America’s Cup e-Series: From gaming to professional sailing in an unprecedented tournament

The America’s Cup is the most prestigious sailing competition and oldest sailing competition in the world. In 2024, Barcelona was the venue for this iconic event, hosting the regattas of the Louis Vuitton 37th America’s Cup in Mediterranean waters from August to the end of October. However, the competition not only took place on the sea, but also in the digital world, taking the sailing experience to new audiences through an innovative initiative.: the America’s Cup e-Series.

Experientia, together with Burson and Teammate, led the launch of the video game. AC Sailingdeveloped by Emirates Team New Zealand. Originally designed as an exclusive training simulator for professional sailors.This ultra-realistic video game allowed players to acquire the necessary skills to handle an AC40, one of the fastest sailing boats in the world.

In order to make it known to the public at an international level, a competition was created. phygital of Esports under the creative concept “From Gamer to Sailor“, transforming the best players in the video game into real sailors in a challenge unprecedented in the history of esports and traditional sports. The final prize was €50,000 shared between the winner and the first runner-up, as well as the opportunity to compete in a real regatta, breaking the barrier between the virtual and the physical.

Based on the free download of the video game, the America’s Cup e-Series competition was structured in several phases, starting with. online qualifiers open to anyone worldwide. and ending with the great final in Barcelona. For six weeksmore than 1,500 players participated in a series of daily challenges in the video game, accumulating points to advance in the tournament. Every Saturday, the top eight competitors of the week faced off in a final streamed live on Twitch and YouTubewith expert and renowned commentators in the gaming ecosystems. gaming and sailing. The six weekly winners, along with two gamers selected as wild cardswon a place to play in the Grand Final that would take place in physical format in Barcelona.

The Grand Final was held at the America’s Cup Fan Villagelocated in the Moll de la Fusta of Barcelona. More than 2,000 attendees witnessed a spectacular event presented by Tony Aguilar, which combined the passion for sailing with the energy of the gaming including live performances, magic by Jorge Blass, a special effects show and the America’s Cup e-Series final.. The event was streamed live on Twitch and YouTube, consolidating the digital presence of the tournament and reaching audiences around the world.

The climax of the competition was the transition from the virtual to the real world. The winner and the first runner-up of the America’s Cup e-Series put to the test the skills acquired in the video game in a real regatta aboard an AC40in the framework of the America’s Cup itself. Facing a UniCreditYouth America’s Cup team, these players, who had previously only competed in the digital environment, tested their skills in real sailing conditions. demonstrating in an unprecedented way the great realism of the video game.

AC Sailing surpassed the 100,000 downloads, with an active global community on social media, reaching 11,000 followers and generating more than 3.73 million impressions and 2 million content views. The competition itself achieved 1.25 million total views and had unprecedented media coverage, with more than 877 million impressions and 260 media appearances.. In addition, the championship attracted a young audience, with a 65% of the audience between the ages of 18 and 44.This reinforced the objective of democratizing access to the candle.

To amplify its reach, a social media strategy was launched that included the creation of the official Instagram profile, as well as collaborations with gaming and esports influencers. The presenters and commentators also played a key role in broadcasting the event, attracting a loyal audience that followed the competition throughout the weeks.

Creating a global community in just six months, launching a video game and positioning it in a saturated market, ensuring a stable infrastructure for online competitions without connectivity issues, and maintaining transparency in a novel competitive format were some of the challenges the project successfully faced. In addition, involving relevant influencers and balancing participation between amateur and professional players was key to attracting a diverse audience.

Experientia played a key role in the strategy, creativity, production and execution of the project, assuming integral responsibility from conception to realization.. He was in charge of the development of the “From Gamer toSailor” concept, the branding of AC Sailing and the America’s Cup e-Series, and the planning and execution of the esports tournament. In addition, he led the production of content with a modern gaming aesthetic, ensured the stability of the digital infrastructure for the online competition and coordinated all logistical and technical elements for the Grand Final in Barcelona.

Thanks to its impact and originality, the America’s Cup e-Series was recognized with the award for ‘The America’s Cup e-Series’.Best Project of the Year‘ y ‘Best Sporting Event‘ at the prestigious AEVEA Awards, consolidating its relevance in the experiential marketing industry. In addition, it won a gold in the Product/Service Launch category at the BEA World Awards.reaffirming its innovation in the convergence between esports and traditional sports.

The America’s Cup e-Series showcased the competition’s ability to expand its reach beyond the traditional sailing world, connecting with new audiences through esports and technology. By merging the real and virtual worlds, it allowed fans to experience the thrill of top-level sailing from anywhere, proving that integrating digital formats can bring the sport to new generations and expand its global impact.