How Much Do You Reckon WA Tipped In for SailGP - and is it worth it?

A Public Explainer for Fremantle Shipping News prepared with the help of our friendly AI agent, Copilot

SailGP has just wrapped up its spectacular Perth debut — a high‑octane weekend of foiling catamarans, global broadcast reach, and a crowd that packed Bathers Beach in Fremantle to the boundary fence lines!

What hasn’t been on display, however, is the price tag.

The WA Government has confirmed that it signed a three‑year deal to bring SailGP to Perth, but — as is increasingly common with major‑event contracts — the financial terms are ‘commercial‑in‑confidence’. No dollar figure has been published.

So what can we reasonably infer?

What similar cities pay

Internationally, it is understood ‘hosting fees’ for SailGP events typically fall in the range of:

• USD $2–$5 million per event (roughly AUD $3–$7.5 million)

These figures come from publicly reported deals in Singapore, Dubai, Cádiz and other host cities.

SailGP is a premium product: global broadcast, elite teams, significant infrastructure, and a strong tourism‑marketing component. Cities pay for the exposure as much as the spectacle, no doubt about it!

How WA usually funds major events

For comparison, WA’s contributions to other major events have been publicly reported in the following ranges:

*Red Bull Air Race (Perth) ~$6m Similar global broadcast footprint

*AFL Gather Round (bid) $3–$5m Single‑weekend event

*World Surf League Margaret River ~$1.5–$2m annually Smaller scale

*Hopman Cup (revived) ~$2–$3m Mid‑tier international event

We agree that SailGP sits at the upper end of this ecosystem.

A reasonable, evidence‑based estimate

Putting the pieces together — international benchmarks, WA’s event‑funding patterns, and the scale of the product — a credible estimate for WA’s contribution is:

AUD $3–$6 million per year

AUD $9–$18 million over the three‑year deal.

This estimate reflects the likely mix of:

• direct cash support

• in‑kind services (traffic management, venue preparation, and policing, which was evident around the boundary fencing at Bathers Beach, to the annoyance of some commentators)

• tourism marketing commitments.

The Government’s own statements emphasise the event’s role in economic diversification, visitor attraction, and global exposure — all standard justifications for investments of this magnitude.

Why the exact figure isn’t public

Major‑event contracts are almost always wrapped in commercial‑in‑confidence clauses. Governments argue that disclosure would weaken their negotiating position with other event owners. Critics argue that public money should come with public transparency. No doubt, at some point, the actual $$$ will be known. The State Auditor General probably has an interest too, to make sure the event kitty is being well spent.

Both positions have merit. But the result is the same: the public must rely on inference, comparison, and the occasional FOI request.

The civic question

Whether the investment is “worth it” depends on:

• the number of interstate and international visitors

• the spend they bring

• the broadcast value

• the long‑term tourism uplift

• and the opportunity cost — what else the money could have funded.

SailGP organisers have suggested the event could generate tens of millions in economic activity – around $55 million. Independent verification will be important.

Our Verdict

In our wrap of the event yesterday, we said –

‘So now SailGP Freo is at an end. What a complete blast the 2026 Rolex SailGP Freo has been. We tip our caps to Sir Russell Coutts, CEO of SailGP, all the SailGP people who worked tirelessly to make it a success, and especially all the amazingly talented GP sailors who made this F50s racing weekend the event that it was.’

If the contribution WA made to secure the SailGP Freo is around the mark suggested above, then we suspect most will agree it is money well spent. Eventually, the final judgment will be measured by how the tourist dollar seems to have grown – or not.

In the meantime, congratulations to the WA Government for helping to make the SailGP Freo happen!

By Michael Barker, Editor, Fremantle Shipping News

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