Good Morning America! Who is who in the Zosea zoo?

Phil Jarratt picture
Phil Jarratt (Phil Jarratt)
Surfpolitik

photo-booth022.jpgThe ASP will announce its new-look commentary team for 2014 this week, keeping people guessing right up to show time. But fans of the good old Aussie accent better brace themselves for disappointment. Although ASP media boss Dave Prodan assured me over the weekend that “there will be Aussie representation”, the word on the beach is that it might be tinged with a slight Saffa burr.

My sources tell me that Martin Potter is likely to be the only non-American on the team, following pre-season testing in the key American market that apparently revealed that a significant number of people could not understand the Aussie accent. So it’s goodnight from Occy, Seano, Blakey, Reggae and all the rest, and good morning America, in the form of Peter Mel, Pat Parnell, Todd Kline, Sal Masekela and their buddies. And in the background, do I hear a faint hello from the Mornington Peninsula via Durban? Ah yes, Pottz, the token Aussie.

post_show_30_main.jpgRegardless of what you think of the respective merits of the various members of the commentary team, past and present, it does seem a strange move to homogenize the voice of the sport to this degree, particularly when you consider that CNN in its prime went out of its way to hire Australian presenters because it was felt that the accent was more broadly acceptable across their emerging markets than the American twang.

Personally, I’d like to see a mix simply because there are good commentators on both sides of the Pacific. What the Yanks lack in humour they make up for with sensible analysis. I’m thinking Peter Mel here, but the best is Shane Dorian, whose name I haven’t heard mentioned in dispatches. Sal Masakela is usually good value too, although if he mentions “the conversation” once more I might throw up. On the Aussie team they’re all good journeymen who get the job done, often with a spot of overkill, but usually laced with some genuinely funny lines, and I think Blakey and Doherty are often spot-on with their analysis. But I just love Occy, mangling the language, forgetting the point, cracking himself up. He’s surfing’s Molly Meldrum, and I hate to think his sun has set.

Behind the scenes, it looks like the Quiksilver Pro will lay down the production template for the rest of the season, with virtually the entire local crew from 2013 rehired. If the thinking there was, if it ain’t broke don’t fix it, it seems a pity that wasn’t extended to the talking heads front of house. //PHIL JARRATT

Comments

Warren Andrews's picture
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Warren Andrews Monday, 10 Feb 2014 at 9:35am

Pottz is British I tells ya! British!

Phil Jarratt's picture
Phil Jarratt's picture
Phil Jarratt Monday, 10 Feb 2014 at 9:39am

Got me on a technicality!

derra83's picture
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derra83 Monday, 10 Feb 2014 at 10:00am

The words "key American market" send a shiver down my spine. From that I guess they are gonna pitch to the mainstream market. Can't wait for Pottz to explain for the umpteenth time that a goofyfooter stands with his right leg forward.

mibs-oner's picture
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mibs-oner Monday, 10 Feb 2014 at 10:09am

It's a shame about Sean Doherty. I think his commentary is generally on point.

stunet's picture
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stunet Monday, 10 Feb 2014 at 10:25am

Sean's good in the booth. He arms himself with stats and fact to kill the dead air, their delivery doesn't sound forced either. I'm thinking that maybe colloquialisms ("Could kill a brown dog") don't help his cause. And perhaps that he's a journo too. If ZoSea are serious about neutrality then there can be no business or media alignments.

The real shame, I think, is Ronnie Blakey. Fella could play the straight guy without sounding dull, was knowledgeable, and his voice has a hearty XY timbre.

stunet's picture
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stunet Monday, 10 Feb 2014 at 10:29am

Comment from our Facebook post (below a pic of Todd Kline, Joe Turpel and one of Gudangs all wearing Hawaiian shirts): " it's pretty obvious......the only Aussies alive that'd wear a stupid fuckin shirt like that live in noosa, ride longboards and drink midstrength!"

stunet's picture
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stunet Monday, 10 Feb 2014 at 10:50am

Which, come to think of it, ticks every one of Phil Jarratt's boxes.

lostdoggy's picture
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lostdoggy Monday, 10 Feb 2014 at 10:57am

Rabbit would wear one for sure.

lostdoggy's picture
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lostdoggy Monday, 10 Feb 2014 at 10:55am

Mitch Tomlinson has been good on the snowboarding at Sochi in my opinion.
He'd be a good addition.
I do prefer when there is a mix though. When there is a booth full of aussies it is a bit like listening to a bunch of yobs at the pub.

lostdoggy's picture
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lostdoggy Monday, 10 Feb 2014 at 11:17am

And speaking of Tomlinson's, have we seen the back of GT?
I doubt it.

