Anti-anti-depressive.
The Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach is currently underway and now that the Billabong Pipeline Masters has been reduced to the Billabong Pro Pipeline I do believe the argument could be made that it is the most historically significant surf contest on the planet.
It has been run, continuously save Covid ravaged 2020, off Torquay’s rugged shore since 1961, always over Easter week. Australian rock n’ roll anthem Hell’s Bells is played every morning before the first day of competition. The trophy, designed by local Joe Sweeney, is iconic.
Morris Cole.
It is also the only event on the World Surf League Championship Tour schedule that demands an entrance fee.
A middle-aged man who longed dreamed of witnessing the spectacle saved all his money for years and years, cutting his children’s bread rations by 1/3 and taking extra night shifts. He toiled and sweated and eventually had just enough to travel to Melbourne, bus to Torquay and make pilgrimage except when he arrived at the top of those iconic steps was met with a ticket booth charging exorbitant fees for the pleasure.
Money changers in the temple.
Dejected he turned away after direct messaging me, “A bit of Bells fodder. $10 entry fee to watch. Obviously I said fuck that and went home.”
I, too, was once slapped by that bit of dirty pool. The world’s favorite surfer Mick Fanning and I had recently become entangled in an imbroglio and, thus, my invite to Bells was discontinued. I thought, “I’ll show you and come anyway…” so there I went, to Torquay, and there I saw the fee and there I obviously said “fuck that” and went back to the public house.
Wild.
But, more to the point, how much would you pay to witness professional surfing live and in person?
$5?
$3.50?
(Australian of course).
More as the story develops.
I would pay $100 if Kaipo is banned.
Anything to keep the grumpy locals out
But what song did they play every morning before 1980? Do some real journalism would ya
Sweet F.A.
No wonder Ziff can’t make WSL work. Didn’t any one ever tell him that surfers are a freeloading rabble who won’t pay for anything unless they have to. Maybe equipment but there are ways that can be gotten around that of course. Paying to go on a cliff or a beach to watch pro surfing. Ha ha not going to happen ever. They’ll be expecting the piss poor boarders to pay to park up their kombis next.
If you can post up at the Bay and watch the Eddie run for free, which I was lucky enough to do in 2016.. Paying to watch onshore slop at Bells, definitely falls into the fuck that category.
I was on the cliff watching Mavs 2010 when Bertish won on a massive day. A sneaker wave came in and took out the stage where a band was playing, tmusicians all got washed into the sea with their instruments and two ladies got a broken leg.
I might have thought about paying for that, the memory will last a lifetime.
If they were giving away free beer I might go but pay to go….What are they thinking they will make by selling tickets ? its not football
As I understand it the tickets are not so much designed for profit as they are to track crowd numbers. Because it’s a protected area they can only have limited numbers – the tickets allow them to track the numbers each day. I imagine there would not be much profit left by the time they pay the admin/enforcement costs of the ticketing system.
Hard to imagine why anyone would pay? Who gets the money anyway?
Good point may be worth paying if you new the money went to saving local endangered rattlesnake..
Is this for real! I have just arrived from UK 2 days ago on a Bells Pilgrimage only to find the exact same scenario. 2 years exile, 12k trip then ‘sorry mate, no ticket, no beach! What? But! Oh well….
Watched for free for about 20 minutes on the big screen with some bourbon. Then I realized it was shitty waves and mostly boring surfing. At that point I switched to Winning Time which is definitely worth the price of admission.
I hate being around people so I like to watch sports on the couch with a fridge full of cold ones and door dash on speed dial.
I’ve only seen one big comp in real life, and that was just for a couple of heats at Keramas in 2013 when Porko won.
Pretty lame show really, boring as all shit, luckily Bintang saved the day…
Between the Brokeback pic and the realization that WSL isn’t holding a Championship level event at HB this year I feel lost. Lost knowing that Ronnie G won’t be at HB nor will a BG tent be there selling “What Would Ronnie G Do” t-shirts!
Why would I pay to go when I can read longtom’s report at swellnet? (Where’s JP?)
yeah, where’s our write-up, goddamn it? I need to be told what to think before day 2 starts (it’s almost time!)
George Bernard Shaw: Madam, would you sleep with me for a million pounds?
Actress: My goodness, Well, I’d certainly think about it.
George Bernard Shaw: Would you sleep with me for a pound?
Actress: Certainly not! What kind of woman do you think I am?!
George Bernard Shaw: Madam, we’ve already established that. Now we are haggling about the price.
Would pay the $10 to see JMD eating a meat pie while chatting to Tyler about her layback jam.
Think they bring food into the bedroom Ala Costanza?? 🤷🏽♂️
JMD would pay $10 to see Tyler eat her meat pie.
I wouldn’t go if they paid me $10
Rip(off)Curl
i’d pay about 0.0025 goatcoin, kelly’s new unsustainable crypto currency established from an understated approach to finance and an overstated approach to internet bullshit. for reference, that much goatcoin is worth about 7 stanley nickels.
what is the exchange rate to Shrutebucks?