If instead they were running a NASCAR race, no problem finding sponsors, but Sailing??

When is the last time you saw any catamarans racing on ESPN, ESPN2, CNN, NBC, ABC, CBS? It's just not all that popular so that makes it very hard to go to any Big company and say, "Hey, if you front us about $50,000 we can put together a great boat and team, and go to Europe and...and...and people in Europe might see your name on our boat! Hu? No? Really? Hmmm...

You been watching the Tour deFrance? Name the American teams in it and who's on them...go ahead.

See? That's the problem.

And the TDF is ON TV every day, several times a day, on Versus network if you get it.

If you want big money to run a top notch program, you have to give your sponsor a reason to spend that money, that reason is "Exposure" ie. advertising via TV exposure. No TV = no exposure. How is he supposed to justify the expense if he's not getting anything back?