
Posted on 1 Jul
Freestyle Pro Tour Paros day 3
The return of Super X Day 3 at the FPT Paros 2025 was a slower one - with a lay day with no wind anticipated and a late skippers meeting at 13:00 to assess the conditions, there wasn't much initially filling up the schedule.
Posted on 1 Jul
Bill Guilfoyle on the 2025 Transpacific Yacht Race
Bill Guilfoyle discusses the 2025 Transpacific Yacht Race When it comes to offshore sailing in the United States, the biennial Transpacific Yacht Race reigns supreme for its distance and promise of off-the-breeze sailing angles.
Posted on 1 Jul
McIntyre Mini Globe Leg 2 update
The Mad Bastard may be right! When the 1968 Sunday Times Golden Globe Race set off—the first solo, non-stop circumnavigation—many thought it impossible. But one sailor proved them wrong: Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, sailing his beloved Suhaili!
Posted on 1 Jul
Packing for a Summer Sailing Weekend
Just because it's summer doesn't mean you're going to stay warm and dry all the time Just because it's summer doesn't mean you're going to stay warm and dry all the time, particularly when you're out on the water. The day may start windless, with a little dew on the ground, but a sea breeze can pick up in the afternoon.
Posted on 1 Jul
Young Sailors Invited to the 2025 Fireball Worlds
A special discounted entry fee for eligible youth participants for the event at Lake Garda Circolo Vela Arco and Fireball International are inviting young sailors from around the world to take part in the 2025 Fireball World Championship at spectacular Lake Garda, with a special discounted entry fee for eligible youth participants.
Posted on 1 Jul