Proof, if it was needed, of pro surfing's enduring, worldwide appeal…
Ever since Fred Hemmings kicked off pro surfing in 1976, the river of gold, the Eldorado of massive audience engagement, has always been presumed to live somewhere in middle America or Europe.
If these non-surfers can be engaged, so goes the reasoning, well, there ain’t no reason why pro surfing can’t be as big as NFL or the NBA: salaries in the tens of millions, cities and towns at a standstill as they watch Willian Cardoso examine the colourful reef fish in the Teahupoo channel, families sunk deep in their microfibre couches as they watch six hours of surfing over twelve non-elimination heats in day one, of four.
Earlier today, a BeachGrit fan from the Netherlands emailed an example of the audience the WSL is hitting, indicative, perhaps, of pro surfing’s bright future.
Ms Cornelia Van Helden is a middle-aged divorcée from the Netherlands…and…a fan of the WSL’s Facebook livestream, posting live during the Red Nose São Sebastião Pro Maresias, a minor WQS event.
The language is clumsy, says the reader, but the intention, the joy, is clear.
Cornelia writes: “So neat, surfing is a wonderful game” followed by a palette of flower emojis.
Great news, yes?
And, certainly not, as the reader suggested, proof the WSL might be fiddling with its audience numbers with various bots etc.
ha
Right.. like a master and commander type epoch!!
they really should make a kick ass movie about the conquistadors getting fucked up after fucking the locals. that tale really is missing from our history books. The Mission was a good one with DeNiro.
So just today, at the popular El Ranchito restaurant chain, I walked in for a late lunch. There was just two other people there, a 60+ couple who I joined at the bar. The man was sporting a twin dread or a dual tail, depending on interpretation, and an otherwise shaved head. He was also wearing a Freshwater Pro 2019 tee shirt.
I just had to ask.
Well, he went as his wife bought him a VIP ticket.
Bottom line: loved every minute, won $200 at Tachi and won another $240 on a lotto scratcher at a local gas station. Stayed for the band-his fav-and couldn’t say enough about the whole experience. Was a sponger 30 years ago so he knew his Kanoa from his Gabriel and was genuinely stoked on the whole deal.
Middle ‘merica is tuning in!
Well, there you go!
But when there is a recession what are the first things that go bye bye?? Corporate catering lunches, $150/mo. Crossfit memberships and pool corpo retreats..
So posting a shit ton of shark stories is a cooler way to jack the numbers than making burner accounts, good to know. I wonder if it’s all randomly generated or if there’s actual people (call centre type setup) getting paid to make these accounts and fuck around with the names, pics, comments etc. I’d have a dead set field day if that was my job but don’t imagine it pays many bills.
I’ve become addicted to the blood-curdling tale of the man-eating shark.
Hoist the tale upon your shoulders and parade it through town you #1 small surf website visionary! For real though are you guys making bank over the last month or two? Or is being #1 more about keeping it off Goggans?
yes, where do i apply for such fun!!??
I’m kinda getting over reading articles criticising the WSL. It’s just a bit too easy. Can one of you go and do something remotely investigative. I am not asking for much. Even if you just find out what style g-banger Sage runs or something. I’m getting bored shitless here.
I’m staking out Conelia’s* windmill as we speak to see if she’s part of any nefarious rightwing activist groups we could tie the WSL too. ELO’s got aryan supremacist written all over him.
*autocorrect there but it’s actually even funnier
God, so true. I’m boring myself. And, naked, I think.
Tomorrow’s headline: BeachGrit joins wall of positive noise: calls Moratorium on WSL slander!
you naked is never boring!
Amen. Tacking tomorrow!
If only surfing was more interesting.
wiggs, once it is down, it is necessary to pummel, knee and step on the neck till they tap out or the ref jump in.. no?? the WSL needs to come clean, make a dam change in France and try, just fucking try to be real once and for all.. Let the current crop of commentators say what they want and see what happens in Europe.. “well Medina is sleep walking through his heat, looks like he is going to be surfing later today again.. think he might be a bit hung over, as I heard report he was up late with a bevy of delish Portuguese fans last night.. Charlie was eerily close behind… fretting nervously that he was not getting his sleep as the Apple Bedtime chime was dinging upon his phone.. more zambuca shots is what I heard.”
Her porno won’t play?
That image is totally heading that way – engaged that old dutchy Cornelia into a patriotic fervor.
If I’ve said it once I’ve said it a thousand times, man-on-man is good for surfers not for surfing.
I’ll think about it later
Never a wiser word spoken
Man in man is good too
Yes it is!