Grant Dalton is a true patriot. He’s under attack for taking the next Americas Cup offshore.
I accept there are more boring so-called sporting spectacles, such as people in pajamas tugging at one anothers garments, otherwise known as judo, and certainly rifle-shooting, but by God it’s a close-run thing.
That the taxpayer forks out for this screaming tedium is outrageous. There’s no economic or entertainment reason to justify it. The proposition that it provides a tourism boost is a blatant lie. The rest of the world couldn’t give a damn.
If New Zealand wasn’t a signatory to a United Nations agreement prohibiting cruel and unusual punishments, then I would support another run here.
We could end criminal recidivism by strapping our prisons’ inmates to chairs, wired up to receive 100 volts if they close their eyes, and make them watch this rubbish. Those who survived the ordeal would certainly never sin again, terrorised at the prospect of a repeat session.
6 Comments
Couldn’t agree more. All my young life I was into sailing, but not to watch. It’s only fun for the people out there in the boats. I just wish I could get the taxpayer to fund my hobbies.
You are so correct Sir Bob. It is the most over hyped sporting spectacle in New Zealand; the most tedious and punishing event known to man. The oft claim that hosting the Americans Cup brings riches beyond tax payers investment is rubbish. Grant Dalton and his crew should take the event to the other end of the earth and never return.
Everything you say about the Americas Cup also applies to rugby. More so in fact, grossly exacerbated by the ugly spectacle of the primitive haka.
The first America’s Cup in 1986/87 in Fremantle was fun to follow, due to it being ‘new’ for our country but since then….ho hum; a bore. I have always found it shocking the taxpayers have chipped in to help pay for it; an across the board tax cut would do far more good.
Long time reader, first time commenter here however I couldn’t help myself on this occasion. Watching Americas Cup racing would have to be one of the most tedious experiences known to man, from a spectator point of view its fundamentally a very boring sport. Along with that we are all forced to endure the sickening spectacle of misplaced nationalistic pride that can only come from NZ, a country that has very few proper international sporting wins, and serious inferiority complex due to embarrassment at our small size in the world.
Finally the underlying knowledge that the taxpayer must fund this corporate event in order to be competitive make it a truly unpleasant experience. I agree, Grant Dalton is a patriot of the highest order, mercifully shifting this event overseas. Thanks Grant.
Cleverly Grant Dalton’s team is called Team NZ but it is not a national team it’s a private company and the owner has a big boat and a flash house. This is all about making a healthy profit for the owners and there is absolutely no reason why NZ should contribute anything towards it.