WELLINGTON, New Zealand: Even before the 36th Americas Cup sailing race has been concluded, defending champion Team New Zealand is offering cities around the world the opportunity to host the 37th regatta.
Team New Zealand will only get to decide the next venue if it retains the 170-year-old trophy in March. But it is already seeking expressions of interest from cities which might like to stage the regatta, which will probably take place in 2024.
Any move by the team to defend the Americas Cup in a city outside New Zealand would be a major break with tradition and probably quite unpopular at home. Since New Zealand first won the Americas Cup from the United States in 1995, its three defenses have all been held in the waters around Auckland.
National and local taxpayers have poured hundreds of millions of dollars into Team New Zealand directly and into creating the infrastructure for those events.
But Team New Zealand has started circulating a glossy, 48-page hosting guide outlining…