Unpaid bills, cancelled events.
As mentioned exclusively on BeachGrit, and nowhere else, the World Surf League’s 2024 Championship Tour theoretically kicks off in less than two weeks at the Lexus Pro Pipe. A fresh start for each and every professional at the top of their game. Hope springing eternal and for surf fans, too, what with fresh Surfival League picks ready to ride (sign up here).
But there has been absolutely no advertising campaign reminding the public of the WSL’s grand return. No new slogans or fonts even in this Olympic year where the mainstream might actually become invested.
Crickets.
Is it because ultra flimflam man Erik Logan has left the building only to be replaced by two interim CEOs who seem not to understand the role?
Something more insidious like total collapse?
Well, if our bodyboarding brothers and sisters are canaries down that coal mine, the end might very well be nigh. According to a Facebook post, the very important International Bodyboarding Corporation has not paid its winning athletes, is cancelling events and is being very hush hush about matters.
Bodyboard journalist Sam Morretino writes:
What adds to the concern is the IBC’s recent decision to remove Arica from the 2024 schedule. This move comes as a surprise, given that it was anticipated the organization would prioritize resolving the outstanding payment issue before making such decisions. The removal of Arica from the schedule further undermines the credibility of the IBC, leaving athletes uncertain about the organization’s commitment to honoring its financial obligations.
Compounding the issue, the IBC continues to promote Tanner McDaniel and Pierre le Costes, despite the unresolved payment matter. This contradictory behavior prompts questions about the organization’s ethical stance and its responsibility to the athletes it represents.
The IBC’s choice to remain silent appears as an attempt to let the issue fade away, leaving fans wondering if the organization is grappling with financial instability.
Yikes.
And real talk. How sad will you be when the WSL collapses? Like, on a scale of 1 – 10 (10 being suicidal). Will professional surfing’s billionaire owner Mr. Ziff pull a full Nixon out the door and exclaim, “You don’t have Dirk to kick around any more, because, gentlemen, this is my last press conference.?
Likely not because he stopped giving press conferences after publicly pooping upon his fanbase.
Why did they need 4 lesbians to hold up the bell that year?
The IBC’s authority is falling away, but the key point with them is they dont own the events like the WSL. Ive told Sam that repeatedly. The larger issue at hand is the lack of sponsorship and relying on local govt funds for youth programs or tourisn to run these events(like El Salvador for the WSL…) especially in central and south american countries, which have a reputation for pulling funds last minute. I had to scramble and Cover $10k when PR’s tourism dept didnt pay. Arica’s promoters had a much larger commitment they lost and its on them to pay riders.
-10. The demise of the WSL will only be beneficial for us non professional surfers. That and the rise of surf skates as a way to injure VALs and keep them from clogging the line up.
Some sports have the champion decided at the end of the league season (the way ASP was) and then they also have a knock-out cup competition (the way WSL currently decides the title).
If possible they should go back to end the season at Pipe and then final 5 (or final 8 surfers) then go to another wave to surf for a lucrative ($$$) title that is not the world championship. So Carissa would still be the Champ but Caroline would get a rep as someone who could beat all the World Champs on her day.
Just a thought. I also disagree with everyone who thinks the tour should be slimmed down to 16 surfers. Fuck that. Anything less than 26 + 2 wildcards is too small for the level of talent out there.
Ironically it’s the non elimination rounds that eliminates all excitement and interest in the events
I do see your point but, as I’ve said here before, I think it’s only fair that a competitor get at least two cracks of whip if he flies half way around the world. Waves could be poor in the first round. I’m okay with one non elimination round …..although I would understand removing that round if it somehow solved other issues with the tour.
Some rookie could have only one year on tour and that will be the most satisfying year of his life. It would suck for him/her if they only get to surf one heat at some of the best waves in the world against their fellow competitors.
that’s why the BD shootout and the recent Vans style format works well.
all surfers get to surf in a variety of conditions then you tally the scores at the end and advance the top 4 to a final round. you could even go top 8 into 1/4’s, semi’s and finals.
That’s actually what I don’t like. There is no urgency when there are second chances
AHhhhh. now the truth comes out.
NO SECOND CHANCES.
Can’t imagine being one of your girlfriends.
“No Hen, that’s not how you do it. Blow job is not a literal term! Next”
The greatest show ever – at the coliseum – wasn’t given to giving second chances! Those poor bastards
this comment was the 69th comment. haha
I’m impressed that you got a blowjob at The Coliseum.
100%
Another slot at pipe the wsl could request to rebuild the tripple crown
so this is it. BG needs to slip into their G-string, take center stage, reveal itself and climb that pole.
vans is f*cked after their handling of the Eimeo thing and their huge debt, WSL in the toilet after losing their flamboyant CEO, Quik down the drain after the Eddie closes out on them, sponge tour cleaning up a mess on aisle 7, and all the major clothing spono’s selling out to ABG.
