Criticism and reduced participation for the America's Cup in Barcelona. Assumptions for the future

Over the past few days a demonstration of some importance has been taking place in the streets of Barcelona 'against' the America's Cup, or rather against the money spent to secure the event which, in official statements are 70 million paid to the Defender plus something for local interventions on the port. Former mayor Ada Colau, who signed the agreement, has repeatedly said officially that she would not do it again. The current mayor, Jame Collboni, navigates by sight between an official presentation and the need to respond to the electorate in terms of consensus.

Against the Cup there is a movement called Plataforma - Ant, whose spokesperson is Esther Jorquera, who even speaks of fraud and calls for investigations. It would be the promised visitors to Barcelona, fans of the different challenges, who would never arrive. The Ayuntamento claims, with some optimism, that there were 1.6 million visitors distributed in the different points and villages created. The discriminating factor is which visitors really arrived with the Cup and which 'just happened to be passing by'.

The Catalan city changed its face for the Olympics organised in '92 and perhaps with a little optimism a similar boost was expected. Aurora Catà, president of Barcelona Global, who secured the event for the city and now vice-president of ACE,two years ago had somehow, as a resident, anticipated something: 'When the Olympics took place in Barcelona half the city didn't realise, didn't know. We hope that with the Cup we will be able to do more'. Here, perhaps in this the city itself could have been present, despite the inauguration by King Felipe VI, his repeated visits to the field there was little participation.

When landing in Auckland a nice sign greeted tourists 'welcome to the city of sailing'. Of course, that is the sailing city par excellence, but it is not that Barcelona lacks history and the sea. From the statue of Christopher Columbus, with his index finger pointing towards the sea, to one of the most important ports in the world for cruise traffic. In short, it may be true that the Cup has constituted a few too many obstacles for the public, but also that the city itself has not made it a pillar of its activity.

Perhaps, some flaws in the overall organisation, especially in the comparison with the Valencia 2007 event, which to date is perhaps the best one yet. But whose fault is it? Of models borrowed for example from Formula One, which is another world in terms of spectator numbers? Of the people who decided? In Valencia the village was unique, the spectator could walk in a pedestrian island from base to base. In Barcelona you walk kilometres to reach the bases, which remain impenetrable castles where you cannot even buy a hat. They can be found at the few shops in the villages where all the teams are together.