Damning assessment from Surfline whistleblower declares forecasting giant gripped by toxic monopolistic greed!

Prices up, services slashed.

Surfline has long been the gold standard for forecasting. What began as a humble call-in line for California, based on National Weather Service buoy data in the middle 1980s turned into a juggernaut featuring wave cameras, detailed analysis, a worldwide presence and even the odd bit of reportage as the internet grew. In 2020, the company raised $30 million from The Chernin Group and bright skies all around for hard-working wave watchers, weather decoders, Marcus Sanders.

Dedication to craft paying off.

Except.

Reports from inside the Huntington Beach-based Surfline suggest evil monopolistic greed has taken over. A whistleblower has shared with BeachGrit, which presents its ultra hard surf candy free to all, that the Indian Ocean has been abandoned, no more of the aforementioned detailed analysis, cut backs in California, Europe, Australia. Forced quittings, shredding the marketing department, slashing hours and positions with “changes to the website” coming Sept. 1

Rumors floating suggest low subscription growth in the United States plus the need to keep up with higher returns to service the multi-million dollar investment are, mostly, to blame.

“The cams keep the base happy and there is no competition. They ate it all up. So it is capitalism 101,” our brave source, who is hanging on to job by thread, shared via robotic voice. “Dominate at any cost then up prices and reduce services and beat off any start-ups with dominance and market share.”

Nasty.

Now some questions.

Will the changes in service and/or upping of fees encourage you to flee?

Are there enough Covid-era adult learners aboard who don’t care about actual forecasts but just want to look at El Porto from their Century City office?

Can former World Surf League CEO Erik Logan be hired and turn the ship around?

If BeachGrit began a surf cam service that featured periodic song and dance numbers starring principals Derek Rielly and Chas Smith with guest ditties from Jen See and JP Currie would you enjoy?

Thank you.