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| F1 Sail Pro Tour– Concept |
“Sailing with Attitude”
- The ideal sailing format for television
- 15 international teams
- 26 week television series, global media exposure
- Fully sanctioned international series
F1 Sail recognise a strong television market for a high performance sailing pro tour & have identified the revolutionary 18 foot class as the leading candidate for the task. No other design translates so well to television.
The series is scheduled to commence in Europe in 2009, with 4 European stops and 3 through Asia/Pacific. Race locations are currently being finalised.
The series has secured a global television distribution deal.
The pro circuit will feature 15 international teams racing in exotic ports around the world. The world’s best sailors will star in a 26-week international television series broadcast to a global marketplace. Global media exposure will provide the foundation for strong corporate sponsorship.
F1 Sail will be an ISAF sanctioned event.
The race locations, boat design, race course & rules have been tailored towards an entertaining television product.
18-foot skiff racing has already proven to be a highly successful television product in Australia and New Zealand with the domestic TV series already distributed internationally. Until very recently there have not been enough international crews to support a world tour. Recent development of the 49er Olympic class has now created an extra pool of world-class skiff sailors representing over 25 countries.
Carrying over 1200 sq feet of sail power, the high performance 18-footer is recognised as one of the world's fastest mono hull sail craft. The world's leading sailors now recognise the 18ft Skiff as the "formula-one" of mono hull sail craft.
The tour will be covered by a purpose-built television production team. The broadcast will feature revolutionary onboard digital camera & audio technology.
F1 Sail will invest up to US$1.5-million per season towards the cost of television production alone.
“Sailing with Attitude” – F1 Sail will reshape the traditional image of sailing in an effort to carry the sport to a wider audience. The television series will be far more personality driven with real characters, heroes & villains. The crews will be marketed as the top guns of world sailing and promoted as elite athletes. The tour will also promote the intense rivalry between countries & focus on the highly competitive, explosive nature of skiff racing.
Skiff racing combines the skill & finesse of sailing with the athleticism & drama of extreme sport. Skiff racing is not just about winning races it’s also about surviving races. The extreme nature of skiff racing makes it far more appealing to the youth market and to a broader audience overall.
The tour will chase wind in an effort to maximise the entertainment value. Ideally racing will only be staged in winds of 15 knots or more. A designated waiting period will allow for the ideal race conditions. Race locations are also being selected based on aesthetic appeal.
International syndicates are now being given an opportunity to purchase a license into the world tour. The number of Licenses available will be limited to one per territory. Licences (team ownership) are being targeted to sailors, corporations, tourism bodies, yacht clubs, syndicates & business leaders.
In return for an annual License fee race teams will receive a new boat, a 26-race international series, global television exposure, boat branding rights plus prize money etc.
F1 Sail is expected to attract the world’s best sailors and will potentially setup a lucrative career path for participating crews. Crews will be renumerated through a combination of team salary, prize money & personal endorsements.
In an effort to create nationalistic rivalry the crews will compete for their respective countries. The international rivalry makes for a far more marketable television product.
To promote close & exciting racing & to minimise costs the boats will be identical in design. This ensures each team competes on a level playing field and that skill is not overshadowed by technology.
With its vast sail area the 18-foot skiff also offers outstanding branding opportunities.
The Pro Tour will be like a travelling road show with the circuit moving from one exotic port to the next. The skiffs & equipment will be transported in shipping containers, making the series highly mobile & cost efficient.
There is now an opportunity for sailors, investors & sponsors to get a ground floor stake into this new & exciting international sports property and invest in the future of sailing.
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