Sitting in the Adrenaline Lounge at Sydney’s SailGP, it’s clear Mike Buckley has always been drawn to the thrill of the chase – whether it’s the wind slicing through the wings of a high-performance F50 catamaran or the pursuit of a partnership that could change the face of his sport.
Buckley, a two-time world champion sailor and U.S. SailGP Team CEO & Co-Owner, isn’t afraid of taking big swings, even when the stakes are high.
“The highs and lows of sport can be incredible,” he says, recalling a particularly tumultuous Friday on the water. “We started our day yesterday lifting a new custom Tommy Hilfiger livery, and I was thinking to myself, it’s going to be the best day of my sailing career. And about an hour later, we had a bit of a mishap towing out to the racecourse, and it was a complete 180.”
For Buckley, the partnership with Tommy Hilfiger represents more than just a milestone for the U.S. SailGP Team – it’s a signal of where the sport could be headed. Sailing, particularly at the elite level, has long battled the perception of exclusivity. But with SailGP’s focus on speed, technology, and sustainability, Buckley sees a chance to change that narrative. And bringing Hilfiger into the fold is an important step in broadening the sport’s appeal.
“I pursued the partnership relentlessly,” Buckley admits. “But when I finally sat down with Tommy [Hilfiger], I said, ‘Help me change the sport.’” That simple yet audacious pitch worked. Now, the partnership is bearing fruit in the form of a custom livery and an upcoming capsule collection, the latter of which Buckley is particularly excited about.
“Being able to see it for the first time a couple months ago was, I think I had a hard time fighting back tears just to see this idea, a dream come to life where it came from in 2018, to now. We have all these pieces that these incredible people put real time and money into creating this inspirational line that crosses over into pop culture. There’s some traditional stuff that’s really beautiful, and there’s some really cool oversized pieces that kind of bring the fashion aspect into it.
Buckley sees partnerships like this as crucial to elevating sailing from niche sport to mainstream spectacle. “When you have a partner that’s always dreaming, the sky’s the limit,” he says of working with Hilfiger. He hopes these collaborations can inject sailing with a much-needed “cool factor,” attracting not just fans but also influencers and cultural icons who can help broaden the sport’s appeal.
Yet, for all the glamour of new sponsorships and fashion-forward designs, Buckley remains rooted in the grit and grind of the sport. He speaks candidly about the challenges of high-level sailing, where races are won and lost in split-second decisions and preparation is everything. “You’ve got to slow the game down,” he says. “If you’re not mentally and physically prepared, you can’t make the right decisions when things start happening at 50 knots.”
He’s quick to point out that the mental toughness required isn’t limited to the athletes. As a team sailor and executive, Buckley faces his own set of pressures, from managing setbacks to inspiring his crew. “Sport, as exciting as it is, can also be extremely cruel,” he reflects. “But the quarterbacks in the NFL who throw an interception and then get up there the next play and throw a completion – those are the ones we all know their names forever. You’ve got to be able to get back up and throw the next pass.”
Buckley dreams of a SailGP league that’s as culturally relevant as it is competitive, with packed grandstands and events that rival the world’s biggest sporting events in their spectacle. It’s an ambitious goal, but one that feels attainable when he reflects on the diversity and passion of his team’s ownership group. “I think the reason for that is that it’s bigger than me,” he says. “When the mission is bigger than you, you can stand up to the people who say you can’t.”
As the New Yorker continues to steer his team – and perhaps the entire sport – toward new horizons, he remains focused on the bigger picture. Sailing, for all its highs and lows, is a game of perseverance and vision.
And Mike Buckley, with his relentless drive, bold ideas, and newly inked partnership with Tommy Hilfiger, is determined to keep pushing forward.
This article is sponsored by Tommy Hilfiger. Thank you for supporting the brands that support Boss Hunting.