MattH's picture
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MattH Monday, 10 Feb 2014 at 11:01am

Barton Lynch is the only aussie worth listening too. He's articulate, excited and doesn't have the twang that the yanks wouldn't understand.

mitchvg's picture
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mitchvg Monday, 10 Feb 2014 at 11:19am

Neutrality is for chumps.
On the other hand though, I can't fucking stand Hawaiian commentators, they just bullshit on and on about how Hawaiians surfers are the best, Hawaiians invented surfing, etc, etc. well if it's in their DNA or whatever, why don't they win more contests? Where's their Hawaiian DNA when they lose?

kaiser's picture
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kaiser Monday, 10 Feb 2014 at 11:51am

Dare I ask? Wassel? There I said it...

mitchvg's picture
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mitchvg Monday, 10 Feb 2014 at 12:56pm

Kaiser Chief - Never Miss a Beat.
I can't quite bring myself to straight up mute the commentary though. He is after all, more of a surfer and a waterman than I'll ever be, and comes up with some good insights every now and then. And has the eternal stoke. Just takes it too far.

kaiser's picture
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kaiser Monday, 10 Feb 2014 at 1:12pm

I have to admit, I listen as well. Cringeing all the way, but also just to bear witness to the misplaced enthusiasm and jumbled metaphors.

nosedrip's picture
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nosedrip Monday, 10 Feb 2014 at 11:52am

If they choose to use Joe Turpel I will be morally obligated to tear my own head off and willingly feed it to a pack of hungry, rabid dogs.

freeride76's picture
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freeride76 Monday, 10 Feb 2014 at 12:19pm

I asked two girls from Florida about Kelly Slater and they'd never heard of him.

Americans don't give a fuck about Pro Surfing. Never have, never will.

The, origin, growth and power base of Pro Surfing is Oz and the Southern Hemi.

Oz has three CT events , America has one.

So, stack the commentary team with nasal seppos who bark and jibber jabber like small dogs and alienate the sports power base in Oz.

Great strategy.

jasper99's picture
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jasper99 Monday, 10 Feb 2014 at 12:20pm

Turpell is ok ,least he doesn't talk about himself and has a good knowledge of surfing past,present and future but if that Wassel twit is on then I think surfing will be portrayed in such a bad way that people will leave a broadcast and turn on the golf before they listen to that moron!
I actually turned the commentary off when he was on the Volcom Pipe pro broadcast the other day! Its like fingernails on a chalkboard,bloody torture!

stunet's picture
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stunet Monday, 10 Feb 2014 at 12:38pm

With ZoSea the ASP has gone from an organisation to an organization. Nothing particularly wrong with that. The odd word gets Americanized - no big deal. The more insidious developement is the creeping Americanisms: press releases that use American terms such as 'freshman' and 'sophomore'; ASP motivational posters quoting Wayne Gretsky and Bo Jackson (who?); and now a webcast team stacked with Americans.

I'm with Freeride, the issue ain't who's better than who, the issue is the alienation of an existing surf nation. 

Halfscousehalfcockneyfullaussie's picture
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Halfscousehalfc... Tuesday, 11 Feb 2014 at 5:26pm

Can't agree more

simba's picture
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simba Monday, 10 Feb 2014 at 3:28pm

Cant agree with jasper,Turpel is so irritating with that yankee drawl,spew,wheres OCCY!!!!Bring back OCCY,at least hes funny at times.

clif's picture
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clif Monday, 10 Feb 2014 at 3:34pm

Maybe it is good for Australian surfing to be 'alienated'? Maybe not for the 1%, but for the rest ...

stunet's picture
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stunet Monday, 10 Feb 2014 at 3:51pm

Maybe, if by that you mean it'd be good for Aussie surfers to understand what it feels like to be an outsider. There're lessons to be learnt there, certainly. Avenues for personal growth.

But that's a seperate issue. Here we're talking about media and representation, and I think the media should be representative of the market it serves. Simple as that.

freeride76's picture
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freeride76 Monday, 10 Feb 2014 at 3:52pm

You may be right Clif.

But Pro Surfing is unkillable. After the nuclear holocaust only cockroaches and Pro surfing will be stumbling around in the debris.

thegreeniguana's picture
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thegreeniguana Monday, 10 Feb 2014 at 4:02pm

Commentary is one of my pet peeves. I think surf commentary should take a leaf out of crickets book, as surfing comps like test matches go for 5 days. Occy and Blakey were our bill and tony! Doherty dribbles like its a talking contest. In the cricket they are not scared of a little silence, Doherty could learn from this. He also invents shit like 'tagging the section'. Has anyone ever seen someone do a reo and said 'sick tag' ? I can only hope that joe turdel doesn't get a guernsey . Does he even surf? And pottz really is quite boring. Rosey hodge goes alright though!

clif's picture
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clif Monday, 10 Feb 2014 at 4:06pm

Yeah, I see. But 'the market it serves'? Wouldn't that be precisely the USA - the largest consuming nation? While Australia may have lots of fans and participants in terms of consumption would they ever match the USA (at present or potentially)? And how about some reps with some dark humour e.g. Irish or Scottish person (male or female)? :)

clif's picture
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clif Monday, 10 Feb 2014 at 4:10pm

Australians not spending enough $ to get the reps haha

thermalben's picture
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thermalben Monday, 10 Feb 2014 at 4:26pm

