Punta Galea, Spain. Site of the Punta Galea Challenge. Photo: ASP
The World Surf League is teaming up with Universal Sports Network to provide exclusive coverage of the upcoming 2015/2016 Big Wave Tour. The new deal, which begins as this week marks the beginning of a new competition window, will air four of the tour’s seven events: The Oregon Challenge in Lincoln City, Orgeon, the Punta Galea Challenge in Spain, Hawaii’s Pe’ahi Challenge and the Todos Santos Challenge from Mexico.
“We are honored to partner with Universal Sports Network to bring the exhilaration of Big Wave surfing to millions in America,” said Big Wave Tour commissioner Peter Mel. “The BWT is extremely excited that this deal gives us the opportunity – conditions permitting – to broadcast four heart-pounding Big Wave events to millions of fans, especially the Pe’ahi Challenge in Hawaii.” The “conditions permitting” qualifier references the possibility that the new deal doesn’t guarantee live broadcasts of each event. As is the challenge with all surf contests, competition windows and constantly changing conditions don’t match up well with organized, scheduled television productions. Add this to the spur of the moment format within the Big Wave Tour, in which events go on “Green Alert” and athletes have 72-hour notice to make their first heat. When events aren’t broadcast live they will air on delay, along with the agreement to air replays of 2014/2015’s Billabong Pico Alto and the Quiksilver Ceremonial from Chile.
