Surf fans, beleaguered, need a shepherd.
Oh to be a surf fan in these dark days. The 2024 World Surf League Championship Tour is but one month away from its kick-off there at the Pro Pipeline and we, each of us, should be thrilled with this imminent return. Repurposing our advent calendars to count down the days. Having trouble sleeping etc.
Except doesn’t it feel that the thrill is gone? That the World Surf League, itself, has even lost interest in being the “global home of surfing?”
To whit, I have not received any exciting updates about the upcoming season other than an extremely bland Challenger Series schedule drop. More importantly, the World Surf League, recently moved into a bleak El Segundo veterinarian office from its once proud Santa Monica home as yet to replace its ruthlessly beheaded CEO.
But who could forget Erik Logan and his run as Chief of Executives. Brought over from Oprah Winfrey to head the newly formed WSL Studios, the Oklahoman with a magical wetsuit of armor did so magnificently bad that it was shuttered before producing anything save a Billy Kemper mini documentary. Logan was quickly promoted to the top slot where he proceeded to bully beloved surfers and smarm the the selfie stick.
After a fated trip to Brazil, though, he was fired in the most terse press release ever.
That was over six months ago. The World Surf League initially replaced him with Chief People and Purpose Officer and Bob Kane, its Chief Operating Officer and Chief Legal Officer. A “major cleanup on aisle five” move according to Jen See.
The two, still, holding the reins. No inspirational hirings for the head office even as the tour gets ready to kick off once again.
What do you imagine is the reason behind this holdup? Too many qualified candidates angling for the job requiring much interview and many vetting?
Professional surfing’s owner Dirk Ziff pondering a go, himself?
Other?
Surf fans, beleaguered, need a shepherd.
Help!
What about… Abandoned, rudderless WSL heads into new year without CEO…or shame.
And would it be possible to take down those photos of elow whatever his name is. I get a little bit of sick in the back of my throat when I scroll through and see em. Alot to ask I know
I’m available to take over.
Just give me some advanced warning OK?
Agreed
Depends on your interpretation of
save.
Might this be the last season? Surely this year will see record low viewership, losing support with typical surf establishment allies, the world’s best surfers are no longer very interested, a world title is damn near meaningless, fewer local governments breaking off a little marketing budget, fewer quality waves on tour than ever, no more mainstream media projects (make or break/ultimate surfer) to hang their hopes on, no leadership. Never has there been so little to offer fans, surfers, or sponsors. Fells like too much to come back from.
Yep “rudderless ” aaand brudderless
Dirk’s just waiting to see the viewing figures for the olympics before pulling the plug.
I’m sure it will move the needle for them, just like it did for the World Slalom Canoeing League.
So that means no great ideas like a finals day in crap surf, the Bailey’s leader board, a sandwich cooler for a 10 or sponsored by a Chinese vehicle maker. Tough times ahead for wosl.
Spoke to the ex-head judge yesterday and even he said did not know why Elo was let go.
Maybe he was pro Palestinian , the malibu Israelites would not be down on that.
i asked jack shipley the same question on FB…no reply.
Are you Lisa Anderson?
I don’t identify as a woman! I spoke to Pritamo in Byron and he said he knew nothing but it must have been bad to be sacked halfway through a comp. He did say that he was hung out to dry after 25 years of judging and most possibly will do some coaching as his next job as not many know as much about pro surfing/ judging like he does.
Yep well shucks let’s put BL TCarroll Occy n Bugs in the commentary booth Slam the door shut and just call it a fucken day on the WSL and Pro surfing it’s fucked , let the dam ISA and the Olympics have competitive surfing it’s fucked anyway.
Copied w/o Permission of JP Currie…Running High!
Once you begin to run, hopefully, you’ll stop thinking about all that white noise of stuff that’s not that bad inthegrandschemeofthings, but you can’t quite handle all the same, and it makes you feel – often – that you’re tilting, white-knuckled, on the edge of some opaque precipice, and even though you have no idea what would happen if you let yourself fall into that siren-calling darkness, part of you wants to just let go, because if you don’t then all that’s at your back are more ordinary problems – like the roof leaking, or that pile of essays to trudge through, or your own unspectacular addictions – and you wonder if falling for a while (and finally, because it feels like it’s always been coming), you wonder if this isn’t exactly what you need to shake you out of the mediocrity you wear like a damp blanket, better than nothing, no doubt, and far better than most, but no less miserable all the same, so you try to run it off, and it works, mostly, because the sound of your breathing becomes your whole universe, and every footfall, placed with calculated recklessness, becomes symbolic of something … you’re not sure what, but something … and the key is really to not think about it too much but just to spend some time suspended in that animation as if you could press pause on the moments where both your feet have left the ground and you hang there weightless and free of all the shit, held in this invisible, intricate web of breathing and sweat and wind in your face, and the certainty of stone, earth, rain, trees, and all those things that need and expect nothing from you, but this.
ShareSubscribed
They haven’t had a PR disaster with this new two-headed monster, so maybe they should just leave well enough alone.
(I’m probably missing a PR disaster, so pardon me if there’s been one that I missed since E-Lo and the WSL parted ways.)
I agree. If you are going to get handsy best to do it behind closed doors.
They don’t need a CEO. They need Jack Kevorkian.
Good point. Dr. Death does his best work in a VAL-approved surf camper van, they could even Instagram the needle going in.
The “Thanatron”.
Barreled would be pissed.
Shane Dorian’s stem cells for CEŌ
Is the WSL still a thing?
ELO replacement- https://uploads.disquscdn.c…
Favorite Indica Strain for you right now:
Here’s a candidate: gives zero fucks, cold, calculated, and already knows how to stab humans in the back.
https://americanmilitarynew…
https://youtu.be/cpraXaw7dy…
Excellent at doing very little. Perhaps some light stretches. Sorts the eggs.
Walks in a poo-stance. Empty inside, completely lacking a soul.
I like it.
This just in: WSL abandons endemic sponsors for Pro Pipeline event in lieu of luxury auto maker Lexus’ recent interest in the sport. Sources at the top say “we align with Lexus’ mission of the pursuit of perfection, and can’t wait to run the contest in 2ft wind chopped Pipeline. You can’t script this!”
Marine X & Suburu = Love…
“We hate all newbies…”
Hope they get even more skunked than last season. Watch them wither away like old mate Jonah.
The WSL – where surfing dreams die!
#It takes a tour to plant some foliage.