Writer/Surfer

As a fan, candidly, this contest is fucked. Photo: Instagram/ @thesurfinghobo


The Inertia

By now you’re likely well aware of a secret contest at Kelly Slater’s Surf Ranch in Lemoore, California happening today (we’ve opined on it here and here). The WSL is live blogging the goings-on, curating the small morsels of information and video being fed to the general public. And beyond that, a handful of folks with the golden ticket have posted images and video to Facebook and Instagram. But there is no live stream, and, we were told, absolutely no press.

The event’s not just being called “a test” but “the test,” and from what we gather and info that’s been leaked, a handful of surfers are competing while spectators ogle. Who, you ask? “Everyone from competitors, organizers, judges, broadcasters, sponsors and even a delegation of the sport’s founders are on hand to witness the technology that will have a dramatic effect on the future of surfing’s evolution,” says the WSL blog. A who’s who in the surf world and beyond. We mentioned Elon Musk was on the guest list – still no confirmation if the Space X/Tesla exec actually shot up to cow country. And we also received confirmation that VICE would be there, but not in a media coverage capacity. Curiously not one surf media outlet got the invite.

As a writer for this site, one can’t help but feel like an AV Club nerd playing video games at home instead of going to his senior prom. There’s plenty to be sour about. But allow me, if you will, to remove my affiliations and speak to you as nothing more than a fan of professional surfing. And as a fan, candidly, this whole “secret contest” is fucked.

Surfing, and by extension professional surfing, is at a precipice. And thanks to wave pools, the Olympics, and social media, things are changing rapidly. Over the past few years, the World Surf League has wandered haplessly trying to find its stride – a new brand trying to thread the needle, making professional surfing profitable. Indeed, few other sports deal with the logistical quagmire that is a venue that, quite literally, changes by the second. Then trying to find a way to package that dynamic venue for TV. Enter Kelly Slater, who with a team of mad scientists developed a wave pool technology that made the surfing world collectively swoon, and suddenly it was an answer to the WSL’s prayers. WSL Holdings later acquired Kelly Slater Wave Company, which brings us to “the test.”

Mind you, the WSL has every right to test their technology behind closed doors. And for all intents and purposes, this test is really a pitch. An elaborate one, for sure, but a pitch to people and brands with deep pockets demonstrating what a contest might look like in a “your name here” scenario. The WSL is perfectly within its rights as the governing body of a sport to panhandle for cash with flash and whiz-bang. All while also ironing out the kinks of potential coverage. And to be fair, this new capability has different logistical hurdles that need to be overcome–namely having machinery involved in the making of a wave.

By maintaining exclusivity, though, the League has played its hand showing who it views as “everyone” worthy of being “on hand to witness the technology that will have a dramatic effect on the future of surfing’s evolution.” But “everyone” does not include fans. “Everyone” does not include every surf media outlet that for better or worse has emboldened storylines and created additional coverage of world tour events since the beginning. Hell, it doesn’t even include all the surfers currently on tour.

A line has been drawn in the sand – who the WSL views as of particular strategic importance for the future of our sport, and who’s on the outs.

The shittiest part is that like a bad cable company, the WSL has us fans by the balls because there’s no alternative. As much as I hate to admit, I’m certain I’ll watch any and all coverage, as I’m sure most of you will. And I’ll enjoy it – the surfing I mean. All while hating how it was done and why. Because secrets are no fun.

 
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