Hammer.

Students of competitive professional surfing know that the game extends far beyond our World Surf League and its Championship Tour. There is, also, the Challenger Series, Qualifying Series, Junior Tour and International Surfing Association World Surfing Games, to name but a few thrilling iterations.

There is also, of course, Olympic surfing introduced last year in Japan and set to roll out in 2024, 2028 and likely 2032 as the Games will be in Teahupo’o, Los Angeles and Brisbane, all surfing hubs. But you would imagine surfing gold the very height of achievement? Would you imagine surfing so lucky to be included?

According to California superstar, and current number twenty in the world, Kolohe Andino, f*ck no and, frankly, the other way around.

In a shockingly frank interview ahead of the aforementioned World Surf Games, currently underway in Huntington Beach, Andino unleaded a rebel yell:

“Being honest, more than surfing needs the Olympics, I think the Olympics needs surfing. I think the Olympics are pretty stale and boring and that surfing is the best sport in the world. You add surfing to the Olympics, I think more people will watch it.”

Hammer.

He followed a question from Pete Townend if he would attempt to qualify for the Olympics again and quickly answered, “100%. That’s like asking if the sun is going to come up tomorrow.”

Andino was subsequently defeated by Huntington Beach’s own Kanoa Igarashi, surfing for Japan, in the quarterfinals but, man.

Stale and boring?

Ouch.

Excuse me sir, may I have some more?

Days ago, core surf fans guffawed and side-eyed as World Surf League CEO Erik Logan released the almost unbelievable numbers surrounding the World Surf League’s Finals Day there on Lower Trestles cobbled stone. Underneath a picture of Logan hoisting a trophy, smiling ear to ear beneath manicured beard, the head of competitive professional surfing declared:

The day will go down as the biggest day in pro surfing. The data and the numbers are undeniable.

– Broke the record for the most watched day in WSL history by 22%
– Over 8.3 million total Livestream views (and still counting)
– Over 1 million viewers on linear TV globally, with more airings to come!

Psshhht.

Whatever.

Except, numbers are beginning to trickle in for the National Football League’s first Thursday Night game of the year from two days ago. Sporting fans will know that Amazon purchased the rights to the pre-weekend extravaganza from the League for a whopping 1.2 billion dollars per year and has completely renovated the evening from new announcers, fancy new camera angles, the works.

Historic in that it was the first exclusively streamed NFL game ever, much like the World Surf League streams its contests.

Well, early numbers suggest that the game ranked a bit lower in the home markets of the competing teams (Los Angeles and Kansas City) and will likely reach between 5 and 7 million total views.

Smashed to a pulp by Toledo, Gilmore and the velvety pipes of Joe Turpel!

World Surf League ex-CEO Paul Speaker prophetic!

WOW!

Surf great Kelly Slater's ears perk.

But do you remember where you were when you first heard that Patagonia’s founder Yves Chouinard was giving his 3 billion dollar company away in order to save the environment? I was in Newport Beach, Fashion Island to be exact, sipping a cappuccino, wondering if I should get a fussy hamburger or French dip sandwich for lunch in a few hours.

Decidedly not saving the environment.

The move seemed groundbreaking, company head putting money where mouth was by transferring the whole shootin’ match into a trust, every ounce of profit-after-cost going to green causes and pressure immediately began building on noted sustainability activist Kelly Slater to place his own Outerknown into an earth-scrubbing trust.

But.

Were Chouinard’s motives pure as driven, though rapidly melting, snow? Bloomberg has picked up a handful of salt to throw directly in game. Under a blunt headline reading “Patagonia Billionaire Who Gave Up Company Skirts $700 Million Tax Hit,” the left-leaning financial news service declares:

While many billionaires make living donations with tax and estate planning as the primary considerations, Chouinard seems to have structured his Patagonia transfer with at least a few purposes in mind. Holdfast is a 501(c)(4), a nonprofit that can make unlimited political donations — unlike its cousin, the 501(c)(3). For that reason, any giving to a 501(c)(4) isn’t eligible for income-tax deductions. In addition, the Patagonia founder will owe $17.5 million in gift taxes for the shares he transferred to the trust.

Still, the moves mean Chouinard won’t have to pay the federal capital gains taxes he would have owed had he sold the company, an option he said was under consideration. On a $3 billion sale, that bill could be more than $700 million. It also helps Chouinard avoid the US estate and gift tax, which is a 40% levy on large fortunes when they’re transferred to heirs.

While a Patagonia spokesperson flatly denied the trickeration, attention has returned back to the aforementioned Slater. While his green bonafides need no burnishing, it is known that the many-time surfing champion likes to not spend his money. Might tax relief be the finger that tips the scales?

Outerknown 501(c)(4)?

Intriguing.