“It’s fantastic to see professional surfing attract strong, global brands to this amazing sport.”
Regional professional longboarding is, once again, ground zero of the culture wars though who would have seen this coming a decade, or such, ago? That cross-stepping would be so… fraught? Likely not the World Surf League. Dirk Ziff, who purchased for free all of professional surfing nine-ish years ago, including high performance shortboarding, high performance longboarding, traditional longboarding and Guinness Book of World Records big wave attempts, merely thought that he was taking hold of a nascent sport with some upside.
Little did he know.
Well, amidst the current furor, the “global home of surfing” has quietly undergone a major transition itself. Rip Curl, a surf brand that has, itself, stumbled through the minefields of identity, used to be the title sponsor for the much-ballyhooed WSL Finals Day as well as the riot-prone US Open of Surfing. Shop-Eat-Surf is reporting, “The World Surf League said this week Lexus signed on to be title sponsor of what will now be the Lexus U.S. Open of Surfing and the Lexus WSL Finals in a move that will ensure the automaker’s presence in competitive surfing into the 2025 season.”
The industry website focuses, however, not on Lexus’s bold entry into the waters but, rather, Rip Curl’s fleeing. Company CEO Brooke Farris, trying to put a nice face on it all, said “We are very proud to have partnered with the WSL on the first three years of the WSL Finals. Together, we achieved record-breaking viewership, reach, and history-making moments for our sport.” Later adding, “It’s fantastic to see professional surfing attract strong, global brands to this amazing sport.”
Hmmmmm.
I suppose the World Surf League with is “record-breaking viewership, reach and history-making” is irresistible but questions remain. Will the transition cause rage?
Well?
Will it?
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I cruise in a GS Lex, Cartier specs, Nautica sweats with the fresh Goretex
Lexus isn’t surfing, and thevrecords mentions in the article, bogus, over inflated numbers , the WSL … let it die … the trans issues are a joke … why … just stay to surfing, dicks surf with dicks, chicks surf with chicks in competitions, wasn’t Logan enough controversy and loss of dignity why keep adding .
Your english teacher is embarassed
Wow. Gua Gua.
https://uploads.disquscdn.c…
Lexus after GWM ? Will Sally get an new add?
Hopefully, and will Cal Robbo get upgraded from a Bailey ladder to a Toyota forklift
I’m in love with a T.V. star….
Xox
Too bad they don’t transition to a better venue
Summer US venue …. How bout Newport
Jeep, which seems like a somewhat functional surf vehicle, bailed on the Wsl, (not profitable return on their advertising dollars it seems).
Now Lexus, thinks it’s going have a shot at the surf market?
Most real surfers can’t afford one, and any one that can afford one, would probably be so paranoid about getting some wax or sand on or in their Lexus, they would not even think about buying one.
Lexus, really? Don’t see it.
My ‘yota is plenty good enough. Love that thing.
I mean… same company. If you have the scratch a Lexus can be a solid surf rig (source: have a GX460, love it)
Searching…
Sasha is typing…
Chaz should get an award for putting that “Pat” in the thumb.
Jeep is surfing the regrets right about now.
those kids in the jeep ads are still surpin Coronas…
thank goodness we don’t have to watch anymore of those DEI VS jeep commercials.
Don’t think Jeep has any regrets, they bailed for a reason.
Probably no return on investment, (Wsl advertising).
If Jeep is just gonna surf the muck, might as well do it with a grin.
i drive a vulva