Please select your home edition
Edition
A+T Instruments 2024 Leaderboard

San Francisco writer gives Ellison black mark for Cup theatrics

by San Francisco Chronicle on 3 Jan 2011
Larry Ellison on the joystick during Practice Day, 2010 America’s Cup Richard Gladwell www.photosport.co.nz

Just two days after the America's Cup venue announcement in favor of San Francisco, here is how one columnist, CW Nevius, of the San Francisco Chronicle, sees it:

Now that the America's Cup is firmly anchored in San Francisco Bay and everyone is trying on blue blazers and captain's caps, one question remains:

Was this really necessary?

Ellison's team should have spared us the last-minute drama and the tough talk from lead negotiator Stephen Barclay, who said the city was 'hanging on by their fingernails.'

Looking at it now, all it did was create ill will and make city officials wonder if race officials will be this difficult for every minor decision from now until 2013.

It seems pretty clear there was no point in sailing off to Newport, R.I., because honestly, the team didn't give them much time to put together a thorough bid.

'You've got to remember,' said one local race supporter, 'we've been working on this for six or seven months. Newport has been working on it for six or seven hours.'

Going to Newport may have seemed like a good tactical move to get San Francisco to sweeten its deal, but really, it just made Ellison's team look greedy.

Ellison wasn't named Forbes third richest person in the United States for nothing. Certainly he is a savvy businessman, but City Hall explained it five different ways.

The original option, closer to the ballpark, was far more costly for the racing team and city taxpayers. There wasn't money for everything that was needed and public funds could not be used, plus the public viewing options weren't that great either. So the city shifted things north where it would be cheaper for the city and the team, and public viewing sites were vastly superior.

It was that simple.

But Ellison's team acted as if it had been the victim of a bait and switch. Suddenly Newport was the front-runner. And don't forget Italy. At one point, it was reportedly suggested the race might go to the Emirate of Dubai.

'OK,' a city negotiator reportedly replied, 'if we have to compete with an Emir, we're out.'

The reality is, the city put together a good package, which is indicated by the fact that the Board of Supervisors passed it unanimously and with plenty of accolades instead of acrimony.

And now Ellison's team has finally accepted it with only minor tweaks.

Maybe the fuss should have been expected. The team's lead negotiator, Barclay, is known for blowing up a deal at the last second, just to see what might happen. The parties are already invested and when they see the agreement slipping away, they might panic and throw more chips on the table.

For the full story http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2011/01/01/MNIF1H2L7I.DTL!click_here
Lloyd Stevenson - Catalyst GT 1456x180px BOTTOMSwitch One DesignBarton Marine Pipe Glands

Related Articles

SailGP and America's Cup on collision course
Serious schedule clashes ahead as a group of professional sailors try to serve two masters. The tectonic plates of the sailing world, SailGP and America's Cup, are a collision course, with the Big Bang expected in 2027, when there is expected to be some serious schedule clashes as a group of professional sailors try to serve two masters.
Posted today at 12:51 pm
SY Doris Takes a Major Step Forward
With Her New MarsKeel Installed In cooperation with the engineer and builder Snediker Yacht Restorations, we produced a high-quality casting. It is approx. 43,000 lb. Snediker has now successfully fitted the keel to the hull and is in the process of installing the keel bolts.
Posted today at 11:45 am
2025 Six Metre World Championship Day 4
Three races for both divisions on the penultimate day in Osyter Bay Three races for both divisions on the penultimate day of the 2025 Six Metre World Championships at the Seawanhaka Corinthian Yacht Club, produced some great competition and a new race winner.
Posted today at 5:20 am
46th Cannes Royal Regatta day 4
Storm... of calm! After three wonderful days of "champagne sailing" as the Anglo-Saxons say, the "fan" decided to take a break this Thursday.
Posted today at 5:12 am
2025 J/70 Corinthian Worlds at Massachusetts day 2
Alec Cutler's Hedgehog takes charge after 3 more races held Winds at 10-15 knots, murky skies and rolling waves were the order of the day at the J/70 Corinthian World Championship in Marblehead, Massachusetts USA.
Posted on 25 Sep
2025 Formula Wing Worlds Sardinia day 2
Hard yards for short-course gladiators Day two of the Formula Wing World Championships in Cagliari, Sardinia, delivered five short-course races and a whole range of emotions across the 93-strong international fleet.
Posted on 25 Sep
52 Super Series 2025 Porto Cervo day 3
Sled lead in Porto Cervo and have slashed American Magic's circuit lead in chase for the title The strong Mistral breeze on Sardinia's Costa Smeralda dropped away nicely today and three good, highly competitive races were completed, bringing the 52 SUPER SERIES - Porto Cervo - Range Rover regatta back to schedule.
Posted on 25 Sep
12 Metre North American Championship concludes
As Newport looks ahead to the 2026 Worlds The 2025 12 Metre North American Championship concluded September 21 on Narragansett Bay, bringing together a small yet iconic fleet of four boats whose elegance was matched by fierce competition.
Posted on 25 Sep
Melges 24 Worlds 2025 at Trieste, Italy Day 3
Light winds compress the standings in Trieste The 2025 Melges 24 World Championship, organized by Yacht Club Adriaco in collaboration with the International Melges 24 Class Association and with the support of the Italian Melges 24 Class, continues in something of a slow-motion rhythm.
Posted on 25 Sep
A true attraction for non-French skippers
Hard work, training, and perseverance in the 56th La Solitaire du Figaro Paprec The excellence of the French solo racing pathway is increasingly attracting non-French skippers who want to come, learn, and train in a discipline that, for now, remains very French.
Posted on 25 Sep