SailGP is one of the most exciting growth stories in sports business right now.
And optimism on the sport’s future potential is being reflected in soaring team valuations.
“I know the next teams are in the process of selling for $70 million. I think we’ll probably see $100 million valuations possibly by the end of this year,” SailGP co-founder and CEO Sir Russell Coutts said on Yahoo Finance’s Opening Bid (video above).
“And I think what’s driving that is the audience growth, the growth across the board. Every time we add a new team, a new country, we add significantly more engagement.”
Just last month, American Magic acquired the Danish team in a record-setting $60 million deal, the highest reported franchise valuation in league history. This follows the 2025 deal for the Italian team at $45 million.
When the league started in 2019, team valuations were in the $5 million to $10 million range. The business hauled in sales of $200 million last year, up 68% year over year. The league has seen more team sales, events, and an influx of advertising deals.
Coutts said investors are looking to hold the teams for at least five years, giving them the chance to see growth. There is a limited number of teams, boosting their value. The league is going to grow to 20 teams, “and that’s it,” per Coutts.
The teams have untapped revenue potential ahead, such as broadcasting fees. “A quarter of the teams are already profitable on just sponsorship revenue. Haven’t exploited licensing rights, haven’t exploited media rights,” he said.
SailGP is also pulling into New York City’s windy waters this weekend. There are 13 nations racing 50-foot flying boats at over 60 miles per hour, set against the backdrop of the most iconic skyline on the planet.
Coutts is a five-time America’s Cup winner who founded the league with Oracle founder and sailing fanatic Larry Ellison.
Says Coutts on the NYC race, “There’s about 6000 [people expected]. We’re limited in size on Governors Island. We’d probably sell a lot more if we weren’t. But, you know, tickets are almost sold out.”
Brian Sozzi is Yahoo Finance’s Executive Editor and a member of Yahoo Finance’s editorial leadership team. Follow Sozzi on X @BrianSozzi, Instagram, and LinkedIn. Tips on stories? Email brian.sozzi@yahoofinance.com.
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