One of the best commentary teams I've seen was Dave Mailman and Sam Lamiroy at the CWC events in Thurso a few (consecutive) years back. Not sure if they'd work in other commentary scenarios but the two seemed to gel really well in what was a pretty challenging environment.

blindboy's picture
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blindboy Monday, 10 Feb 2014 at 4:42pm

They will never get the commentary right until they get the format right. Live just doesn't work for most events. There are too few waves to maintain a technical level of commentary so you end up somewhere on the spectrum between mildly boring and "pass me the bucket please". The man on man format is great for the surfers and probably does produce the best surfing but in doses too small to maintain the interest of any but the committed (as in enthusiastic, rather than legally lodged in a psychiatric ward). Six man heats with all their hassling would at least give them something to talk about, probably not the solution but then again, it's not my problem. The best strategy at the moment is to record it and fast forward to the waves......muting the commentary as necessary.

nochaser's picture
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nochaser Monday, 10 Feb 2014 at 4:56pm

Turpel does not breath it is just a constant barrage of American blah blah & so annoying. He has no timing can not let waves roll thru or have a decent break in the commentary when required. Arrrrgh bet you he is related to someone to land the gig. Blakey and Sean were not to hard to understand but Occy I see where they are coming from but thats what makes it good.
Did Zosea test on any other markets except America,I guess not like the baseball a world series held in the USA with one country competing.

jasper99's picture
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jasper99 Monday, 10 Feb 2014 at 6:30pm

yeah Simba I know what your'e saying about Turpel but I just meant if they are going to just have Yanks doing the talking then I would have him over Wassel! Couldn't agree with you more regarding Occy! Funny as and just has that sort of refreshing,positive without analysing it too much outlook that competitive surfing commentary needs. Him and Blakey are like Yin and Yang......Occy talks complete rubbish and takes the piss a bit (which I love) and Blakey can break down the rides really well and crunch the numbers which is also a plus!
What I wont miss is "throaty" and "Saaaaarrrrrr" but Im not looking forward to the wank factor that we will subjected to constantly!!

many-rivers's picture
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many-rivers Monday, 10 Feb 2014 at 6:59pm

Are Zosea extremely paranoid about content?
If not this looks to be a situation where they are lacking a little lateral thinking.....if we can have portuguese and japanese commentators why not a separate southern hemisphere team ?
The webcast should be ideal for this - 2 or 3 people on rotation , they decide if they want the job and accept the what I imagine will be somewhat lesser amounts of remuneration.
Team USA can do all the crap they want , the aussies can stick to the surfing and frothing.

trippergreenfeet's picture
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trippergreenfeet Monday, 10 Feb 2014 at 10:25pm

Surprise, surprise, Zosea chooses American mediocrity to target the broader, non surfing market. Well, it makes no difference whether they had the greatest commentary team in the universe, the non surfing market don't give a fuck about surfing and they never will no matter how much money and velvet voices they can muster.

An obsevation I made a few weeks back lends me to believe the non surfing market, as a target audience for pro surfing is nothing but flogging a dead horse.

Sitting in Perth airport, the lounge was packed with people, most of who were watching a big screen TV. I was sitting in the back row furthest from the he TV, so i had a good view point. First up was tennis, 90% of the people didn't take their eyes off the action. Then came soccer, same veiwing as the tennis. Next was the Tour Down Under cycling event, almost everyone was locked on the action. Then came a true surfing spectacle, the Teahupoo Code Red swell from a few years back. Within five minutes, all but a dozen people had tuned out, and the latter were quite obviously surfers. The rest couldn't give a stuff about, what all you guys know already to be, some of the most intense action any human could take on in the natural world.

I asked myself why the lack of interest from a captive audience? This is what I came to; most people, at some stage in their life have hit a tennis ball, kicked a soccer ball and ridden a bike. These things are familiar, whereas most people have never ridden a surfboard. Sure, they may have splashed about in the ocean, but the act of surfing is a totally foreign activety to the general poulation.

wellymon's picture
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wellymon Tuesday, 11 Feb 2014 at 12:31pm

Spot on in my eyes TGF, as you say the general population don't get it, because they've never had the experience of the thrill, buzz, adrenalin, lets just say actually being able to surf....!

clif's picture
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clif Monday, 10 Feb 2014 at 10:30pm

Yeah, surfing sucks!

thermalben's picture
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thermalben Tuesday, 11 Feb 2014 at 5:43am

Fascinating insight TGF. I wonder if the ASP (or any other surfing organsation with a broadcast inclination) has done any research in this way?

