USA Surfing is beefing up its staff ahead of LA 2028 — even if its Olympic governing status is still undefined. Photo: USA Surfing
Todd Kline is best known for holding the microphone at the 2011 Quiksilver Pro in New York while Bobby Martinez went on his infamous “tennis tour” tirade. But what the layman may not realize is that Kline’s career in surfing started long before, and continued long after, his viral moment with Martinez.
Kline was a pro surfer himself, worked at Quiksilver for 16 years in various roles, and has been a commentator for WSL Championship Tour events and ISA Olympic qualifiers. (He can also wrangle a bass with the best of them). It’s this deep well of knowledge that he’ll bring to his new role as surf athlete commissioner for USA Surfing.
Kline told The Inertia that, he’ll “be a critical and independent voice for surfers across all disciplines,” bridging the gap between leadership, athletes, and surfing’s institutional authorities, the World Surf League and International Surfing Association. According to Kline, an immediate priority is harnessing the energy around the LA 2028 Olympics, taking place in USA Surfing’s backyard at Lower Trestles in San Clemente.
“We need to celebrate this and put our best foot forward to take gold on our home court,” said Kline.
Kline’s appointment and Olympic enthusiasm come at a sensitive time for the organization. USA Surfing is currently applying to regain its Olympic certification status from the USOPC after voluntarily decertifying following Tokyo 2020 due to audits that revealed governance and financial issues. The U.S. Ski and Snowboard Federation, which had surprisingly become a challenger to govern the sport, withdrew its bid in November, but that doesn’t guarantee a win for USA Surfing. The USOPC could still opt to govern the sport itself as it did for Paris 2024.
Kline stressed that securing more sponsor and donor support will be key, an issue highlighted during the nearly year-long PR battle with U.S. Ski and Snowboard. While snow athletes were working with a yearly budget of $61.7 million, USA Surfing had been operating on an annual budget of around $870,000.
By blending his history as a pro with his corporate and media background, Kline serves as a bridge between the water and the office. He believes this dual perspective enables him to represent athletes authentically while navigating the complexities of the sport’s business side.
“My experience allows me to be both an empathetic advocate and an effective communicator at the highest levels with our surfers’ best interest leading my decisions,” said Kline.
Kline acknowledges that his biggest challenge will be maintaining his role as an independent athlete voice while coordinating with USA Surfing’s leadership team.
“The key will be maintaining that independent, trusted status with the athletes while ensuring my advocacy is constructive and strategically aligned with the broader goals of the organization, especially with the pressures and timelines leading up to the LA28 Games,” he said.
Adding Kline as a new voice will be crucial to USA Surfing delivering on its promise. First, however, the organization must regain its certification status. Without that, Kline will have his hands tied as far as the potential impact he can make.
But if the steady hand he kept on the mic while Bobby Martinez torched the then ASP is any indicator, Kline is more than prepared to navigate the uncertain waters ahead of the LA Olympics.
