“Erik Logan is a world-class media executive with a profound personal connection to the sport of surfing.”
A wall of silence has descended over the World Surf League following the Soviet-esque disappearing of its once-beloved CEO Erik Logan and the handing of the poison-filled chalice to Emily Hofer, WSL’s Chief People and Purpose Officer and Bob Kane, its Chief Operating Officer and Chief Legal Officer
Four days ago, Logan was in Brazil and having a hell of a time, vigorously posting videos on his Instagram account, even writing a passionate “love letter” to the same Brazilian surf fans who threatened death following several unfavourable judging decisions at the Surf Ranch Pro although he did write, prophetically, “Stay tuned for some exhilarating action.”
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Now, apart from a tersely worded press release from the WSL…nothing.
(It ain’t the first time the WSL has disappeared a key employee. Who remembers the former world champ turned commentator, once the sexiest surfer in the world, who was there one day and gone the next with not one word said?)
Compare Erik’s departing presser to the teary farewell Sophie Goldschmidt got from the WSL’s billionaire owner Dirk Ziff when she split in 2020
Erik:
“Today, the World Surf League (WSL) announced that CEO Erik Logan has departed the company, effective immediately. As the WSL begins the process of identifying a new CEO, Emily Hofer, WSL’s Chief People and Purpose Officer, and Bob Kane, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Legal Officer, will jointly lead the company and continue to drive the WSL’s mission to showcase the world’s best surfers on the world’s best waves as the global home of competitive surfing.”
Sophie:
“Sophie has had a huge impact on the WSL. She is responsible for transforming both our business capabilities and culture in her tenure as CEO. With the converging trends in sports, media and entertainment, we mutually agreed it was time to make a change. Erik Logan is a proven leader and a world-class media executive with a profound personal connection to the sport of surfing. We are excited about what he will accomplish as CEO. We will always be grateful to Sophie for her contributions to surfing and we look forward to the WSL’s next chapter.”
While speculation, oh yeah we heard a few things too, is gonna end in tears for your pals at BeachGrit there’s a few reasons why CEO’s, and half of ‘em do get fired at some point, suddenly disappear.
1. Poor performance. If a CEO doesn’t meet performance expectations, financial targets, strategic goals or market share growth, the board is probably gonna ice ’em.
2. Ethical or Legal Issues: Any sorta ethical breaches, misconduct, or involvement in illegal activities and you’re gone.
3. Leadership Problems: If the CEO demonstrates poor decision-making, a lack of transparency or an inability to effectively manage the company, he, or she, gotta go.
4. Culture Clash: If the CEO’s approach clashes with the organization’s desired direction or if they fail to align with the expectations of key stakeholders, you’re out.
5. Strategic Direction: A sudden change in the company’s strategic direction or a need for a shift in business priorities is gonna convince the board, the owner, to replace the CEO with someone with different skill set or a fresh perspective.
Many swords to fall on here.
It shows how tenuous the grip on the top job can be.
Just a few months back, Australia’s premier broadsheet The Sydney Morning Herald lovingly profiled the Okie-turned-surfer in the story, “‘Something the sport has never seen’: The former Oprah exec bringing soap opera to surfing.”
“He has led a series of seismic changes to the World Surf League’s (WSL) professional tours as it recovers from the pandemic – ruffling feathers and raising record revenue, all with narrative in mind.”
Critics of each new drama-driven concept exist at both a professional and pundit level, and the WSL is seen in some surfing quarters as overly sensitive, with a propensity to airbrush drama when it doesn’t suit.
Logan counters with a slice of Oklahoma simplicity.
“The growth and the explosion of the sport, with the firepower we have with our surfers is something that the sport has never seen. And our job as the WSL is really simple – to grow and create the world’s largest platform for professional surfing.”
Meanwhile, surf fans continue to dance on Erik’s freshly dug grave.
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