Bombshell explodes as World Surf League allegedly detonates its much ballyhooed “WSL Studios” overnight sending tens of employees to the unemployment line without warning and pivoting hard away from original media!

Well shoots.

It felt like only minutes ago, though in reality it was probably months/years, that the World Surf League had decided that “content” and “media” was its future thereby launching the ambitious WSL Studios and poised for riches.

Films.

Shows.

HBO etc.

Well, an explosive new rumor, from a great and handsome source, has just floated across BeachGrit‘s perpetually sunny horizon, like a World War II balloon bomb of old, that declares the much ballyhooed WSL Studios was shuttered overnight, multiple employees fired without warning, and this is the end?

Of that?

Heir of publishing money who turned it into hedge fund capital and a co-Waterperson of the Year title Dirk Ziff, who purchased the World Surf League, then the Association of Surfing Professionals, for free some ten years ago, has sunk over an alleged half billion United States dollars into the venture but decided that the only thing that matters is the tours and the shoulder content associated with the selfsame tour, not independent films based upon the “Rise and Fall of Gabriel Medina” which may have been very good.

The sparkling white Vans sporting Erik Logan, brought over from the highly successful Oprah Winfrey Network, was theoretically the man for that WSL Studios job. His place remains safe, as CEO of the whole shebang for the time being, but tens of others are out on the streets, maybe starving, and without warning.

This whole business is, theoretically, supposed to be kept mum until Friday but thank you BeachGrit for hustling the news forthwith because Friday is generally not chill for news.

I am almost certain that “Thank you, BeachGrit” is uttered in the Ziff household nightly.

Longboarding.

And, as always, more as the story develops.