Spend a few moments with anyone that has sailed competitively and very quickly you will see ‘the look’ they all have. ‘The look’ is filled with passion, eyes glaze over’ as the stories about amazing performances in high winds and heavy seas come flooding back. There is
little doubt that the tales are enthralling and entertaining and usually compelling.
What they almost inevitably are not is easy to decipher. Sailing has a language all its own, which is hardly surprising for an international sport. However, as it is not something easily accessible to the ‘man in the street; sailing is not well understood and the sport has done little to help itself.
The challenge for sport in the modern area is one of remaining relevant in an ever increasingly competitive environment. The sporting industry is fiercely competitive and faces perhaps one of the most challenging economic climates in recent memory. For a sport such as sailing, which can hardly be described as ‘mainstream’, broadening the appeal of the sport starts with the fundamentals.
As a relative new comer to the sport, it appears that there is still not a unified strategic approach to attracting an audience out of the niche sailing fraternity that have grown up with the sport.
The recent Perth 2011 ISAF Sailing World Championships demonstrated very clearly that if sailing can be made accessible and clearly explained, there is a market ready to appreciate the amazing skill and abilities required to succeed in this compelling sport.
The organisers of Perth 2011 had to carefully consider the variances of sailing and worked very hard with ISAF to develop an approach that found a balance between what was required to ensure fair competition (it was an Olympic Qualifier after all) and being attractive to the sailing enthusiast and general public alike.
In order to ensure that the World Championships were appealing to a more ‘mainstream audience’, the strategy adopted was ambitious, yet simple. Get the public close enough to see the action, to see the athletes in the “thick of the competition” and explain that action in simple terms.
Part one of ‘getting the audience closer’ is nothing new; all sports are trying harder than ever to deliver that ‘insider’ viewing experience. However, sailing is unique in that challenges of wind, water and weather present challenges that a game in a stadium will never appreciate.
Television is crucial for the sport of sailing and the sport has done much to ensure that the broadcast is shot very close, supported by informative 3D animation and graphics and supported by knowledgeable and entertaining commentary. Being able to explain the nuances of some of the more exciting phases in a manner that was compelling, not patronising to the audiences. Sailors love their sport, they just need to ‘demystify the core elements’ in general terms.
Another goal to broaden the appeal to a more mainstream audience is building the profile of superstars of world sailing. Most Australian sports lovers would know who John Bertrand is and Russell Coots is well known after last year’s America’s Cup. However, it is the new wave of talent in the sport that must begin to develop a profile. Sailing can follow the lead of international sports such as Formula One and establish, promote and link stars of the sport to the sailing enthusiasts and beyond. Ben Ainslie’s profile within Team GBR and the World Match Racing Tour has positioned him as a leading light of sailing, but too often great sailors have a very insular view and miss the ‘bigger picture’. Sailing administrators can do much to help, but ultimately the public want the sailors themselves to interact. With social media such a powerful link from sports stars to the fan base, now more than ever sailing must build heroes that are accessible and that want to engage with the public.
Proximity is the ‘name of the game’ in sport. Bringing the general public closer to the action on the water is a far greater challenge than perhaps most would appreciate.
The term ‘Grandstand Sailing’ is not new and the Extreme 40’s have demonstrated what is possible to achieve in the right conditions. However, for an audience that is still discovering the sport, building the grandstands within metres of the bouys and finishing line is part of the solution. The live radio commentary must be provided so that people are able to comprehend what it is they are watching.
During Perth 2011, the athletes in the medal races were required to perform a ‘sail past’ in front of the grandstands pre and post race and are encouraged to engage. The crowd were able to consult the programmes with all of the information about their favourite athlete representing their country and has the benefit of listening to live descriptions of the racing and outcomes as they pertained to qualifying for London.
Whilst was a first for the ISAF World Championships, it must now become the standard at which sailing wherever possible is presented. Courses that do not allow themselves to be close to shore must have spectator boats that deliver the commentary and promotional materials to enhance the experience.
Finally, for sailing to engage with a broader audience, it is also important for the sport to broaden ‘the base’ and increase participation. It is widely known in sport that participation is the key to long term spectators and fans engaging with the sport. That is, by having an understanding and enjoyment of the sport, you are more likely to become a long term ‘fan’ and remain involved with the sport over longer period of time.
Sailing must continue to explain the fun and spectacular elements of the sport that make it attractive and invest back into programmes that will make access to boats easier and cost effective. Development programmes must look at growing the base not only for sailors of the future, but for the all important spectator group.
The sport of sailing continues to grapple with attempting to gain more interest and involvement from a broader audience than merely the sailing fraternity. From the “crash and bang” sailing of the Extreme 40s through to the grandstand excitement of the World Match Racing Tour, there is little doubt that sailing has the attention of the general public, but the challenge is now to maintain it.
Spend a few moments with anyone that has sailed competitively and very quickly you will see ‘the look’ they all have. ‘The look’ is filled with passion, eyes glaze over’ as the stories about amazing performances in high winds and heavy seas come flooding back. There islittle doubt that the tales are enthralling and entertaining and usually compelling.
What they almost inevitably are not is easy to decipher. Sailing has a language all its own, which is hardly surprising for an international sport. However, as it is not something easily accessible to the ‘man in the street; sailing is not well understood and the sport has done little to help itself.
The challenge for sport in the modern area is one of remaining relevant in an ever increasingly competitive environment. The sporting industry is fiercely competitive and faces perhaps one of the most challenging economic climates in recent memory. For a sport such as sailing, which can hardly be described as ‘mainstream’, broadening the appeal of the sport starts with the fundamentals.
As a relative new comer to the sport, it appears that there is still not a unified strategic approach to attracting an audience out of the niche sailing fraternity that have grown up with the sport.
The recent Perth 2011 ISAF Sailing World Championships demonstrated very clearly that if sailing can be made accessible and clearly explained, there is a market ready to appreciate the amazing skill and abilities required to succeed in this compelling sport.
The organisers of Perth 2011 had to carefully consider the variances of sailing and worked very hard with ISAF to develop an approach that found a balance between what was required to ensure fair competition (it was an Olympic Qualifier after all) and being attractive to the sailing enthusiast and general public alike.
In order to ensure that the World Championships were appealing to a more ‘mainstream audience’, the strategy adopted was ambitious, yet simple. Get the public close enough to see the action, to see the athletes in the “thick of the competition” and explain that action in simple terms.
Part one of ‘getting the audience closer’ is nothing new; all sports are trying harder than ever to deliver that ‘insider’ viewing experience. However, sailing is unique in that challenges of wind, water and weather present challenges that a game in a stadium will never appreciate.
Television is crucial for the sport of sailing and the sport has done much to ensure that the broadcast is shot very close, supported by informative 3D animation and graphics and supported by knowledgeable and entertaining commentary. Being able to explain the nuances of some of the more exciting phases in a manner that was compelling, not patronising to the audiences. Sailors love their sport, they just need to ‘demystify the core elements’ in general terms.
