Photo: Ed Sloane//WSL
The surf sponsorship landscape has been in flux for a while now. A dwindling pool of sponsors means wave riders have taken to looking farther afield for patrons. The latest to do so is Jack Robinson, who followed up his recent win at the Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach with an announcement that he’s joining the roster of the cryptocurrency exchange Binance.
Gone are the days when more than just the top of the top surfers could rely on surf industry sponsors to earn a living (just look at Caio Ibelli’s recent departure from the Challenger Series as proof). Furthermore, what few remaining sponsorship opportunities were left have continued to dwindle, with industry heavyweights like Billabong dropping athletes right and left. So, for the humble professional wave rider, the choice seems to be to either turn to social media content creation, or look for some random company to sign up with (or more likely both).
In a press release announcing the development, Binance provided an interesting justification for why a cryptocurrency exchange would want to throw money at a surfer. “Jack’s fearless approach to surfing resonates with the ethos of Binance,” said James Quinn-Kumar, Director of Community Engagement, Binance Australia and New Zealand. “Surfing is the ultimate expression of freedom, just as blockchain and crypto offer the freedom of financial self-expression, and together we want to further our mission to educate Australians about the opportunities presented by digital assets.”
In exchange, Robinson will now serve as a Binance Australia ambassador, “working to educate Australians about digital assets, blockchain technology, and the broader crypto ecosystem.” He joins a roster that also includes Cristiano Ronaldo and the BWT Alpine Formula One team.
Take the money and run, Robbo.
