Have you heard Stab’s new podcast series they are calling Stab Mic? They are only 2 episodes in, and I’ve really enjoyed it so far, as admittedly aimless as it may be. Dane Reynolds brings an entertainment factor to just about anything he does, and Stab is probably lucky to have him stick around with enough interest in it for the time being.
Anyways, the real story here isn’t about Dane, nor is it about the podcast in general. This is about what other co-host Damien Fahrenfort, aka Doomas Roomas had said on the first episode. Big News. The word from the South African commentator, surfer, and agent is this:
The WSL is officially up for sale; asking price – $400 million.
You will, of course, remember when Netflix was said to have made an offer to buy the World Surf League in 2021, only for negotiations to fall apart over the price tag. One can only wonder now, what kind of numbers were being discussed. Dooma did also say that the WSL would have to prove profitability to anyone trying to make the purchase – thus I believe is the issue.
It has been long reported that the Woz currently loses somewhere between $10 – $50 million per year. How they plan to prove the company is profitable – I do not know. What I can confirm is a brand new On-Demand WSL channel called ‘WSL24/7’, which is supposed to be available on platforms like Plex and Sling Freestream. Maybe this is a step in the right direction? Since the WSL’s financial numbers are not, and have not been public, we can only speculate.
In other news, there is a lot of drama surrounding the Olympic 2028 Qualifications. The ISA released a post that had explained how a surfer can qualify for the Olympics. Surfers from all shapes and sizes of the globe commented on the post in heavy disagreement. The ISA has since put out a clarification post about Qualifications, and I still have no clue what it takes to get on an Olympic Team.
Some journalism, right? If it’s not clear already, I’ve got to read more into this. WSL CEO Ryan Crosby was also seen amongst the comments, citing lack of communication, cancelled meetings and the lot – accusing the ISA of being difficult to work with. I’ll be back soon with more details on this situation as it develops.
Look at that; sounding like some news anchor or something.
Cheers,
hwilsin
Drew Stanfield