I was originally going to write this post with a much more fatalistic approach. After much deliberation, I’ve thought myself into an optimistic viewpoint. Erik Logan is successfully creating the PGA Tour of surfing, and I am eagerly rubbing my hands together at the thought of what an LIV Tour for surfing could look like. If you’re unfamiliar, the LIV is being called ‘The Rebel Tour’ of golf. So, do what you will with the thought of a rebel tour birthed into our indigent world of surfing.
ELo actually framed his response to The Petition nicely. He came off as serious and sincere. He made it very clear that the WSL is a business, with a business plan that is already set in motion, and it cannot be deterred from its predestination. So in short, the surfers were clearly denied their request. Here are the key points:
- He says “Our Sport is growing!” – mentioning the Bells contests ‘consumption’ was up 35% from the last year it ran – 2019.
- The WSL is in the best position to grow moving forward, due to the season long narratives (mentioned at least 4 times), the quality of breaks for the CT and CS, & sponsorship engagement.
- The WPS, the WSL, and the surfers all co-developed and agreed to all changes in July 2020.
- The change was brought on for 3 apparent reasons: 1) events can run ‘within one optimal swell cycle’ 2) creating a season long narrative and 3) driving fan engagement with strong narratives at each event, in turn increasing value to sponsors.
- The cut and redesign is the plan already set in place. The train has left. 1)Entire tour strategy redesigned with significant resources put towards its success. 2) New partnership pitches, garnering the ‘highest level of interest’ due to newly raised stakes. 3) Already entered into multi-year deals. 4) Shortened event windows for CT events this year. 5) Marketing & promotion created for the redesign. 6) Invested in digital & broadcast products to welcome in the cut.
- Making a change now would be destructive to the company (And our sport!) by breaching contracts, ruining partnerships with sponsors & governments, and putting events at risk of being canceled.
- The petition was ‘painfully untrue in many respects – and wrongly attempted to portray an adversarial relationship.’
- There are strong relationships between the WSL and the surfers, and the bonds will grow. WSL wishes this was not the way the surfers chose to speak out. WSL understands the concerns at the first mid year cut, but they believe they have presented surfers a fair opportunity to be cut and then re-qualify via the CS in the same year.
- The company is in the best position it has ever been in, “now is not the time to change course.”
The way that he wrote the piece was much more palatable than what the surfers presented. He did say he wanted to be clear at least 3 times, so we’re pretty clear sure that he was being clear and sincere. He invited all of the surfers for a Q&A the day after this reply was sent. I have heard no whispers on what transpired in this event, but everyone showed up to Margaret’s, and the surfers strutted away, tails between their legs.
An interesting side note, this response was sent out April 14th. Erik Logan just did an interview with boardsportsource.com on June 17th in which he now says the Wozzle is up 62% in digital audience, and up 25% in length of consumption on its products. Curious to see where these figures change from the 35% at Bells. Also as a side thought, didn’t the surfboard industry see like a 100%+ growth during the pandemic? I would figure that could turn some solid numbers for the WSL.
The “season long narratives” seems to be the driving force behind the whole cut. And being honest, the guy’s got a point. Even after the cut, I’ve been drawn to see who will make the final 5 at Lowers, knowing that surfers in the 5-3 spots are a long shot to win the title anyways. Medina in the 4 or 5 spot would be sooo juicy. I could imagine a jostling spot for sponsors vying to get the last event before the cut. Seems like a nice job by ELo on this front.
I also previously covered how the surfers bitching about no rest time between events sounded like your head hitting the softest pillow you’ve ever touched. Soft. The WSL did a great job of structuring the event schedules in my opinion – albeit we have seen an uncanny timing for the last 2 CT events. I also briefly touched on the WPS and the surfers agreeing to, and inputting on this whole cut scenario with the Whistle, only to backtrack when it comes to fruition. “A deal is a deal.” if I remember correctly.
I thought the whole deal about events “running within one optimal swell cycle” was pretty funny. This is me speaking as a fan now, but the ‘optimal swell cycle’ that we saw in G-Land was a few days prior to the event window opening up. We all saw clips of it. All of the surfers were there. Why couldn’t they have got the contest up and running then? Or how about the swell that hit a few days later? Is the local government not willing to bend once you’re there spending all that money? Does it have to run on this tight of a schedule? These are sincere questions that I would love answers to.
The part when he said getting rid of the cut would be detrimental to our sport actually hurt me. Would surfing have up and croaked if the mid year cut did not happen in 2022? I have a hard time believing that. Maybe I don’t know enough.
I kind of believe Logan’s side as far as the surfers pretty much going behind the WSL’s back and forming this petition. Again, maybe I’m not an insider and I have no clue of the whispers that have been transpiring for some time (?), but from an outsider’s perspective, this was a complete surprise. I can see that maybe the surfers really do have, or at least come off as having, a nice relationship with him and those of the front office.
Lastly, I hadn’t really thought of the chance that surfers really do have to requalify. It’s a pretty quick turnaround, and I already talked about the money. Like I said, they set it up pretty nicely for the surfers.
Laughable, but I went from wanting to roast ELo and his counter, to actually taking his side. I guess reading back The Petition, I was pretty fired up at the surfers. Granted, I still clearly have some questions I’d like answered, but this is what a blog is for right?
-hwilsin