In 2008, I started Yachtsponsorship.com. The site came about because I had been working in sports marketing for a number of years, worked with some incredibly professional people and learnt a few things about how sport can be used to inspire, but more importantly, the commercial value of sport.

Having seen the best practise employed by organisations like NASCAR, Manchester United and MotoGP, I turned to a sport that I had grown up with as a kid.

Sailing is more mass-market in Australia. In Melbourne, I grew up next to the sea and I remember watching sailing on free-to-air television, from the annual Sydney Hobart Yacht Race, to 18ft skiffs during the lunch-break of the cricket to the historic morning that my dad got me out of bed to watch Australia II win the America’s Cup in 1983.

The blog I started in 2008 then was intended to bring great sports marketing practise and professionalism to the sport of sailing.

I love the sport and believe that I have done a lot to promote it over the last couple of years, which is why I am dissapointed when I see amateurish behaviour at the highest level.

It’s even more disappointing when that amateurish behaviour centres around Australia and the America’s Cup.

Spokesmen for the new America’s Cup, like Russell Coutts and Jimmy Spithill keep reading out the line that the event is the pinnacle of the sport. The new deal is supposed to usher in a new era of professionalism that allows sailing to be pitched as a platform worthy to deliver a return on an investment over $50 million.

How then, can the America’s Cup organisers officially announce the entry of a team that can’t name a team principal, sailors, a challenging yacht club or have a live website?

In the year 2011, for a professional international sports team to not have a functioning website at the time of such an announcement just looks like amateur hour.

Speaking to some of Australia’s top sailors over the last few days – people who would be 1 & 2 on my speed-dial had I the investment to launch an entry I find that they haven’t heard anything about the campaign. Haven’t even had a phone call.

I hope that my fears about this campaign are unfounded. I hope that Australia can mount a challenge for the America’s Cup that brings to bear all the talent that the country has to offer – from world beating sailors to globally recognised boat design and technology to some of the most savvy sports marketing people on the planet.

If Australia is going to enter the America’s Cup after 10 years it has to be a proper go. Being the underdog is okay, and mounting the resources to take on Oracle racing, even with an Australian dollar that is parity with the greenback, is going to be tough. But there is underdog and there is amateur and we’ve moved on – haven’t we?

It seemed more appropriate to put these thoughts here rather than Yachtsponsorship.com – It’s a more personal, less considered thought process than Y$ readers expect.

I have been thinking about the way in which the Defender of the America’s Cup – BMW ORACLE, led by Russell Coutts, has been looking at ways to reposition the trophy. The stated aim of the process is to make the Cup more appealing to a younger, television audience.

Every interview that Russell Coutts does, he talks about “marketing experts” and “television experts”, but they are never named. We don’t know who these people are or what their credentials are for embarking on a massive rebranding exercise are. The following scene came to mind:

There’s no reason why the identities of the ‘experts’ should be a secret. I just hope that they are the best there is. Not the best in sailing, but the best. If BMW ORACLE can afford the priciest litigators in the country, then they should be able to employ a similar calibre of television creatives and marketing people.

Personally I don’t think that just putting something exciting on television is enough. There are hours of exciting sports coverage that no-one watches. The people who need to be paid are the people who are going to sell the America’s Cup as a movement – make it a meme – create buzz and glamour. Being at the America’s Cup needs to be a ticket as hot as walking the grid of the Monaco Grand Prix. Some different camera angles aren’t going to do that.

So to borrow a theme from one of the most successful television products of recent times - Who are you?

• @pgadeyne got to say that photo does nothing for me. It might be historic, but lacks something! in reply to pgadeyne #
• @DarrenBundock why so sad? I’m sure you’ll work it out. I’ll be following! in reply to DarrenBundock #
• @Adam_Whittaker just a good memory – and I bore easily. in reply to Adam_Whittaker #
• @vodafoneuk I hear you are going to change your data roaming fee structure AGAIN! When were you going to tell heavy data users? #
• Glad I learnt business the old way. lessons from offline retail are quite helpful in the online world. #li #
• want a ride on a tp52 race yacht for £25? Here’s a chance RT @yachtbusiness: Sailing Sponsorship With A Twist. http://bit.ly/duvOwL #FB #li #
• @Adam_Whittaker you said that already! almost exactly a month ago. Is recycling blogs an effective marketing strategy? in reply to Adam_Whittaker #
• Breakfast meeting (@ EAT @ Paddington Station) http://4sq.com/8YWsDI #
• Oh dear. Considering reading metro instead of my twitter feed. That can’t be good. #

• Is there any specific reason why tonic water Should be consumed within 3 days of opening as directed by the label? #FB #
• Absolutely torrential rain in London. Roof of the Waterloo station can’t handle it. #
• Talking offshore sailing with… (@ Benugo Bar & Kitchen) http://4sq.com/coCkT8 #
• I already have “tweet” buttons on my sites. What advantage doe the ‘official’ one give me? #
• In london today for a couple of meetings. yacht racing, sports marketing and word of mouth. #

• RT @yachtbusiness: Jaguar’s Sponsorship of America’s Cup Style Sailing Delivers. http://bit.ly/drvGj4 #AC34 @teamorigin @jaguarukpr #