Big if true.
A year ago, from this very time, all was right in Erik Logan’s universe. The former Oprah Winfrey executive had graduated to his dream job atop the vast and important complex of competitive professional surfing. There he sat in the chief executive’s chair, giant photograph of Laird Hamilton hanging over head, all power and praise belonging to him. The Oklahoman with a magical wetsuit of armor was far from camera shy, enjoying being the face of the World Surf League, jokin’ and joshin’ and havin’ a good ol’ time (unless Conner Coffin happened to call and then he would, allegedly, spin into a rage, telling the universally adored Santa Barbaran “I will ruin you.”).
Then, like that, he was gone. The tour had landed in Brazil, Logan followed along, sharing behind-the-scenes footage on his robust Instagram account one day, fired in the most terse press release the next.
Effective immediately, Erik Logan is no longer with the company.
The World Surf League placed a cone of silence around its patented Wall of Positive Noise and no official reason was shared. Privately, some on tour whispered that Logan had made people “uncomfortable,” but nothing more.
Now, almost a year on, a potential reason has been revealed hiding in plain sight on the World Surf League’s own portal. Days ago, an eagle-eye’d citizen surf journalist Googled “Erik Logan” and underneath the official “Letter to the WSL Community from CEO Erik Logan” it read, “Erik Logan sounds like a colonist and is an embarrassment to the WSL and to our sport. WSL needs to take responsibility for its announcers…”
Boom.
And is that it? Was Logan forced out due to his “colonizer vibes?” It would make sense, seeing how he colonized Filipe Toledo’s naked chest.
What do you think Mitchell Salazar feels about that?
More as the story develops.