New Zealand Challenger Agrees to Allow Cameras on Board During America’s Cup

The New Zealand Challenge, which had refused to allow television cameras on its boat for next week’s America’s Cup, allowed four cameras to be placed on the 133-foot monohull Tuesday.

The cameras were attached hours after the two-week, on-and-off negotiations between the New Zealand syndicate and Sail America were concluded.

The Kiwis originally sought half of the $1.7 million ESPN had paid to Sail America, manager of the San Diego Yacht Club’s Cup defense.

Instead, the Kiwis received the rights to sell the broadcast to New Zealand Television and networks in Japan, Tom Mitchell, Sail America’s vice president of communication, said.

There will be no changes in the race courses, Mitchell said. Michael Fay, Kiwi chairman, had said that Sail America, in exchange for sharing broadcast rights, wanted to change the course to better suit the Americans. Course changes, Mitchell said, were contemplated in order to make the races more appealing to spectators.

Cameras will be in the cockpit, the middle of the boat, on the mast and below deck. Two of the cameras are capable of revolving 360 degrees and providing near and far shots. A computer also will provide a graphic simulation of where the New Zealand is in relation to its counterpart, Stars and Stripes, which will have three cameras on board.