Stab in the back.
They say that death and taxes are the only things certain in this wild world but I would also include surfing’s Stab spinelessly bending to whichever way the wind is blowing. The media house, which has bounced from one hip location just passed its prime to another, has long, and I truly hate to be crass, sucked World Surf League dick.
Always cheering, never jeering, the now Oceanside-based members-only surf blog has vigorously championed every move made by the World Surf League since billionaire Dirk Ziff’s purchase for free in 2015.
Clearly hoping to get some o dat.
Alas, some o dat did not come and now the propagandist organ is stabbing, no pun intended, the aforementioned Ziff, Chief Executive Erik Logan and the whole shooting match directly in the back.
Judas-like.
In a new bit of paywall journalism, Stab has declared the WSL is up for sale while being extremely rude to figures it once fellated.
Back in 2013, an American billionaire with a surf-enthralled wife decided to buy the Association of Surfing Professionals. He then gave it a shiny new name, restructured the operation from top to bottom, and developed an AI software called “Erik Logan” to help sell the dream, creating the World Surf League that we all know and love today.
Unfortunately, the WSL has recorded tens of millions in losses since its inception. And because the WSL is a private company with no outside investment, that means Dirk Ziff has recorded tens of millions in losses since its inception.
When you’re a billionaire, this isn’t the end of the world — a “tax write-off” as some would put it (people who make a lot of money need some losses to offset their gains). But when you’re a billionaire, you also know when the time is right to make a deal. And from the intel we’ve gathered, Ziff is in the market for a sale. Reportedly, he’s already had meetings with “very serious” suitors who are looking to take the League off his hands.
Furthering our suspicions is the fact that at the recent Surf Ranch Pro, despite very public protests from some of surfing’s biggest stars at this same event, the WSL remained incredibly calm and level-headed, and minus a tongue-lashing from Erik Logan decided not to punish Gabriel Medina, Filipe Toledo, and Italo Ferreira for their reprisals of the League
— at least not publicly.
Also: In recent weeks, we’ve heard whispers that WSL owner Dirk Ziff has been in talks to sell his entire enterprise — the league, broadcast channels, KS Wave Co, and everything in between.
The use of “whispers” and “intel we’ve gathered” is clearly disturbing, alongside Gabriel Medina, Filipe Toledo and Italo Ferreira’s “reprisals of the League” plus the lie of “no outside investment,” as Slater Wave Co. prospectors have been roped into the World Surf League, but I have been saying this World Surf League is cooked for months now.
Stab’s jumping off the ship like a rat further proof.
Extremely shoddy surf journalism to boot.
More as the story develops.
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Ok lets get real…..it’s pretty obvious that Ziffy /elo have been in negotiations with those abudains to get them a K-tub.
With Saudi Arabia throwing copious amounts of $’ into sport, there is now a fight going on between the Saudi’s /Dubains of who will own the WSL…pretty smart huh??
One can only hope that the WSL tour will get bought and then the whole tour moved to a K-tub……of course the biggest news is will Elo survive or be replaced by Mohammed ben Suliman?
Munchkin Mikey C gets no HamSammish.
I’m excited by this prospect. How ballistic will Brazil go when Medina gets a hand chopped off for being outed as bisexual? Imagine all of the cutesy green-washing we’ll get to see by Carissa and co as they compete in a pool built by slaves.
This could be the best thing ever for pro surfing.
What’s shoddy is your piss poor attempt at writing. Get your shit together.
Oh if the losses were only in the “10’s” of millions, this might all be tolerable and easier to sell…Alas, with losses in the “100’s” of millions there is no deal out there that makes them “whole” on the investment…Better luck going all in on $audi Wave Co-llabs
Then they came for football World Cup, and I did not speak out—because I am not a football fan. Then they came for the golf tour, and I did not speak out—because I am no golf fan. Then they came for the WSL…
Luckily I’m not a pro surf fan.
god is no fan of apostates…or so I’m told.
Does the slapper in the yellow hat still work there?
I miss the days when they would cheer and we would jeer in their comments. Now they cheer and separately here we cheer on jeer, with only a very occasional jeer on jeer.
Stab needs to rich list the WSL ‘execs’.
Lol about the extremely shoddy surf journalism using “passed its prime” instead of “past its prime”.
Thoughts and prayers etc
I think you just earned a job with the Beach Grit Investigative Journalism Unit
Huge if true
WSL hates this wave.
Great footage
https://youtu.be/B49PeGk5Z4Q
Almost the identical latitude of Saquerama on the opposite side of the same ocean. The curse continues.
they are covering so much ground…. wow.
https://media.tenor.com/CFV…
AI software called Erik Logan – that’s not unfunny
I keep meaning to call the Grit line with this question but can’t really be fucked, so will put it to you here. You, and DLS have been shorting the WSL for years now. You the lanky, spectrum-y Christian Bale character and DLS the short, neurotic Steve Carrell. Yet the show, no matter how ridiculous it has become, continues to roll on. Do you ever think you might have got it wrong?
Also I’m Ryan Gosling. Or maybe Brad Pitt.
Sometimes I wonder, sure, but when Stab pulls anchor I know I’m right. Maybe not this year. Maybe not next. But the one after guaranteed.
roll on in continued subprime conditions
Producers:
“can you dance~chew gum! pour drinks, order ’em and write ’bout ’em at the same time? go shoot in Westchester’s Whitehorse Saloon and tip 18 shots or so with:
A- Hunter
B- Dylan?
C- Amber…”
Walt Disney Presents A Johnny Depp narration of Endless Summer, coming in my shorts soon!
Was that written by a disgruntled ex-employee? Sorry, but sure seems to read that way.
I’ve heard of dramas and toil in Santa Monica.
You know Chas worked there, right?
Did not know.
It’s disturbing the number of crew over at STAB who seem fine with a Saudi/UAE take over. WSL is terrible at this point but at least it’s harmless and unintentionally funny.
Don’t think Saudi/UAE owners will be sending them to Cloudbreak, it would be a series of gauche mega wave pools in the desert, built by slaves with no women in attendance. Just burn the whole thing down.