*Formerly The Founders Cup.

And the media blitz has begun for what the World Surf League is now calling a “rodeo.” Sponsored content popped up in my instagram feed, hued brown, and declaring, “The rodeo is riding back into WSL Surf Ranch for summer’s biggest showdown**. Get stoked for the #FreshwaterPro brought to you by @outerknown. Get tickets etc.”

The video shows cheering crowds, splashing kids, professional surfing and the general public enjoying the festival-like atmosphere of Kelly Slater’s Surf Ranch in Lemoore, California.

Jack White’s band The Raconteurs are also the promised headlining act of the night’s action.

Do you remember last year when it was Blink-182*** but they dropped out and were replaced by Social Distortion?

I do.

I was there, though I left before the concert, to witness the spectacle and will say it was enjoyable-ish but will also say I won’t be back.

Too hot, too ugly, too monotonous, too far away.

Will you go?

And how do you feel about The Raconteurs?

Yay or nay?

*Formerly The Founders Cup.

**Keeping with the “ranch” theme, don’t you think the copy-writer meant “hoedown” instead of “showdown?”

*** Is Blink-182 really Blink-182 without Tom DeLonge? To me it’s not but I don’t recall officially deciding together.

"Honored and super excited!”

There seems to be two entirely different, entirely separate narratives when it comes to our World Surf League.

One one side we have the Grumpy Local. She enjoys the show, and very much, but can’t really imagine hundreds of thousands of fans tuning in to the monotone, nonsensical drone of ’89 World Champion Martin Potter and complete vacuousness of Joe Turpel. He also looked into the corner, during the Facebook Live day, and saw an embarrassingly low number of concurrent viewers dancing there, throwing frowny face’d emojis over the hot surfing action.

She sees Kelly Slater’s Surf Ranch never expanded beyond God’s least favorite town, title sponsors like Samsung fleeing and being replaced by Michelob Ultra Gold brewed with Organic Grains disappearing and being replaced BF Goodrich tires signing on for one contest only.

He sees money being thrown after money, neither good nor bad, but assumes it can’t keep up forever and the League will eventually either fold entirely, sell and get hacked to bits or morph into a slam-type tour with five majors a year and a handful of U.S. Open of Surfing-esque specialty events.

On the other side we have the glorious vision of the World Surf League itself. That this is the most exciting time in professional surfing’s history. That engagement is growing by an astronomical 25% year on year. That with the upcoming Olympics, surfing itself is ready to bust free from the stagnant backwater and become a force that rivals major sporting leagues from around the world.

Which is true? Who is right? I stand with the Grumpy Local, of course, but who knows because the League keeps snagging top-level talent and let’s read about the newest executive haul.

The World Surf League (WSL) has hired Nike marketing veteran Pri Shumate as its chief marketing officer, while the NFL UK’s head of marketing, Sarah Swanson, has been named senior vice-president of strategic insights and consumer growth.

Surfing and its associated organizations are already experiencing a boon in brand marketer interest before the sport makes its debut at the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo.

Shumate previously ran marketing for Nike’s global running business and departs after 17 years with the sportwear brand. Working out of Portland, Oregon, she previously led the company’s marketing activity throughout the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro and headed up its surfing brand, Hurley, as chief marketing officer.

In a statement, Shumate said she was “honored and super excited” to take on the same role at the WSL.

“There’s never been a better moment or opportunity to share what makes surfing so special with the world,” said the marketer. “I’ve approached every role I’ve ever had from the perspective of the consumer, in this case, the athletes, fans and people who love surfing, both the sport and culture.

“I can’t wait to dive in and get to know them better so that, as a team and a brand, we can continue to serve them well into the future and build further equity in the portfolio of WSL brands.”

Swanson will report into Shumate as senior vice-president of strategic insights and consumer growth – a new role for the league. She has been tasked with leading the WSL’s talent marketing division, as well as the data, insights and analytics division.

Swanson joins after building the NFL’s UK brand presence in London for the past four years.

“There is so much we can learn about what our fans, and our potential fans, want from us and look to us to deliver,” she said.

“I’m incredibly excited about the opportunity to learn, strategize and create opportunities to bring surfing and some of the world’s most talented and aspirational athletes to an even broader audience.”

Etc.

Now, what do you think about this? Do you believe in the power of surfing to unite and inspire or do you still hate anyone who paddles out and sits next to you in the lineup?

Can you wait to be known better and served?

Much to think upon.

Is Dirk Ziff now stuck building a product only his sworn enemy might enjoy if he gets to do it for free?

Just four days ago our great Longtom put the very final nail in the wave pool coffin, declaring the experiment a failed one, writing:

“Kelly boldly claimed wavepools would democratize surfing.

After four years that call looks staler than the August air at Lemoore. The wavepool looks deader than the Dodo. The way out for the WSL?

Remove Surf Ranch from the 2020 schedule, and reinvest in Trestles and Cloudbreak.”

He is, of course, right per the norm but look at yesterday’s piece and you’ll see a vision of Chinese surfing in their newest tank and read below about brave Scotsmen and Scotswomen building one of their own and let’s do that first before postulating rudely.

Wavegarden Scotland said it expects to create up to 130 jobs and generate up to £11 million for the local economy every year.

Andy Hadden, the co-founder of Tartan Leisure Ltd, which is developing Wavegarden Scotland, said: “We are delighted that Wavegarden Scotland has been approved and we can now start work on site to create this wonderful addition to Scotland’s sporting and leisure scene.

“We know that this facility will deliver many benefits for the local community and for Scotland.

“It will be a fantastic destination for locals and tourists alike, and Wavegarden Scotland will offer an amazing opportunity to nurture surfing and sporting talent in this country.

So while Longtom is right, per the norm, and the wavepool is deader than the Dodo it has also come back to life as a new and improved waterslide for people who have very little interest in surfing, surf culture, surf history etc.

Wavegarden, the Basque company quietly rolling out the most user-friendly splash parks, seems to have figured it out properly, grinding directly up against the World Surf League’s vision of high performance surf action. There are many Wavegardens around the world, earning money, plastering smiles across pale faces. There is still only one Kelly Slater’s Surf Ranch.

Barreling across Lemoore.

Newbies, shoobies and VALs don’t want technical, intermediate action, they want to play and have fun and “surf” the first time they stand on a brightly colored foam board.

Newbies, shoobies and VALs are, also, now the vast, and growing, majority of surfers.

Which brings me to my very important question. Did co-Waterperson of the Year (2018) Dirk Ziff completely misread the market, imagining that the average man on the ground in Toledo, Ohio wanted to bring his family somewhere they could all get sneaky little tubes for $5,000 dollars per day?

Is co-Waterperson of the Year (2018) Dirk Ziff now stuck building a product only his sworn enemy, the grumpy local, might enjoy if he gets to do it for free?

Much to discuss.

Be the next Tyson Beckford!

Our new, multicultural, multiethnic, multi-flavored era is the greatest thing currently going. So great, in fact, that even traditionally lilly-white surfing can’t help but be intoxicated by diversity. We need it more than most and crave it too and it is therefore my great honor to to announce that a leading men’s luxury brand is looking for some surf waterman flare and let’s read the casting call together.

(Leading men’s luxury brand) is in search of a black man who can surf dive and swim. Good looks are important but his athleticism is just as important. This is for an Upcoming campaign of shooting with (famous professional surfer) and (semi-famous athlete).

Is this you? Email [email protected]!

Is this your neighbor or your pal who you see regularly around town? Do the right thing and email me on his behalf.

If you take 15% of his cut you can then be his agent.

Good luck!