Stop the Press
Tuesday 9 October 2012 A curiously candid Kelly Slater spills out a vision. The ASP releases a mealy-mouthed statement about a deal with an unknown media entity. Both signal a seismic shift in modern pro surfing. What is going on? Craig Jarvis and Spike hunt for answers.
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Details of a murky new deal announced by the ASP are hard to work out, which probably accounts for why the news is such a trending topic in the Twittersphere, and yet largely ignored by most in the media.
As documented, the ASP has signed an agreement with a largely unknown media entity called ZoSea. In essence, and with the hindsight of insider knowledge, the ASP is saying that ZoSea has bought pro surfing, or at least the media rights to it. And yet, despite this profound move, with explosive ramifications across the board, the news has passed rather gently into that good night. Not much is being said about it. Not much is known about it, actually.
And yet, there are certain signs.
Kelly Slater's manager, Terry Hardy, runs this media company. Oh, and his partner is former president of Time Incorporated Paul Speaker, and a member of the Quiksilver board of directors. Interestingly, and perhaps (hopefully) not related, Hardy holds a directorship at the Kelly Slater Wave Company, which people are saying has an in-principle agreement to build a wavepool at Pimpana on the northern Gold Coast.
Imagine. No waiting period. Endless offshore winds? Scores appearing digitally in the background as Zephyr Slater, 17, lands a reverse triple rodeo in 2031 in 4-D slow-mo on the giant plasma? Some people are saying that we should not discount this vision as a future reality, though it does seem far-fetched.
Kelly, in a recent interview with Sal Masakela on Stabmag (see above screenshot, and full eight minute interview here), has said that he doesn't really care where the sport goes, saying that the sport lies in a weird place with sponsors owning all media rights. He went on to say that surfing needs to be owned by an external company, and only then will we know what sort of sport we have. mmm.
Slater closed off to say that if the sport goes massive that's cool, but if it fades into insignificance, that's also fine. Either way, the sport needs to reorganise.
It's fitting that the man taking over our sport is Kelly's manager. Hardy is the same guy who tried a rebel tour with Kelly as recently as 2009. It's almost like there has been a subliminal two-pronged attack to soften our sport for a takeover by the Kelly and Terry show. Has it worked? Sure seems so. Perhaps it's not a bad thing. Perhaps.
According to International Media Director Dave Prodan, everyone loves the new deal. Well, he would say that, wouldn't he? Will this be enough for him to keep his job in the new dispensation, the cheeky people might ask?
The board vote is sealed, said Dave, and the move enjoys big support from surfers, events, staff and the ASP Board of Directors. Everyone is passionate about moving the sport of surfing forward together. In which direction though?
Hardy and henchman Paul Speaker are the new owners of surfing. They come with a long list of credentials. Both are entrenched in the deep end of the big league media streams. They seem, on paper, to be the right people for the job. No one seems to know, however, what that job is, or crucially, how it will roll out.
According to Prodan, the new deal is thus: ZoSea Media will collaborate with current management on the financial, media and decision-making components of the ASP. The result should be a more cohesive operating structure that benefits the surfers, events, staff and, most importantly, the fans. The latter because the plan is to make surfing more relevant, and true to its roots or its essence.
The word on the street is that ZoSea has bought the media rights to all events on the elite tour, and they will charge the surf brands a lot less for ostensibly the same value in return.
The word on the street is that ZoSea has bought the media rights to all events on the elite tour, and they will charge the surf brands a lot less for ostensibly the same value in return. The difference, they say, is that web streaming will be better, read standardised, and controlled by one entity rather than the massive spread out cost of each brand bearing the logistical brunt.
An article on ESPN claims that a brand pays up to half a million US to stream a contest online, but the total production cost to for one elite tour event can run to $3million. From 2014, a sweeping cost-beneficial amalgamation is on the cards.
Event websites look set to be standardized, with a single production and commentary team producing all the webcasts. ASP/ZoSea will apparently take over the procurement of secondary sponsorship deals but WQS and Junior webcasts will continue to be produced by brands, the ESPN article claims.
Questions are flying through cyberspace about what this all means in terms of waiting periods, scope for better waves, whether webcasting can and will improve, and so on, but most is conjecture at this point.
What can be concluded is that new people will run the business of surfing, and that they are trying to take it to the next level in the mainstream (and most likely make a shit load of money in the process).
In view of the commercial quagmire in which the surf industry currently struggles, it could possibly work
In view of the commercial quagmire in which the surf industry currently struggles, it could possibly work, and its not unreasonable to think that it offers a lifeline to those who are cashstrapped when it comes to hefty sponsorship and marketing budgets.
Even these jaded old gimps of journalists want it to work. But at what cost? Are we going to see an influx of non-surf brand sponsoring events in the future? The Kentucky Fried Chicken Supertubes Pro? The MacDonalds Big Mac Pro? The Pep Stores Pro?
Where, oh where, are we going?
Lets not be so dramatic, grasshopper, and listen to what Prodan has to say about it all.
According to him, the ZoSea/ASP arrangement will stabilise the schedules at the ASP Men's and Women's WCT level. All qualifying events (Prime and Star) currently scheduled for 2013 will remain intact unless altered by the Special Committee. ZoSea apparently finds exceptional value in the endemic brands that have been long-time supporters of professional surfing and embraces them wholeheartedly. That said, sponsorship opportunities are available to groups both inside and outside the surfing world, as per usual.
There is going to be new management, new opportunities, and new challenges. More money for the surfers, and a streamlined and consistent media delivery are all parts of the package. There will be possible added commercialization to the sport and possible quantum leaps in mainstream acceptance. Massive changes.
Change is good, people. Change is good. Isn't it?
More viewing / reading
The original press release
Other stories
http://www.surfermag.com/features/leap-of-faith/
http://www.bytimbaker.com/blog/
http://www.swellnet.com.au/news/3224-zosea-and-the-asp-and-the-kelly-slater-wave-company-the-link-is
http://espn.go.com/action/surfing/story/_/id/8468424/asp-announces-new-partnership-deal-2014-season