The "Sport of Kings" is so totally egalitarian!
I had a wonderful lunch, yesterday, with a good friend who is also a professional surfer. He told me, while munching a fish taco, that the WQS events are very expensive to do, travel-wise, and that they are getting dropped one after the other because no company wants to sponsor a 1 star. The last three in a row, apparently, have been dropped and some 6 stars too and things are not looking good for the young waterman wanting to scratch on to the big tour.
“Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm…” I thought and then asked, “What is the bar one has to hop over in order to surf in a 1 star?”
His answer shocked me. Nothing! Nothing at all! There is no minimum level of surf talent required in order to surf, professionally, in a surf contest. The only thing one has to do is pay $800 for a membership in some nefarious surf thing and then a $200 registration fee and then, if a 1 star can be found, you or I could slide into a singlet and be officially professional.
Does that not amaze you? Are you behind a desk right now? Are you doing something you loathe? Find your boss right now and scream, “I quit! I am going to do what God put me on this earth to do! I am going to sign up for the Murasaki Shonan Open and, if the WSL runs it, I am going to surf professionally!”
“Oh. And can I get a quick $800 advance on my last paycheck? Thanks.”
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Cry along with Beach Grit as they get upset, cry, and bitch about every non issue they can think of to cry about.
Qualification should be via “likes” on facebook.
So you’d rather there be a massive barrier to entry? How would that be fair?
I mean, it’s not like the NFL has any entry barriers.
Yeah. Let’s compare a massive multi-billion dollar operation with a TERRIBLE front-office and process regarding entry into the league that borders on corrupt.
How exactly would you change the process re: qualifying for the Tour?
It’s a surf league now. Sell franchises to rich folks, and they draft teams. Pay their guys what they can. Amateur series is the minor leagues. Easy.
A skill barrier? Yes!
But how do you do that? How does one “prove” the skills in order to qualify for QS events? Are we to make yet another circuit below the QS?
Maybe if you win your division in the local board riders?
So an organization struggling to find revenue ought to turn down $1K for first round fodder? I think not! Maybe you can send me in as an undercover reporter to dive deeper into the story?!
the qualitiy in chases post is so fucking low
” Chas’ “