Surf fans react!
I was forwarded a very fine story today titled Update: Streaming from J-Bay and while it would have looked much better if it was titled Update: Streaming from J-Bay! I still enjoyed it very much. Which parts? Funny you should ask. I enjoyed:
While many fans worldwide are experiencing our high-quality coverage of the Corona Open J-Bay on Facebook, there are some that aren’t at the moment.
We would like to apologize again for any inconvenience. The technical challenges are being worked on.
We remain committed and excited about sharing the stoke of surfing with Facebook, and to grow the audience for the benefit of the sport going forward.
But mostly I enjoyed what all those worldwide fans experiencing the WSL’s high-quality coverage of the Corona Open J-Bay on Facebook. They wrote:
Thanks, now that the men’s contest is over and, for the first time in years, I didn’t get to watch anything. 👎🏼👎🏼👎🏼
THANKS A LOT, BECAUSE I’M ALMOST POSITIVE THAT THE MAJORITY OF THE WORLD WATCHING WSL WOULD MUCH RATHER WATCH ON THE WSL APP THEN HAVING TO LOG INTO FACEBOOK JUST TO WATCH OUR BELOVED SURFING CONTESTS. ALL NIGHT LONG FACEBOOK WAS BUFFERING AND KICKING ME OUT AND IT WAS REALLY IRRITATING TO SAY THE LEAST. IF THIS PROBLEM CANT GET FIXED HOW ELSE AM I SUPPOSED TO WATCH IT.
IF I HAVE TO ID RATHER PAY FOR A SMALL SUBSCRIPTION TO WSL THEN TO HAVE TO HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH FACEBOOK.
Facebook it is the worst ever, with a lot of cracks, please back to the last transmition or use the youtube for it, they are much better!!
anybody with a spine will not do facecrook, only the spineless will eat this crap. been watching wsl since it first hit the net and now to hear that they bent over for facecook
Facebook and the wallet of WSL’s CEO will be the only ones who will benefit from this new partnership! The number of new “surf fans” the WSL gains through Facebook will be minimal compared to the number of fans it will lose from its core audience by alienating them. On the other hand, any surfer who decides to signup for Facebook will end up being a net gain for Facesuck… Good luck WSL!
At last a bit of sanity prevails, the damage that going to Facebook has done to our sport is disgusting. Sophie and the rest of the hierarchy at WSL give yourselves an F for Failure for your ridiculous decision about Facebook. We the spectators of a beautiful sport will give you a small tick of approval for going back to your normal broadcast, but we won’t accept the rubbish you are attempting to force upon us. Spectators maintain the rage, weight of numbers have toppled governments, stopped wars and we can win this battle.
WSL you lost me as a viewer. Such a shame to see this direction your going.
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You post nazi propaganda ✔️
You don’t like being called right-wing or nazi ✔️
I despise that kind of behaviour ✔️
You tell me where I went wrong.
You wouldn’t believe how I much despise twats like you who post nazi propaganda but don’t want to be labelled a nazi. Grow a pair.
Grow the audience by going to a platform that is banned in the world’s most populous country…. 🤔
He’s in jail for filming in a courtroom you numpty
The ads are going to change soon. That has to be a top priority. They’re collecting demographics now. Then they’ll sell the info to brands and target ads specifically to you. Get ready 25-40 year old male, making 60+K and driving a four wheel drive vehicle, the ad breaks are about to be much longer.
This is the tribes police state being rolled out…..and Tommy is one of there men…psyops 100%… he’s all for Isrehell.
Google, Facebook and Twitter are the worst regarding free speech.
Fuck the WSL, fuck FB, fuck Tommy Robinson and fuck your right-wing prosecution complex.
Was Chas’ account deleted by him or by a third-party Stasi?
Our only hope is that Zuzu invites the WSL upper-management to his place on Kaua’i and they all get sucked out to sea together via the large and exceptionally dangerous channel directly out front.