Coops70's picture
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Coops70 Tuesday, 11 Feb 2014 at 11:34am

When people (non surfers) ask me about pro surfing and how a heat is judged they find it far too confusing. To a non surfer the interest is just not there, why are zo sea trying to access a market that don't give a shit? There are also a lot of surfers who don't care. Footy tennis and so on are aimed at people who love the sport and can relate to it period, stop trying to sell something ie surfing to a market who just simply don't care. Focus on the people who do and leave it at that, you either surf or you don't.

clif's picture
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clif Tuesday, 11 Feb 2014 at 11:40am

I have never heard or seen any quantitative audience research by a surf- organisation with a broadcast inclination. Although, they may have done it privately? It would be a v. interesting study, albeit expensive to do. I know a few people who do this sort of research - both qualitative and quantitative - and they and their associated reports don't come cheap. I imagine it is easier to work out who clicks/watches (and to manipulate this) than to examine who does not, why not, what the accurate numbers of viewers vs non-viewers are (and all on a sufficient scale to extrapolate from), etc.

freeride76's picture
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freeride76 Tuesday, 11 Feb 2014 at 2:38pm

There are companies who do the research Clif. I have spoken to them and have the stats they give out publicly.

braithy's picture
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braithy Tuesday, 11 Feb 2014 at 3:14pm

As long as GT is in the channel, all is well.

mitchvg's picture
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mitchvg Tuesday, 11 Feb 2014 at 3:43pm

Something I never quite understood is how surfers aren't on the tabloid circuit. Surely they're prime material? The Who is JOB intro for example? And I was under the impression that a lot of people watch tennis for the perv factor... so why not surfing, even when they're head to toe in rubber?

TimB01432's picture
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TimB01432 Tuesday, 11 Feb 2014 at 3:46pm

@Freeride76
Can you link to those companies and exactly what those numbers are? I have looked everywhere. I've Googled every single combination and can't find anything.

TimB01432's picture
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TimB01432 Tuesday, 11 Feb 2014 at 3:58pm

@Freeride
Who have you spoken to? Looking for some help here man.

TimB01432's picture
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TimB01432 Tuesday, 11 Feb 2014 at 4:27pm

@Clif,

Like you, I've looked everywhere. Not a single real TV Nielsen Rating for any live surfing event. Nothing even registers on Fuel TV or Fox under ratings for live surfing events. They advertise the hell out of events that got anything close to a million viewers.

Online it's even worse. What you find in real time is between 3k - 30k max viewers for a surf event and that doesn't break down repeated connection breaks, multiple devices etc.

Of course there is Doug Palladini, Joe Turpel, Steve Shearer, and everyone in the surf establishment saying there are millions of viewers.

They must be right.

They talked to some people.

TimB01432's picture
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TimB01432 Tuesday, 11 Feb 2014 at 4:29pm

@Freeride76,

I mean it’s cool and all to just be like whatever and whatever about it all because whatever

*Alex Knost hair flip*

But, like, have you ever, like, asked why?

Or, have you ever asked: why even ask why? Or why not?

Like, OMG, some corporation just told you a nauseating number and that’s that eh? 2.1 million! Story grows. 5 million. 1 billion. When and why the hell say no? Or how? So fucking uncouth, no?

Or, un cool.

To be fair, those paychecks weren’t going to cover your Rogain bills either way. So it must be about the pride? I get that. I die every day in the mirror trying to figure out which Just For Men will work blending my burns with my wave.

I was simply curious because there are companies that tell me I can increase my dick size by swallowing a pill full of Quiksilver logos.

dumpy's picture
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dumpy Tuesday, 11 Feb 2014 at 4:31pm

I might click on the portugese flag at the next web cast
;p

TimB01432's picture
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TimB01432 Tuesday, 11 Feb 2014 at 4:36pm

Dumpy,

You can join the 1.5k viewers who orgasm every time Tiago slaps the water.

clif's picture
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clif Tuesday, 11 Feb 2014 at 4:39pm

What's the independence of those research companies like, Freeride? I know it wouldn't and won't happen, but a proper peer-reviewed independent piece of audience research would be interesting. I wonder if the government would hand over $ to conduct such given what they are handing over $ for now in regards to surfing (sponsoring competitions, etc)?

@bumpy I wonder what those who currently watch the Portugese and Japanese broadcasts thinks of the commentators for those broadcasts?

clif's picture
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clif Tuesday, 11 Feb 2014 at 4:39pm

lol "Alex Knost hair flip"

TimB01432's picture
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TimB01432 Tuesday, 11 Feb 2014 at 4:50pm

I think it's funny that people here are still asking what the viewer numbers are.

They are right there! RIght on the screen. http://new.livestream.com/IMGActionSports/australianopenofsurfing

Live!

Is that why you are all so freaked out? People were saying no one was watching about 5 years ago, no?

TimB01432's picture
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TimB01432 Tuesday, 11 Feb 2014 at 4:51pm

*thwack*

**bump**

Durrrrrrr....

freeride76's picture
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freeride76 Tuesday, 11 Feb 2014 at 5:05pm

Here ya go "tim".

http://repucom.net/
http://thegembagroup.com/
http://sweeneyresearch.com.au/sports-and-entertainment/sweeney-sports-re...

These are market research companies specialising in entertainment and sport. That's what they do, crunch the numbers and pass them onto companies and governments. You can make your own assessment of their veracity.

Couldn't find any of them doing a google search eh?

Enough phone calls and emails will get you through the gatekeepers to the numbers. Good luck.

TimB01432's picture
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TimB01432 Tuesday, 11 Feb 2014 at 5:06pm

There couldn't possibly have been a collusion between the three billion dollar surf corporations and the surf media to perpetuate a lie to keep their gravy train rolling could it?

