In June 2014, media reported the venue of the 34th America's Cup, San Francisco, was no longer in consideration to host the 35th edition.

[5] In July 2014, americascup.com reported that Chicago was dropped from the running,[6] and finally on 2 December 2014, Bermuda was announced as the host of the 2017 America's Cup.

On 1 October 2013, Australia's Hamilton Island Yacht Club[9] was confirmed as the "Challenger of Record" for the 35th America's Cup,[10] after submitting their paperwork only moments after the win by Oracle Team USA.

[13][14] Team Australia claimed that the entry fee rules agreed to in the official protocol created too much risk due to the uncertainty of the then unknown venue and schedule of the event.

[16] In April 2015, Luna Rossa withdrew its challenge bid, pulling out of the 2017 America's Cup in protest at rule changes reducing the size of the boats.

The America's Cup was contested by its defender Oracle Team USA, who represent the Golden Gate Yacht Club.

[21][22][23]Teams were allowed to take one-design AC45s out of measurement by modifying crossbeams, wings and rudders, adding hydraulic systems, as well as produce a maximum of six custom daggerboards to test on the existing platform ahead of building their race boat.

[25] The winning Emirates Team New Zealand yacht design team, led by Technical Director Dan Bernasconi, also modified SL33 foiling wingsail catamarans to try new ideas for its race boat, in which they produced a number of distinct features absent from other boats in the fleet: two four-handed grinding pedestals on their development AC45 were replaced by four cycling stations; Peter Burling was the only helmsman to be relieved of daggerboard controls in order to focus on steering only; instead "cyclor" Blair Tuke undertook daggerboard deployment, trim and overall responsibility of pitch angle and ride height; Daggerboards were lengthier than those of other teams by virtue of a distinct dihedral bend in the middle of the hydrofoil tip.

[26] The rise in foiling catamarans encouraged competing teams to enter into technical partnerships with companies specializing in aerospace technologies.

Land Rover BAR allied with Red Bull Advanced Technologies, headed by ten-time Formula 1 World Constructor's Championship car designer Adrian Newey.

Luna Rossa Challenge had partnered with Lenovo to analyze and predict race simulations, assisting in the design of their boat.