Pretty woman.
One of the major World Surf League successes, in a historically successful year, was the glorious Make or Break, which aired on Apple TV to much acclaim and picked up for a second year. The “peek behind the Wall of Positive Noise” was loved by surf fans and others alike and the two groupings cannot wait for season two… except, is all as it seems? For a stunning new rumor from an impeccable industry insider declares our WSL actually funded the entire production as nothing more than an infomercial.
Per the source:
They were able to get it on the prestige platform by agreeing to hire the premium, high-end production company Box to Box but it is ONLY because the WSL is paying for the show that Apple picked it up. How expensive is this? Well, I believe it was 7 episode series last round, and in talking to a number of people about guessing — and it IS a guess — there’s no way the per episode production cost is less than $500,000, more likely in the $750,000 range. So at a bare minimum it’s an out-of-pocket cost of $3.5 million, and more likely $5,250,000 plus range for a season. I wouldn’t be shocked, btw, as others I talked to agree if the per episode cost was closer to million dollars. Also, according to my source, it’s because it’s free programming to Apple that there is a second season – not because it did particularly great, even if it was solid. It wasn’t numbers, it was that by using Box to Box, a premium and excellent production company, Apple agreed to this arrangement and as far as I know this hasn’t been disclosed anywhere, either by Apple or obviously the WSL. The whole campaign and pride, regularly boasted about by Logan in every interview is about being on this prestige platforms, but basically what you’re seeing is an infomercials which is why while there may be some semi controversial items (e.g. Wright’s woke politics) overall there are no true villains or controversy in the series. It’s the great Chinese Wall of Positive Noise!
The WSL paying for production dollars for Make or Break is like hiring a model to take to your reunion. Looks like you scored a hottie (e.g. Apple TV) but it’s just like bringing a working girl to the dance.
A house of cards?
Oh House of Cards was cancelled after star Kevin Spacey made allegedly naughty with the nerdy ginger from Dazed and Confused… so maybe?
More as the story develops.
Commented on Disqus? Log out, tap the Disqus button, and your old name and comments come back. The box is ours.
Your comments are still here. Every one of them.
Twelve years of BeachGrit comments came across from Disqus. Connect and we will show you how many are yours. We get your username, nothing else.
Connect Disqus to reveal.
https://www.youtube.com/wat…
You and me both; and probably thousands of other real surfers
Wild damaging rumour/acusation Chad. Would it be accurate to say if it was just a rumour their legal teams would get this story pulled down. But if there is substance to it…it remains up?
Anyway when is the 2nd series starting?
I watched one and a quarter.
It’s not as good as Chas , Derek and everyone else who works for ELO said.
But no money to run the France QS event?
This is news? How many ridiculously hot women aren’t in transactional relationships? Are surfers supposed to be bothered that somebody is funding an expensive show that’s pretty good? Love the attempt to maintain the wall of negative noise though. Chas, I hope the Box to Box guys got some footage of you looking good sTrolling through the Finals, surf journalisming. A slow motion clip of your sTroll would be such a nice touch to the final episode of season 2.
I can only wish it was true.
open try-outs for jazz and v-ball players…venice…apts available…
https://scontent-sjc3-1.xx….
So what , professional surfing was invented as an infomercial platform from day dot , nothing changed nothing new here move on.
Maiden broken.
Fake or Break
Kudos Chas, something interesting and a little thought provoking!, and something we kinda thought was going on. But good to see it exposed and brought to the surface for the un-informed. Infomercial?
Dig a little deeper, this is good.
They didn’t hire Elo for no good reason, this seems right up his line with his tv background of experience.
Pretty sure the whole Wsl broad-cast is being funded the same way too.
What do you think is the big expose that is being hid under the carpet Freerider?
That the WSL is a breeding ground for tanned healthy youth for the global elite to have their devious needs satisfied.
Box to Box…JMD and Billie Jean?
Add another zero to the marketing budget. move along nothing to see here….
Rivals – the show about Australian professional journeymen is actually far better than make or break!
If the WSL is paying the production cost, then they would also have control of the narrative arc of the show – much better than having Apple pay the production cost and thus, having control of the narrative – true?
Hard no! Nothing they’ve touched thus far has been even mildly engaging.
Maybe not engaging to you, but – the WSL reports viewer numbers are up; way up, across many demographics.
No word on if they track the “disgruntled Corelord demographic of hardcase veteran surfers who know a kook when they see one” demographic
Numbers can be misleading…
https://uploads.disquscdn.c…
You mean you didn’t love “get sent”???
The WSL seems to be your classic “group think” outfit – it appears no one has the guts to say “this is a really bad idea”.
BTW I really miss Kevin Spacey, fuck he’s a good actor!
I bet the Nerdy Ginger from dazed and confused doesn’t.
Which one was the nerdy ginger one?
He was aiming for Jim Acosta but Don Lemon and Anderson Cooper got there first!
Shrink movie was ****+
I assumed that was all fairly obvious.
Assumption is the mother of…
And this is news? I thought we all just assumed this was the case. Also, Erik, where are we on the possible Matt George shows I came up with and we discussed making? We’d actually maybe make the same money on one.