Ellison promised the next Cup will be open to more teams

The America's Cup will return to the usual multi-team format for its next staging, according to the boss of this year's winning team, Oracle.

US-based Oracle beat the defending champions, Alinghi, in a two-boat race series off Valencia last weekend.

However, other teams from around the world had been excluded because Oracle and Alinghi could not agree on rules.

Oracle boss Larry Ellison said: "The next event will be multi-challenger. We will develop bases for many teams."

The winners have the right to select a 'Challenger of Record' for the next event, and the two teams are expected to work together to establish rules and choose the location.

However, throughout last year, Swiss-based Alinghi and Oracle found they could not agree on a format for a conventional regatta with several teams, and the matter frequently ended up in court.

The races were eventually held off the Spanish coast under the original rules for the event, which were put together in 1851.

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Money earned from the sale of media rights this year was lower than it had been in the past because the event was shorter and involved fewer teams.

Ellison added: "The goal for the next event will be to attract sponsorship and funding for all the teams that want to participate, not just Oracle and Alinghi but also teams from China, South Africa, Sweden and New Zealand."

Ellison said a venue had not been decided but San Francisco and San Diego were in his thoughts, along with Newport, Rhode Island, where the event was held for 53 years until 1983.

Oracle chief executive Russell Coutts said: "The location will need the right infrastructure. Nothing has been planned yet."

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