Why, goodness no!

I mean... no way dude. Dude no. Bro.

Brah.

freeride76's picture
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freeride76 Tuesday, 11 Feb 2014 at 5:08pm

Collusion is too intelligent a concept. The surf media is just a poorly paid defacto marketing wing for the industry.

But that's not the reason governments are putting money into pro surfing in Aus.

Halfscousehalfcockneyfullaussie's picture
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Halfscousehalfc... Tuesday, 11 Feb 2014 at 5:10pm

You kidding me? No Aussie commentators?! Please don't bore me to tears with the yanks! The only commentators with character were the Aussies. I will watch with the tele on mute

TimB01432's picture
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TimB01432 Tuesday, 11 Feb 2014 at 5:11pm

@Freeride,

Aye! You done copied and pasted! Good on ya bloke. That's why you make the big bucks in journalism!! Citing plug downright savvy companies aren't ya!

What's yore assessment of their "veracity"?

Lemme tell ya though, the "market" has made their own assessment, Freeride.

That's why ye can't get "their" numbers published anywhere, cap'n?

TimB01432's picture
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TimB01432 Tuesday, 11 Feb 2014 at 5:13pm

Not one of them companies, Freeride, has published a single digit in regards to competitive pro surfing.

So, Freeride, make some hay will ya!! You've got the ASP to save!

TimB01432's picture
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TimB01432 Tuesday, 11 Feb 2014 at 5:15pm

"These are market research companies specialising in entertainment and sport. That's what they do, crunch the numbers and pass them onto companies and governments. You can make your own assessment of their veracity."

How long it take you to copy and past that mantra Freeride?

TimB01432's picture
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TimB01432 Tuesday, 11 Feb 2014 at 5:19pm

Hey Ben, when is Freeride going to get his next big cover story!

He and Doug Palladini, and McKnight, and all his buds are going to PROVE they weren't colluding about audiences to all their public shareholders.

It will be grand.

freeride76's picture
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freeride76 Tuesday, 11 Feb 2014 at 5:19pm

all this sound and fury Tim....it reminds me of the good old days.

the market assessment is three CT's in Oz.

One in America.

TimB01432's picture
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TimB01432 Tuesday, 11 Feb 2014 at 5:20pm

Freeride has SOURCES.

Just look at them.

Those majestic links. I mean... who could ever! Fucking brill. End of story.

clif's picture
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clif Tuesday, 11 Feb 2014 at 5:21pm

While these companies are recording viewer numbers what is also interesting (and I am guessing undocumented) is the non-viewing - reasons for, comparative analysis to other 'action sports', what are the consumption practices of the audience, what they think, etc. Also, exactly what methods are used? Any qualifications about those methods being employed? Did you find out how detailed the market research companies reports are - or they just crunching numbers - Freeride? Just curious, I know you have looked at this a bit. You may not know ... fair enough.

TimB01432's picture
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TimB01432 Tuesday, 11 Feb 2014 at 5:22pm

The assesment here: ZERO answered questions as to audience to WINNER!

ME!

Good grief.

You are so fucking easy. Thanks for the lay.

freeride76's picture
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freeride76 Tuesday, 11 Feb 2014 at 5:26pm

Tim, knock yourself out if you want to look into it. If you've got a stick up your arse over the numbers look into it.

I could really give less of a fuck what you think of it.

Clif, it's easy to get the sample size of their market research.

TimB01432's picture
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TimB01432 Tuesday, 11 Feb 2014 at 5:27pm

Freeride,

How about you skip the bullshit companies and just read the fucking screen?

http://new.livestream.com/IMGActionSports/australianopenofsurfing

Halfscousehalfcockneyfullaussie's picture
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Halfscousehalfc... Tuesday, 11 Feb 2014 at 5:30pm

You kidding me? No Aussie commentators?! Please don't bore me to tears with the yanks! The only commentators with character were the Aussies. I will watch with the tele on mute

TimB01432's picture
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TimB01432 Tuesday, 11 Feb 2014 at 5:30pm

Where are all the Freeride articles about the audience of the Australian Open Of Surfing?

C'mon Ben!

TimB01432's picture
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TimB01432 Tuesday, 11 Feb 2014 at 5:33pm

We need more Freeride articles about the Deathmask with actual audience numbers blaring right behind him so his big words resounds much more dutifully in our ears.

We need his importance to reign over us like so many webcams placed ever so carefully around Lennox Head.

freeride76's picture
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freeride76 Tuesday, 11 Feb 2014 at 5:34pm

Mate I got the sack from swellnet almost two years ago so you are really barking up the wrong tree.

dumpy's picture
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dumpy Tuesday, 11 Feb 2014 at 6:29pm

Timbo1432 eeewwww! perhaps I'll tune into the Japanese webcast instead then! Although 1.5k viewers means pretty good stream... (1k5=1500)

Cliff, it would indeed be interesting to understand whether the relative cultures think their commentators are wordsmiths or spouting carp, i dunno! I spose tuning into a different language is an opportunity to learn a different language! 

trippergreenfeet's picture
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trippergreenfeet Tuesday, 11 Feb 2014 at 6:41pm

I reckon aussie commentators bring a certain amount of 'honesty' to the table that the seppos don't. Even the sanitised for commercial TV winter olympic aussie commentators have that honesty and down to earth demeanor compared to the seppos commentating the same events.

