The America’s Cup e-Series

An integrated hybrid event created to launch the America’s Cup video game, AC Sailing, through an esports league, which consisted of online qualifiers & a physical Grand Final show event in Barcelona.

To launch a new product and an online esports tournament culminating in a physical Grand Final event within a 6-month timeframe with the objective of getting people to play the game and to introduce a younger audience to the America’s Cup, whilst also creating interesting content within the America’s Fan Village in Barcelona.
The game was free to download, and the tournament had no special entry requirements meaning it was open to everyone anywhere in the world allowing them to play, practice and participate in the competition if they wanted.
We wanted the audience to experience the excitement and precision of competitive yacht racing through the virtual world, whilst seeing AC Sailing as an ultra-realistic top quality video game.
An incentive to participate in the tournament was an all expenses paid trip to Barcelona, a share of a €50K prize pool and the chance to take the helm of a real AC40 yacht going form gamer to sailor.

The overarching idea was to democratize sailing by making a relatively niche spectator sport accessible to a wider younger audience through its digital yet ultrarealistic version. Being such a realistic game, it meant players having to develop real sailing skills. Our thinking was if the gamer can dominate the game he can take the helm of a real-life racing yacht. So, our driving objective became to turn gamers into sailors. A concept unthinkable with other sports video games.
This gave birth to the America’s Cup e-Series a cutting-edge phygital experience that blended virtual & physical racing, capturing the energy of the iconic sailing competition in an innovative format, accessible to everyone.
The series culminated in a thrilling hybrid Grand Final in Barcelona, where the 8 best gamers from online qualifying competed to become the first AC e-Series champion. And the top 2 finishers won the chance to race a real yacht against a real AC sailing team bringing our concept full circle.