Team New Zealand boss Grant Dalton maintains the decision to defend the America's Cup overseas is the only option.
The defending America's Cup champions announced on Wednesday its defence of the 'Auld Mug', which Team New Zealand retained in Auckland last year, would be staged in Barcelona.
It comes after Team New Zealand rejected an offer from the Government last year to keep the cup defence at home.
Dalton told Newshub Live at 8pm he sympathised with those who were unhappy with the move.
"The reality is, would those people like us to crumble, wilt and be run over by a billionaire's truck in New Zealand or would they like us to keep hold of [the Cup] or have a chance of keeping hold of it with a financial robust team that defends offshore?"
Dalton said the decision wasn't made lightly.
"Let's be really clear; if the Cup was able to be funded in New Zealand to a level… that it could be retained and be defended successfully, it would still be there."
Dalton said the "unprecedented times" of the COVID-19 pandemic were largely to blame.
But he reiterated no single person was at fault for the situation.
"It's a situation of the times," he said. "It's just part of the America's Cup - if you can't fund it, you can't defend it. You can't even sail in it.
"You can't do a proper campaign if it's not well funded."
Dalton said the team was the priority.
Team New Zealand being protected was at the heart of the decision, he said.
"Everything else is second; the venue and the event are hugely important but a team and its success is its ability to bind together and not be bigger than a single individual."