Get Rampaging Roy Slaven and H.G. Nelson on the team, that'll liven things up.

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clif Tuesday, 11 Feb 2014 at 6:46pm

Aussies = 'honest'. I love how you put that in inverted commas TGF

hahahahahahahahahaha

And Roy & H.G., no-one will know WTF is going on and that is what would make it even more appropriate lol

trippergreenfeet's picture
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trippergreenfeet Tuesday, 11 Feb 2014 at 6:54pm
clif wrote:

Aussies = 'honest'. I love how you put that in inverted commas TGF

hahahahahahahahahaha

Yeah, an 'honest' dribble fest of bullshit that at least brings a smile to my face. Better than the boring, play it straight assinine seppo dribble that Turple and Co deliver every contest.

e wrote:

And Roy & H.G., no-one will know WTF is going on and that is what would make it even more appropriate lol

Bring it on.

trippergreenfeet's picture
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trippergreenfeet Tuesday, 11 Feb 2014 at 6:59pm

I'll have a go at watching the Quicky Pro, but if they deliver the All Filler, No Killer that I'm expecting, it'll be the Heat Analyser for me. Then I can watch the moments of action without the pain of a seppo sound enema.

simba's picture
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simba Tuesday, 11 Feb 2014 at 8:08pm

Well ive got to say it but if the gamble from zosea goes pear shaped i just wonder whether i will be disappointed or happy.Used to hate pro surfing but over the last couple years its grown on me to the point where im looking forward to the next event providing its held in good waves.Whats the verdict guys whos for and whos against?

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stunet Wednesday, 12 Feb 2014 at 10:20am

Pro surfing? I like watching great surfing, simple as that. I don't get into the lives of the 'athletes' or that whole celebrity economy foisted upon us. So if it dissappeared, well, I guess I'd miss the drama of competition in good waves - on the rare occasion that it happened - but I could probably get my fix elsewhere.

Like Freeride said though, pro surfing ain't gonna dissappear. If ZoSea sink there'll be other businessmen ready to blow hot air into the vacuum.

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memlasurf Wednesday, 12 Feb 2014 at 1:21pm

I can't believe anybody likes Martin - I've got more cliches than the Herald Sun - Potter. He is terrible. I agree with the comment about Cricket. I love the commentary, banter and mix of personalities, however the Yanks would never get it, they would be too coked up and hypa anyway. I will have to turn it off as well. Maybe Swellnet could do the old RRR trick back in the day when you would watch the grand final on the Tele and listen to the coodabeens on RRR take the piss on the radio. Hilarious.

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thermalben Wednesday, 12 Feb 2014 at 1:50pm

Actually, I investigated doing this many, many years ago when I was on site at a number of ASP World Tour events. Having enjoyed the Roy and HG rugby league commentary on JJJ many years prior (as someone who doesn't like the sport), I thought we could do something similar with surfing.

However there are a couple of major hurdles. Firstly - web streaming, latency and dual players. Because of the way live streams are delivered across the web, it's difficult to get them in sync at the same destination - let alone take a live stream from the web, re-encode it with a new audio layer, and then redistribute back to the web. Beside the copyright issues, we'd experience a drop in quality and there'd also be no guarantee of live scores on the same page (as ASP has copyright on that too.. you could scrape the data but the ASP would simply find a way to block it).

So, we could just record our own live commentary of the footage as we watch our own webcast here, and then ask people to load up two browsers - one with the ASP stream (volume turned down) and one with the audio-only stream from our offices (or wherever we're recording the audio). But then... latency issues come into play. The 'new commentary' would be anywhere between 10-60 seconds behind the live stream (because there's no easy way to sync up two media players on every viewer's computer). So that's completely useless.

There is a technical solution to this - but would require cooperation from the ASP at the least, and probably a lot of money too. This would involve putting the commentators on site at each event, taking a video feed from the broadcast truck and re-encode another stream with the new audio (essentially mirroring what they do with the international commentary teams). But, this requires a business grade broadband link - something that is very expensive in mobile broadcast environments around the world. Who's gonna pick up the tab?

The second major hurdle is the enormous amount of resources required for what appears to be quite an 'easy' thing. Even if you find two commentators who be interested in doing the commentary (onsite or offsite), they've gotta be available every day for a 14 day period, ten times a year. And then they've gotta be entertaining on the microphone for up to ten hours a day (hence why most events have scores of rotating commentators.. to give everyone a break from speaking, and to give listeners a break from the same voices). Beacusase I doubt that we could find two talented commentators willing to do all of this for free.. who's gonna pick up the tab? 

So, the idea sounds unreal in theory but in execution it's simply too expensive or technically difficult to undertake. Sorry to be a wet blanket!

