I really don't get all the "hate" for the america's cup - it is what it is. sailing in itself is a miassive sport globally and in nz. The Auld Mug is just one of many big boat type tourneys and it just happens to be the one where the big $$ is spent. so what that the NZ government has commuitted $36m to it - would we be complaining if they given NZF $36m??? unlikely. It was a financial decision based on the potential return and lift top the economy when we win it back. The recent public interest in the finals is just typical kiwi "we are winning, so I'm interested" atitude. Once again - who cares - if you don't like the sport don't watch it - noone is forcing you to, and it's not like the sailing is tkaing money away from anything you love.
Sailing is not a massive sport globally dude. Quite the opposite in fact. Some Am Cup cheerleaders have been saying stuff like "neither is rugby, so that's why you should care etc etc"...but in fairness to rugby - it's much bigger than this joke thingie of a sport...and when you've got journalists writing that "you should watch it because it's part of NZ's DNA etc etc"...please...spare me...
not massive globally? really? take a look at how many Olympic sailing events there are and how manay countries compete,
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sailing_at_the_Summer_Olympics
comparing any sport to rugby as far is global is a joke - rugby as a global sport is tiny compared to most sports.
And thos ewho seem to beleive that if we didn't sponsor TNZ we'd get better roads or better breeding programmes for Kaka or better education are also well blind - the money would be spent on some other event which even less people cared about - like netball.
Why? Is it a $35million benefit card that the government can only spend on whatever sports Brendan Telfer likes?