SailGP: Sailing's First Professional League Attracts Star Owners and Millions in Investment

Founded in 2018 by Larry Ellison, cofounder of Oracle, and Russell Coutts, SailGP has established itself as the inaugural professional sailing league. In its sixth season, 11 out of 13 teams are privately owned, with their valuations increasing from $5 million to figures in the millions. The league showcases national teams racing identical F50 foiling catamarans connected to Oracle Cloud in a 13-race series held across Europe, the Middle East, the southern hemisphere, and New York Harbor. This season boasts a prize pool of $12.8 million. The "Race to Abu Dhabi," broadcast on CBS and Paramount Global networks, attracted over 3 million viewers, marking it as the most-watched sailing race ever. Doug DeVos, from the family that owns the NBA's Orlando Magic, acquired the Danish Rockwool Racing team for $60 million in February. Other notable owners include Hugh Jackman and Ryan Reynolds (Australian team) and Issa Rae, Jozy Altidore, and Ryan McKillen (U.S. team). Major sponsors consist of Deutsche Bank, Red Bull, Rolex, Mubadala, DP World, Emirates, and Oracle. The league captivates global audiences with its high-speed collisions and onboard cameras transmitting 35,000 data points per second.