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many-rivers Thursday, 13 Feb 2014 at 6:57am

But isn't this what they choose to do with the japanese and portuguese streams?
As such why not have a southern hemisphere team on site also? There seem to be enough ex pros floating about looking for an angle that the numbers would be made up without too much hassle and they could flog their product/ team 's product as a way to offset some costs if they are likely to be high.
My suggestion is to get Dayyan Neve back into the booth.Funny guy .Not at all pompous!

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thermalben Thursday, 13 Feb 2014 at 7:46am

How many ex-pros are good commentators though? Seriously.. it's a bloody hard job. 

And as for "they could flog their product/team's product as a way to offset some costs" - I think this approach is really bad. Firstly, there's nothing worse than forced product placement, and secondly, if they're an ex-pro then they're probably not sponsored any more.

Regardless, the cost of getting this to happen probably means it'll never see the light of day. There's no justifiable reason for the ASP to incur extra costs just to keep a few whinging Australians happy. Because at the end of the day, everyone is still gonna dial into the webcast no matter who's commentating.

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many-rivers Thursday, 13 Feb 2014 at 8:19am

i'd accept the product placement - this is a commercial business and the ex pros are plentiful - they are now team managers and coaches. Ex active competitors would be a better description maybe.....
Still I understand your concerns re cost but how are the other language streams established then?
Is there sufficient support or are other language/country specific sponsors involved?
I'm find some webcasts dull - the small surf being a major problem and I was one who preferred the Liveblogging once done by others ( He/It whose name must not be mentioned )in the past. It is a clunky alternative but one I'd be happy to follow with the vision on and sound off if the commentary becomes bland and non specialist.

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memlasurf Thursday, 13 Feb 2014 at 11:48am

Stu your wrap up could take the piss out of some commercial product placements ala Graham Kennedy (now I am really showing my age) and all those who followed in his footsteps. Maybe this is the maturing of the whole deal, the mainstream becomes more so and it spawns splinters who still love the activity but realise it is, in the end, only that and needs to have its feet firmly on the ground. After all, it is an Aussie national pastime to take the piss out of everything, keeps us grounded (unlike the good ol youessofayyy). As long as it is all done in good fun and humour I am sure it would be a success amongst the Aussies. If the yanks don't get it bad luck.

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thermalben Thursday, 13 Feb 2014 at 11:50am

Team managers and coaches are a poor commentary choice as it's difficult for them to be impartial. 

Re: product placement - whilst I personally don't think this is a good strategy, it'd never work in reality - imagine a Quiksilver teamrider (now commentator) spruiking the latest Quik boardies at the Billabong Pro? Simply wouldn't happen. And in any case, it'd be pretty poor business practise for the ASP - now a commercial entity - to allow company X free advertising on a multi-million dollar broadcast just because they put a few random staff into a commentary booth.

Re: languages - that's a simple answer - the Portuguese/Spanish audiences are huge and need to be catered for individually. Ever tried to watch a Brazillian webcast with no English speaking commentary? I personally can't last much more than a few minutes. The ASP would be alienating a huge potential audience if they only broadcast in the local language.

As it is I remember a time when some events would have two or three alternative languages.. but I think they're down to just one now (Portuguese) - most likely after assessing their geo-stats and seeing that Brazil and Portugal comprise a significant percentage of their global audience.

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memlasurf Thursday, 13 Feb 2014 at 10:30am

Yes Stu when you explain it like this waaayyy too hard. Still am enjoying Roy and HG on the winter olympics however I don' think New Zealanders ( the taranaki gate was very funny) would be. Maybe you could do a daily wrap like they do that maybe doable.

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ACB__ Wednesday, 12 Feb 2014 at 3:04pm

3 Australian tour events against USA's 1 and 5 against 4 (USA/ HAW) in the top 10 rankings are Australian.

We dominate this industry we should have more of a say.

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lostdoggy Wednesday, 12 Feb 2014 at 4:05pm

Well they do have Pipeline as well as Trestles I guess.

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ACB__ Wednesday, 12 Feb 2014 at 4:07pm

True... My bad.

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thermalben Wednesday, 12 Feb 2014 at 4:17pm

And they also have two Big Wave World Tour events (plus another BWWT event just a hundred kays south of the border, although that doesn't count). We don't have any. 

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ACB__ Wednesday, 12 Feb 2014 at 4:34pm

While a great idea, only one of the past 3 nearly 4 events have run in the BWWT & there are only 6 events in total. So can you really count it? It's yet to take of and wouldn't pull anywhere near the numbers streaming online in comparison to the ASP, meaning commentary will mainly go unnoticed.

Don't get me wrong I absolutely love BWWT (go twig) but I just don't think it can really be considered when comparing AUS vs US influence on the ASP tour.

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thermalben Wednesday, 12 Feb 2014 at 4:43pm

That's a fair point.

I was referring to your comment "We dominate this industry we should have more of a say." Based on competitive surfing locations alone, I don't know if it's true any more. And with many surf brands' international headquarters being outside of Australia, and with the ASP's HQ now in California, Australia's influence is slowly receding.  

