They invest billions in racing for simply the "honor" of winning and for national prestige.

It's not just a yacht race ....... Larry Ellison, owner of Oracle Team USA, winner of the 33rd and 34th races, has poured tens of billions of dollars of his personal fortune. Numerous sea-loving millionaires have tried their hand at the America's Cup, including England's tea magnate Sir Thomas Lipton and American railroad executive Harold Vanderbilt.
What makes them so passionate about the America's Cup?
A battle for national prestige, fast-moving yachts, technology and innovation, advanced sailing skills, and a shared sense of history and tradition. These various elements are blended together, but perhaps the source of the fascination comes from the old colonial rivalry of a young, independent America challenging a traditional and aristocratic England.
Today, the owners of each team are still primarily the world's richest people. In the United States, Doug DeVos, Chairman of Amway (total assets of over $5 billion) and Roger Penske, chairman of PENSKE, a major truck rental company (total assets of $4 billion); in Switzerland, entrepreneur Patrizio Bertelli, CEO of the Prada Group in Italy, Sir James Ratcliffe, chairman of the chemical company INEOS in England. These wealthy entrepreneurs are all men of the sea who love nature and sailing. Their only material gain from winning the America's Cup is the "honor" of being an elite sailor, and they continue to challenge themselves in this great race for that reason alone.