America’s Cup Celebrations on Valencia Street

Complete, joyous bedlam on Valencia after Team Oracle won the America’s Cup this afternoon:

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40 Responses to “America’s Cup Celebrations on Valencia Street”

  1. sfkix says:

    I wonder how jubilant were the streets in Pacific Heights?

    • allyson says:

      I saw one car hootin’ and hollerin’ and ringing a cowbell, and a few people hollerin’ back on Upper Fillmore (near Pac Heights). Clearly they were trying to incite a victory riot.

  2. JohnnyL says:

    The area around Pier 23 was rocking. I don’t understand the hate (politics aside)… it was a great event and finish.

  3. BeckyBayside says:

    Funny and oddly poignant given the times.

  4. It’s kinda funny that nobody gives a shit about America’s cup cause it’s the ‘billionaire’s game’ even though basically every sport is a billionaire’s game.

    From Forbes.com regarding the Team Oracle Victory:
    “The victory should be a rich payday for the sailors and shore team. They are believed to have been promised a bonus equivalent to 6 months’ pay for a win, on top of salaries that start at $20,000 a month and rise from there.”

    1 more fact, SF Giants 2013 Payroll = $136,908,777

    So…since baseball has even more ridiculous paychecks, should baseball be hated more?

    • JohnnyL says:

      Bingo. Don’t forget to add the cost of a stadium.

    • Brillo says:

      Yes, growing up, me and the other local kids liked to play a quick pick-up yacht regatta. You know, like folks.

      • Guy says:

        Which team did you like to play on?

        Personally, I preffered playing for “privately funded by the billionaire” team as opposed to “funded by a country’s pride” team, because, you know, socialism.

        No one ever wanted to play as Italy. Because, you know, facism.

      • troll says:

        Yeah, I’m not sure how these morons can’t figure out the difference between a sport the an “average person” can play (or played as a kid) and one only the privilege enjoyed as kids. Not that hard to figure out. Plus, umm, if you haven’t noticed MOST (aside from the occasional baseball day game, usually associated with travel the next day) occur off “standard” working hours. For people who actually have to work.

        If you want to lend me your yacht next year to watch from the Bay and comp me my work hours, maybe I’ll get into it.

    • Ariel Dovas says:

      It’s not who owns it, it’s not who plays it, it’s about who it’s for. See Brillo’s point above.

    • Theloneliestmonk says:

      Baseball can be played on a sandlot, basketball on a driveway, soccer just about anywhere.

      America’s Cup is a yacht race.

      The vast majority professional baseball, basketball and soccer players were never afforded the opportunity to learn yacht sailing as children. I believe that is why it rightly called a billionaires game.

  5. JohnnyL says:

    You guys are pathetic. Because you didn’t grow up playing it or couldn’t afford it doesn’t mean you can’t appreciate the sport.

    I’m pretty sure you can buy a used little dinghy for less than $500… what does a baseball glove cost? How about a full football uniform? Or how about hockey gear?

    Shut your ignorant pie holes.

  6. Haggie says:

    The fire marshal had to close Pier 27 before the race yesterday because of the number of people in attendance and over 1M people attended races in the last week, so save the hipster snobbery for something else.

    • JohnnyL says:

      According to Ariel, the problem is “who it’s for”. God forbid people have different interests.

    • karl says:

      “over 1M people attended races in the last week”

      that’s just not true. that’s what the city was PROMISED, but way less showed up due to boats dropping out and the general apathy about the event this year.

      • Monzy says:

        So what???? Did you go check it out? You have no idea how fun it was. Very well done. No cluster. Just fun, beer drinking kind of fun.

        I really don’t understand the hate here. It was fun!

        I hope they bring back!

  7. The guy says:

    It was so totes Yolo! Also. Swag.

  8. Sam says:

    I grew up lower middle class and races sailboats.
    We raced boats that were over 30 years old wearing our parents old rain gear and rubber boots. It was a club team that cost us $100 a year. Because of my years racing growing up I was offered a scholarship to race on a ranked college team with other teammates going on to sail at the naval academy and be all American. None of us were rich by any means growing up.

    Every sport involves obscene amounts of money when you get to that level. Let’s talk about how a single man can make over $100 million a year in the NBA or how much it costs a city to host the Olympics. Don’t bitch about a sport if you know nothing about it or what it takes to get into it.

    • troll says:

      Most NBA players deserve to be paid well. Not sure if you see the take home for teams/platers or not, or realize that there are only 15 players per team…..

      Fuck the Olympic/World Cup bidding system. I won’t argue that.

  9. Rhiannon Charisse says:

    You guys! Can we stop calling it a “yacht race” when they’re CLEARLY Catamarans?!!!!!

  10. greenland whale fisheries says:

    do you think they saw any whales?

  11. Mike says:

    I’m glad to see I’m not the only one who doesn’t give a fuck about America’s Cup.

  12. dbsfo says:

    guess it has to be a gay event or some kind of immigration rally to fill those street….