The Emirates airline and Great Britain SailGP Team have announced a three-year sponsorship agreement. Per the terms of the deal, Emirates will become the team’s first Title Sponsor beginning with the Sydney race on 18 and 19 February 2023.
As part of the sponsorship deal, the airline will receive marketing, digital, and social media rights; VIP hospitality tickets; meet-and-greet access to the world’s most decorated male and female Olympic sailors, including Ben Ainslie and Hannah Mills, OBE; and exclusive opportunities such as “sixth sailor experience” for Emirates fans to experience the action firsthand on the water.
The Emirates Airline “Fly Better” logo will also be prominently displayed on the Great British F50 race boat, with strong branding on the wing and hull’s center. The airline’s recognizable emblem will also feature on the front and rear of the team’s sailing attire, equipment, and clothes.
Emirates Airline President Tim Clark stated, “We’re delighted to announce our new partnership with one of the world’s most successful sailing teams. Emirates and the Great Britain SailGP Team share common values, ambitions, and drive – making this partnership a natural fit. Together, we’ll take the sport to new levels, bring fans closer to the action, and deliver world-class experiences to customers worldwide.”
Ben Ainslie, Chief Executive Officer and Driver of the SailGP Team stated, “Myself and the rest of the Great Britain team are thrilled to have Emirates, one of the most iconic sporting brands in the world, on board this journey with us. Sport has the ability to inspire like nothing else. At a time when the SailGP league is seeing unprecedented growth in the form of new race locations, teams, owners, and Season 4’s calendar revealing a strong continuation of this trend, together as partners we will be able to take both the team and the sport to new heights.”
The Emirates Great Britain SailGP Team will compete in the remaining races of Season 3 SailGP, with the iconic Emirates-branded F50 boats featured in Sydney, Christchurch, and during the grand finale on May 6 and 7, 2023 in San Francisco. In addition, the airline will continue to sponsor the team for the next three racing seasons. Emirates has been a steadfast supporter of sailing since 2004 when it became the naming sponsor of Emirates Team New Zealand.
Sustainability and the Future
The Emirates airline and the Great Britain SailGP Team will have a greater opportunity to conduct cooperative worldwide environmental initiatives with the common goals of cutting emissions, consuming ethically, and protecting biodiversity.
Emirates recently completed its maiden demonstration flight using 100 percent Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) in one of its GE90 engines on a Boeing 777-300ER. Additionally, the airline supports IATA’s collective industry commitment to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050 and is researching options to improve operational fuel economy, SAF, low-carbon aviation fuels (LCAF), and renewable energy.
With the 1851 Trust, the Great Britain SailGP Team’s purpose partner, the team’s goal is to inspire three million young people to safeguard the environment, people, and the planet through the Protect Our Future climate digital education platform. Low Carbon, a leading renewable energy company, has just signed a three-year partnership with the team and will support the 1851 Trust in producing world-class, climate-focused education resources to inspire and empower young people to take action, while also building global communities of climate champions.
Moreover, Emirates and the Great Britain SailGP Team will support broader sustainability issues, including gender equality. SailGP has introduced a women’s pathway to create an inclusive athletic championship with gender equality at its core – where the finest athletes have equal opportunity to participate on the F50. Emirates Group has also just signed the UAE Gender Balance Council promise, pledging to increase the number of women in senior positions to 30 percent by 2025.
[Source: Emirates Press Release]