You guys are not paying attention… surfing is being taken over by the tribe all wotw the same religion…he’ll this tribe controls everything….and they make the slaves pay to play and live…. boycott the bitchs…do yours research see what religion the top brass is from… wake up mates.
why was @reportsfromhell deleted? im actually more concerned that an instagram account has been deleted than with the whole facebook cockblock. Bobby and Noa were right. Say it with me now. #fuckthewsl
Up vote for Tommy Robinson mention.
Who gives a fuck which platform it’s on, I like watching contest surfing so as long as I can still get it for free I couldn’t give a fuck where I see it, stop ya winging Chas and all of you fucking kooks commenting about fuck all, if you don’t like it fucking stop watching and it will either improve or disappear, then you’ll have absolutely fuckall to whinge about,
On FB, everyone among your friends can see if you’re watching and for how long. Even if you’re at work, your colleagues, your parents-in-law, family relatives you hate etc etc… Don’t you understand it’s fucking intrusive?
Don’t your value privacy at all?
Plus Facebook is not exactly Beach-Grit-core-surf-culture compliant.
Tommy don’t surf
He’s too busy being jailed for trying to wake up a country.
He’s a racist fuckwit.
Makes me wonder how many actual “surfers” are watching this. When ya click on profiles of commentators on FB most don’t seem like actual surfers. It’s all a scene. An appearance. Status, I surf etc. Anyone who has travelled recently would fully understand.
Yep. I see a lot of people in parking lots up here who look like they just stepped out of a Patagonia ad, but are rank beginner surfers. They surf bad enough already, and instead of choosing easy boards they stock their surf vans with wacky soulful hipster alterna-boards that look good under the arm on Instagram. They like being surfers online more than surfing itself. They vacation in Sayulita. All from the big cities off the coast of course – the coastal guys drive whatever car they happen to already own to the beach with a standard second-hand tri-fin that’s thick enough to float their ability level. They all eventually get good!
Fuck, you nailed it man. So embarrassing.
I’m gagging to know what Chas got threatened with by the WSL / FaceyGram.
Oooh the intrigue!
yes gimme!
I enjoyed watching JBay and appreciate that it’s free. Prefer the previous setup.
I once heard people say surfers are true rebels. Will people be labelled as such if they complain about FB streaming? So if we do rebel are we rebelling against the establishment FB and WSL or the prevailing commercialisation environment we are in? Maybe both. Here lies the fundamental irony. A passion based on freedom in every sense of the word is corporatised at the highest and most international level by a private company. As long as WSL being a for profit company commercialisation will always come first. A radical idea is to turn it into a non profit but private organisation. Run it purely for the benefit of athletes and members. Decisions are to be made by both the board and the surfers representatives. A democracy. Is that a too outlandish idea? Maybe we will never find out.
Maybe there can be a hybrid form. Owners of wave pools act as simple asset owners. But they don’t own or control top surfers. WSL becomes not for profit and works in partnerships with other players for the advancement of the sport in a wholistic way including money making.
It is possible that such an organisation may be less business savvy. But given the millions of surfers I am sure there is a way for this organisation to do well and thrive.
Sorry for the rant. Just pointing out what I see as a fundamental disconnect between the top brass and the base. Even in Roman Empire times people got to elect the senate. This FB issue has allowed surfers to come forward to tell the top brass what they really think. A gladiator show run by a money making machine has its limits and it better adapt.
Just a hypothetical, do you think the WSL are taking the 30 mil for the next two years, torturing everyone with the shit viewing experience, then come end of contract, move it all to pay per view ? By then everyone will be well and truly happy to pay for it.
they could do that bait and switch now, if they had some (gal) balls.
Twitter is for politicians now. It was Chas’s Instagram that got cut. Cuz he’s hip and boobies aren’t easily rendered in 140/280 characters.
I can’t even look at or talk about professional surfing at the moment. I’m taking a sabbatical.
Fuck I understand that mate. So embarrassing isn’t it. I actually think a lot of real surfers don’t watch it.