This is it. BG needs to put their mouth where their money is, reach out to Ziff. Just suck the dollars of the Dirks glans and say: “we’ll take this thing over and make it Grit (Great, Real, Impactful,
terrificTitillating ) “. “We’re already the #1 surf website in history. F*uck those woke ass, VS, yellow beanie wearing pussies at Stab. You see how going woke made WSL go broke? Let’s make WSL TRUE GRIT!”Imagine Chas and DR at the helm with cravat and feather boa, cocktails in hand (different meaning for Chas and DR), Negs as international contest director and waste management director, and a whole lot of cheap staff ready to put boots on the ground for the price of an air ticket and a couple weeks accommodations.
just in your comments section you have set designers, producers, camera men, photographers, commentators, caterers, builders, laborers, farmers (shrub planters), attorneys, lifeguards, ad and marketing guys, writers, navy seals, assassins, meteorologists, portfolio managers, security, Jamie O’Brien, trannies, a gorilla, and a female.
Put Dane’s sushi & salsa _sauza in charge of communications and you’ve got a fricken winner.
C’mon Chas. you’re constantly going on about how ELo, JMD and the WSL are shit. it’s your time shine baby. in the famous words of John Belushi ” Let’s DO IT!!!!”
drop your business card in the hat, we’ll figure this thing out.
cacti farmer…planted 20 years ago. you should see the kids now! the agave is ready to ferment but i won’t bother ’cause The Don Jose 1942 is mo betta!
https://scontent-sjc3-1.xx….
Can someone smart explain if Dirk can use the wsl as some sort of tax avoidance? Or does the wsl have to actually make money before he can use current losses to avoid paying the taxman?
Pretty sure Dirk had no fucken idea what he was doing when he bought it. He was just playing billionaire ego games and saw the price of NBA and NFL teams then remembered he heard his wife mention she thinks surfing is “cool”.
He then thought fuck it I can buy a whole sport for the fraction of the cost of a team and I might get a beej from the Mrs for paying attention to her random interests. Should get mad cred owning a whole sport right?
And here we fucken are like a leashless SUP careening toward a group of disabled children in the shorebreak. This can only end well.
“oh well…” Peter Green. also Black Magic Woman.
Have the Boog Journalist and the Surf Journalist ever been seen in the same location at the same time? Is that how Chas pays the bills? It’s all Booger Money!!!
“How sad will you be when the WSL collapses?”
Scale of 1 to 10? Better make that 0 to 10. Thus for me, 0/10.
Didn’t we hear straight from the Coté’s mouth that the WSL are always good payers?
I imagine I’ll have the same feelings as when VideoEzy shut down.
People have been sponging off the IBC for years
ohhhh, that is clever
They need to “lay down” a proposal…
They are prone to failure ☺️
The should drop the knee and commit.
Xox
… or, stand-up and be counted?
Dragging our collective community down to new depths with this comment. Keep a lid on it. We have bigger boogers to pick. But I guess this is just how the Shark Biscuit crumbles.
Xox
Just a minor speed bump on our ride towards the end of times.
Amen!!
Do you think the WSL could absorb them?
How wil i know which beer to not drink.
Corona Ultra
There’s a bodyboard Journalist????
where does he ply his trade?
Twatnet
Its just one of the best rider’s dad who posts boogie content all day
The boogs couldn’t stand on their own two feet. Can surfing?
In my opinion, Dirk Ziff is spending just enough money to keep the WSL functional, but no more – while looking for a buyer.
Hence the fact that no new CEO has been hired to replace Erik Logan and publicly lead the organization.
A middle east buyer could revitalise the WSL, men and women, at the cost of having the Final Five event at the wave pool in Abu Dhabi
vote for Bethany!
Draggers aren’t the canaries in the coal mine, they are speed bumps in the way. Waves like Ours and Wedge excepted (and please don’t call it “The Wedge”, that’s for The Inertia people).
Same for Solander, Ours is the muppet name.
It’s called The Solander.
I stand corrected but isn’t Ours the surfing name while Solander is the Esky name? Or is Ours just attributed to the Bra Bitches only?
‘De Niros’ before it was (over)exposed.
This year will go ahead because they’ve got sponsors in place.
Next year, post olympics, is looking really grim for the WSL. I dont see a white knight charging over the hill to rescue them. It’s either gonna be surfing for chump change like the early 80s or reverting to one off “world championships” like the 60s.
If youre the ISF you’re gonna sit back, buy the WSL for a dollar and roll it all into their own organisation.
I’m hoping it folds. It’s gone to shit, unwatchable aside from the excitement of waiting for the next judging travesty or massive fuck up by JMD et al. It’s dogshit now. Needs a total makeover, and that won’t happen until this shitshow dies!
Whole thing outwardly is looking like it is following the trajectory of a failing startup. Executives start cutting key personnel and cutting key expenses for the sake of feathering their own nests for as long as possible until bankruptcy and/or an asset fire sale while the quality of the product/service goes to hell
A lean version of the WSL would be ok – cut down tour stops, cut the crew that make all that marketing BS like the rashees and ridic content and have fewer surfers. Take fewer people to fewer (good) spots and we good
Who are these key personnel WSL staff you speak of?
When JJF and Toledo jersey’s go on sale the end is near.
Why hire another CEO when your “joint CEOs,” who happen to also be your heads of legal and HR, can just split the old CEO’s salary between them on top of what they were formerly making?