What is it that you the humble surfer, a true surfer, a real surfer, want to see most from the organisation that is currently the custodian of professional surfing?
Let me answer that for you, as it’s the easiest question in the fucking world. The best surfers doing the best surfing on the best waves. Simple!
But no! Not according to the WSL.
They believe what we need right now is a vomitous, overly produced, dude bro dripping, cheese injected, pink and blue doughnut with sprinkles, cat water-skiing behind a boat, canned laughter utilising, couldn’t be more facebook if it tried, surfing variety show hosted by two blokes named Chad (yes, Chad) and JT who seem incapable of saying anything other than “What up!”.
Forget the fact that they fucked the Pipe Masters and the Triple Crown, Forget the fact that they lost Fiji, what the WSL really needs to focus on right now is LOLs. “Look honey, that man is riding a coffee table behind a boat! These surfers are crazy! let’s engage in their product and watch every event from now on!”
I’m not sure if the WSL could be more distanced from their core audience if they tried, and the sad part is that I believe they will try.
What of the surfers on tour? What is the cringe level? Surely there must be a divide forming between them and the powers that be. At the end of the day they are real surfers, and I don’t believe a true surfer could be watching this all unfold and think everything was ok. Is this what they want to be associated with? If I were a surfer on tour I’d be asking myself whether damage was being done to my brand.
Perhaps this rant is guilty of being a little too heavy on the vitriol, but fuck it, as a lifelong surfer this one hurts.
