Extreme Sailing Series return shows continued growth

Stadium sailing circuit provided €35 million of media value in 2013

Leading independent evaluation agency, Havas Sports & Entertainment Ignition, has confirmed an increase in global media exposure for the Extreme Sailing Series for the seventh consecutive year with a final 2013 media value of over €35 million.

The figure, calculated using the same methodology each year, represents a 26% increase on 2012 figures, in what was a significant year for the Series, including the addition of Land Rover as Series Main Partner to the growing family of commercial partners – with a second partner being actively sought to sit at the same level as the premium British car brand.

While the media value is fundamental to underpin the return to sponsors, teams and event partners, it does not, on its own, provide a complete reflection of sponsorship value of the Series, which includes the B2B ‘money can’t buy’ VIP experience, the association with sailing’s aspirational values of innovation, perfectionism, technology and team work, the appeal of the stadium format as a public event and a sporting event delivered on an annual and global scale in traditional and emerging sailing markets.

Havas Sports & Entertainment Ignition has evaluated the media value for the Extreme Sailing Series since 2009 using the same consistent methodology, providing an accurate reflection of the media growth of the event – regardless of different approaches in the sports industry to actual evaluation. They apply a conservative 10% uplift for unmonitored coverage, to account for the inevitable coverage that is missed outside of the monitoring periods around each event. Due to cost, the monitoring process is restricted to limited periods and only in countries where events are staged: TV is only monitored for the week of the event (excluding the seven-part TV series) and print media for one month over the course of the event; only online media is monitored year-round.

TV coverage, including the official seven-part TV series, news and dedicated programming, continues to provide the lion’s share of coverage, with an impressive 70% increase in value compared to 2012. The TV series (valued at over €7.8million), set a benchmark in global broadcast distribution in 2013, with 54 channels, versus 41 in 2012, around the globe broadcasting the Series, making it the most widely distributed annual sailing TV series in the world, according to leading TV production company Sunset+Vine|APP.

Gavin Peters, Head of Insight at Havas Sports & Entertainment Ignition attributes the significant increase in TV media value to improved distribution and more high-worth coverage, across all levels of TV output. “For the fourth year in succession (since Havas has been evaluating the media coverage of the Series), we’ve seen a rise in the value of media coverage delivered by the Extreme Sailing Series, to over €35m in 2013, highlighting its worldwide appeal. Much of this increased value comes from dedicated television programming, and the truly global nature of the event is highlighted by the fact that the top 10 countries in terms of value delivery came from across Europe, South America, Asia and the Middle East. The nature and quality of the media coverage, covering significant traditional and digital media coverage, demonstrates the significant reach of the event to sponsors, host venues and teams.”

Print media has seen an growth in the number of articles published, with 809 articles in 2013, versus 734 in 2012, and the Series has also seen an significant surge in the value of its online coverage, now valued at almost €2.8million, a 53% increase on 2012. Aside from the evaluated media coverage, the Extreme Sailing Series also saw a significant rise in its online fan base, with a 50% increase in Facebook fans and a 100% increase in Twitter followers, with early signs in 2014 already seeing a significant growth in this area.

While the Series, as expected, received prominent coverage in each of the seven international territories it visited in 2013, it has significantly continued to grow its footprint in regions of interest to its partners outside of those currently visited by the global tour. The USA which, after China and France, was ranked third by territory in terms of value, while key European countries including Germany, where also highly ranked.

Tender process

OC Sport is now officially inviting cities around the world to bid to host an official event with the tender process for 2015-2020 now open.

François Vergnol, Commercial Director for the Series commented on the appeal of the Series: “These figures come at a very interesting time as our new tender process has been launched, highlighting the value we deliver to host venues not only through media figures but also through the tangible economic impact to the cities we visit. In 2013, by hosting the UK leg of the global Stadium Racing tour in Cardiff Bay, Wales, the Extreme Sailing Series injected approximately £1.9m (as confirmed by the Welsh Assembly Government) into the Welsh economy over the August Bank Holiday weekend, with 120,000 spectators in attendance at the event.” Vergnol continued, “In 2013, we also welcomed iconic British brand Land Rover to the Series, providing a high qualitative impact to the circuit, and in doing so growing our family of high-level sponsors including technical partners SAP, official timekeepers EDOX, logistics partners GAC Pindar and clothing supplier Marinepool, providing exceptional value to our venues.”

The Extreme Sailing Series stadium sailing format provides host venues with an exclusive including a premium VIP experience, unique spectator opportunities which goes beyond sailing fans, and high-integrity elite level sporting competition not only to local audiences but global media. Six venues confirmed for the 2014 Series will return in 2015, with two venues whose contracts are due to expire, expressing their desire for the circuit to return, but creating a window of opportunity for new venues to replace them and join the Series from next year onwards.

Specific criteria is evaluated throughout the host venue selection process, and at the forefront, is a venue that can offer a stadium-style location situated within an ‘iconic’ city, ensuring the concept at the core of the Series remains. In addition, the venue must be able to deliver a sporting event of the highest integrity, ensuring fair racing for the elite level teams who compete. It must have city and regional support related to the financial and operational aspects of the event, local promotion and entertainment, and must be a city in a market of commercial interest to our global partners. The ability to attract tens of thousands of spectators and of course, some great wind, is also high on the criteria list.

The closing date for the tender process is 25 April 2014. By 30 April a shortlist will be drawn and final confirmations made by June, ahead of announcing publicly the 2015 Extreme Sailing Series circuit dates and venues in September.

2013 Media Value Stats:*
Total overall value €35,090,375
Press value €6,220,740
TV value €22,880,751
Online value including Online Video value €2,798,850

2012 Media Value Stats:*
Total overall value €27,815,024
Press value €10,001,146
TV value €13,460,648
Online value including Online Video value €1,824,591

2011 Media Value Stats:*
Total overall value €25,870,240
Press value €9,043,159
TV value €12,973,479
Online value €1,465,632

2010 Media Value Stats:*
Total overall value €9,574,055
Press value €3,732,303
TV value €4,465,566
Online value €494,464

2009 Media Value Stats:*
Total overall value €5,910,989
Press value €3,019,281
TV value €2,139,845
Online value €205,383
*Provided by Havas Sponsorship Insights