World Match Racing Tour Sponsorship Opportunities

The WMRT was established in 2000, bringing together match racing competitions and regattas into a World Champion event. Match Racing is the format used by the America’s Cup and many former World Match Racing Tour champions have gone on to win the ‘Auld Mug’.

The Tour differs from many other sailing events in that teams compete in boats provided by the competition organisers – often swapping boats during the competition to keep things even.

Why Sponsor the World Match Racing Tour

WMRT claims to be ‘the longest running global professional series in the sport of sailing.‘ The tour does have Special Event Status from World Sailing – the sport’s governing body and winners are the official World Champion.

The World Match Racing Tour is relatively inexpensive to sponsor. Whether it is an up and coming team or skipper or one of the events, there is a sponsorship price point for almost everyone.
World Match Racing Tour events are independently run and promoted. Some, like the Congressional Cup (first run in 1965) and Bermuda Gold Cup (dating back to 1937) have long, historic histories and are well regarded by sailors.
The WMRT Is still seen as a pathway to the America’s Cup. Previous winners include Ben Ainslie and Jimmy Spithill. Many younger sailors also get international experience through the tour. Sailors like Phil Robertson (NZL), Taylor Canfield (ISV) and Kyle Langford (AUS).

WMRT Sponsorship Considerations

The World Match Racing Tour has has an unsettled few years. Different owners and concepts have tried to make the tour more relevant in line with trends in other parts of the sport. The ongoing split between sailors who prefer foiling boats over traditional displacement hulls and those who like old-school monohulls over catamarans has impacted the WMRT over recent years.

While there is good recall, coverage and support for many of the individual events on the tour, the WMRT doesn’t have much recognition outside of the professional sailing community.
As the boats are provided by the events, each team does not have their own boat to be branded. Sponsorship has to be leveraged through team clothing and other methods.
For the same reason, it might be difficult to communicate messages around innovation using more traditional boats that can not be developed through R&D by the teams.

World Match Racing Tour Sponsorship Strategy

The WMRT offers a sponsorship opportunity for almost every price point. From sponsoring an up and coming team to some of the oldest regattas in the sport.