There is a name that the America's Cup repeats almost more than its own. Since the election of Barcelona as host city for the 2024 edition, the nautical competition has not tired of reviving the memory of the Olympic Games, aspiring to seduce Barcelona residents as happened in 1992. Following in that same wake, the organizers of the regatta presented this Wednesday the volunteer program that will allow them to develop the event, which will last for three months.
"One of the things you experience in Barcelona is the lingering feeling of the Olympics. I realized it very early on. And, although we are not the Olympic Games, we want to try to recover it," said Grant Dalton, CEO of the America's Cup and the Emirates Team New Zealand team.
To do this, the competition wants to attract 2,300 volunteers to make its development possible, offering work on land (1,800), sea (300), and media (200), with the vast majority dedicated to ensuring a good experience for spectators. Every day of competition there will be 430 volunteers, who will have to offer full availability to cover shifts of about 6 hours in the morning or in the afternoon, while on days without regattas about 150 volunteers will be required.
Hand in hand with the Fundació Barcelona Capital Nàutica (FBCN), the necessary positions have been identified, ranging from accompanying the mythical America's Cup trophy on its tour of the city, to supporting the catering service, the public areas to follow the regatta, the merchandising stores or the superyachts that will travel to the city. In addition, nautical entities have been contacted to reach volunteers with prior training for the most complex tasks, those planned for the high seas. Discussions are also underway with administrations to reach specific groups and residents of the neighborhoods closest to the regatta.
"It's a great challenge," remarked the head of the volunteer program, Xavier Prat. "It will be the largest team in the history of the America's Cup and we will be able to organize the best edition," he defended. The 2,300 volunteers, far from the 35,000 needed for the Olympics, will be complemented by 350 more who will be in charge of the preliminary regatta to be held this September in Vilanova i la Geltrú. It will be possible to do a double, participating as a volunteer in the competitions of both cities.
To be able to sign up as a volunteer, no previous experience is required, except for the most complex positions foreseen at sea. Interested parties must be over 18 years old ---as of December 31, 2023--- and be available for 10 consecutive days. They will only be asked to speak one of the three official languages (Spanish, Catalan, and English).
Interested parties must be over 18 years old and be available for 10 consecutive daysRegistrations opened this Wednesday and interested parties can register until November. Once all applications have been received, the organizers will select the members of the volunteer team between January and April 2024, reviewing their profiles and calling them for interviews. Finally, before the competition begins, they will be trained.The organization is studying compensations for the volunteers such as the study scholarships that were given at the Olympic Games.
In the case of volunteers for the preliminary regatta in Vilanova i la Geltrú, they will only be asked for availability for 6 consecutive days. Likewise, deadlines will be expedited, with the possibility of signing up from this Wednesday until the end of July. They will be trained in a couple of days in September, just before the competition begins where the six competing teams will face each other for the first time.
1.200 million in economic impact
A study commissioned by the FBCN to Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF) estimates that the 37th edition of the regatta will have an economic impact of a total of 1,239 million euros in the city, approximately 0.5% of Catalonia's GDP, and the creation of some 19,000 jobs.
The report details the expenses foreseen with the celebration of the America's Cup, the most important in the world of nautical sports and the third sporting event with the most economic impact after the Olympics and the Football World Cups. Expenses of 1,115 million euros are expected, distributed among 195 million euros in investments and organization; 231 million euros disbursed by the teams, and 689 million euros that will be left by the 2.5 million visitors who will travel to the Catalan capital. All this means that, for every euro in investments and current expenses, 6.35 euros of GDP will be generated in the Catalan economy.