America’s Cup added over €1bn to Barcelona’s economy
Image courtesy of Ian Roman/America’s Cup.
The University of Barcelona and the Barcelona Capital Nàutica Foundation (FBCN) have published the findings of a post-event economic impact study for the Louis Vuitton 37th America’s Cup, which took place between August and October 2024 in Barcelona, Spain. The study reports an economic impact of €1.034bn on Barcelona and the wider Catalonia region.
Emirates Team New Zealand won the America’s Cup for the third consecutive time, defeating INEOS Britannia 7-2 in the America’s Cup Match. The British team won the Louis Vuitton Cup.
Over the 59-day event period, 1.8m visitors were recorded across various free-to-attend sites, both on land and on the water. This figure includes 460,819 unique attendees who travelled specifically for the event. The competition also generated the equivalent of 12,872 jobs in Barcelona and contributed €208.5m in tax revenue, according to the report.
The total gross media brand value linked to the event reached €1.367bn, with a television audience of 954m.
“The €1.034 billion economic uplift reflects the collaborative approach of the host entities in Barcelona, Catalonia, and Spain in facilitating the event,” says America’s Cup Event CEO Grant Dalton.
Barcelona was selected as the host city in March 2022, following a long, competitive and controversial selection process, after Team New Zealand failed to raise enough money to stage a competitive defence of the title they won in 2021 on home waters.
The America’s Cup Event (ACE) says it sought to involve local businesses when organising the Barcelona event, with 90 per cent of the 380 event suppliers and providers based in the city.
A key initiative during the event was the ‘Team B’ volunteer programme, which included participation from 2,300 volunteers, 78 per cent of whom were Barcelona residents. The report finds event received an average satisfaction score of 8.8 out of 10 from nearly 4,000 attendees surveyed.
Barcelona’s infrastructure also allowed for extensive public engagement, with a race village at the foot of Las Ramblas and multiple fan zones along the waterfront. Over 59 event days, 1.8m visitors were counted across three free event sites, covering 32,000 square metres of land-based space as well as on-water viewing areas. The study also noted that 244 superyachts attended the event, contributing €35m in local spending.
A total of 1,068 team members participated in the competition, including members from the six America’s Cup teams, 12 Puig Women’s teams, and 12 UniCredit Youth America’s Cup teams. The Puig Women’s America’s Cup, held for the first time, was won by Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli. The competition featured 78 female sailors, including 17 Olympic medallists.
The AC40 class was used as the platform for the Puig Women’s and UniCredit Youth America’s Cup. Eleven AC40s were produced during this America’s Cup cycle, with the vessel named World Sailing Boat of the Year in 2023. Eight trophies were contested, including the America’s Cup, the Louis Vuitton Cup, and three preliminary regattas in Vilanova i la Geltrú, Jeddah, and Barcelona.
The event’s media coverage spanned 209 broadcast territories, with 239 territories receiving highlights or live content on YouTube and Facebook. In total, 11,182 hours of global coverage resulted in 43,186 hours of brand exposure, generating €1.367bn in media value, according to Nielsen data. The total audience reached 954m, with social media engagement rising 235 per cent compared to previous editions.
An increased focus on sustainability saw ACE introduce hydrogen-powered foiling chase boats, which removed 78,000 litres of fuel consumption and reduced CO2 emissions by 181,531kg.
Emirates Team New Zealand CEO Grant Dalton has provided insight into plans for the continued growth of the America’s Cup, given early media speculation about future venue opportunities, confirming the event may seek a different venue that can accommodate more teams.
Defender Emirates Team New Zealand has now won the America’s Cup three times in a row, and this presents an unprecedented opportunity for the continued growth of the event.
Emirates Team New Zealand’s chief operating officer, Kevin Shoebridge, has confirmed that the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron has already accepted a challenge from INEOS Britannia for the next America’s Cup.
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