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ACB__ Wednesday, 12 Feb 2014 at 5:38pm

I suppose "we dominate..cont." was a bit of a far cry. I suppose I was referring more so to in the water competitively and amount of ASP surfing locations.

Financially, it doesn't take a chief economist to realise that maintaining an international foothold in the world market while operating out of Australia is becoming seemingly impossible. Holden, Toyota, SPC and now the surf branding is exporting at massive rates. I completely agree there that Australia is succumbing to US markets. I feel that these brands while operated out of the US, will still try to maintain that "Aussie Image" that originally sold their products, meaning we will never be phased out completely.

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thermalben Wednesday, 12 Feb 2014 at 4:53pm
ACB__ wrote:

It's yet to take of and wouldn't pull anywhere near the numbers streaming online in comparison to the ASP, meaning commentary will mainly go unnoticed.

According to some sources, Mavericks was the "largest single day surfing webcast in history". I'm trying to find some official stats to back up these claims, however I think the BWWT for one-off days, when it's macking, would pull in way more numbers than ASP World Tour events when the surf is small and shitty.

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ACB__ Wednesday, 12 Feb 2014 at 5:55pm

Every Dog has its day. Remember Fiji 2013 day 3? I watched that for ages and it was only a free surf! Of course 50+ ft Mavs is what the people want to see in comparison to when lowers is on par with the current open conditions ( LOL ) but if you were to average it out, take into consideration the consistency of these events ASP and the BWWT are chalk and cheese.

Personally I watch the streams on mute cause I cannot stand a) being told what I already know in stupid colloquial terms and b) The high pitched american whine. but then again they probably hate our AYYYEEE's.

I think the best idea would be to have 3 commentators from each major surf country ( US, AUS, BRA / ZAF ) and a notable event local in the box, just so they can say it was better 20 years ago.

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blindboy Wednesday, 12 Feb 2014 at 4:16pm

The main competition Zosea face I think is from the "amateur" movement getting into the Olympics. This would then see public interest focused on the Olympics and national Olympic trials every four years with World Championships in between. A disaster long in the planning!

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freeride76 Wednesday, 12 Feb 2014 at 6:29pm

".....And with many surf brands' international headquarters being outside of Australia, and with the ASP's HQ now in California, Australia's influence is slowly receding. "

Too early to say and in fact the opposite may be true. The growth in ProSurfing is mostly in the southern Hemi, particularly Aus. If ZoSea fell over tomorrow Australia would be forced to pretty much carry pro surfing.
Why?
The govt is invested in Pro surfing in Aus to a degree not seen in other countries.
Thats why we've got three CT events and mainland USA with a far, far bigger population has one.

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mitchvg Wednesday, 12 Feb 2014 at 7:40pm
freeride76 wrote:

The govt is invested in Pro surfing in Aus

directly (e.g. sponsoring the Drug Aware Pro) & sort of behind the scenes, with AIS type stuff?

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freeride76 Wednesday, 12 Feb 2014 at 8:31pm

Both.
Directly bankrolling CT events and underwriting Surfing Australia etc etc.

They don't give a fuck how many eyeballs are watching in "Merica for the Hurley Aus Open. They're ROI is how many hot chips come out of the deep fryer in local takeaways.

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mitchvg Wednesday, 12 Feb 2014 at 11:31pm

So if that's the case, perhaps ZoSea can afford to alienate teh Aus market, for the sake of appealing to the US market, since we have such investment momentum (i just made that up, sure there's an economic term) in pro surfing

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clif Wednesday, 12 Feb 2014 at 9:02pm

lol

'They're ROI is how many hot chips come out of the deep fryer in local takeaways'.

Gold.

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clif Wednesday, 12 Feb 2014 at 9:03pm

I'll have Chikko roll too.

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Frank Lee Friday, 14 Feb 2014 at 4:21pm

I was curious why Freeride thinks 1.5 million government dollars dedicated by the Ministry of Sport to surfing (about 1% of their total budget) LEADS you to using the word "pouring in money"?

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southey Friday, 14 Feb 2014 at 11:53pm

Am i the only one thinking that now with Zo Sea in charge and their Targeting audience and business plan is purely " by the numbers " ......
That their vision of Growth is one that will be hell bent on different / new markets .... So this no Australian/Southern Hem. representation in the commentary booth is just the forerunner to losing an event here .....
I'm pretty sure that this will be the splinter that splits Australian Surfing apart .....
The Gold Coast ( Surfers / wank bank ) will stay thats a given , ( tits and Arse on teh broadcast ) ' something to aspire to " ....... and WA respresents the beautiful frontier , has better more consistant waves than Vic ....
So the " grass roots of surfing " loses its continuum ... The only thing that would save it , would be a " BWWT " nearby or some other " new location " ... think SA .... but regardless the wheels have started turning , and who would of thought that " grass roots surfing " and olympics / amateur ranks would be best bed fellows ...
Or perhaps we will see a three way split ....
Either way , I'm sure that Asia won't be content with only Bali being on the Tour in say 10-15 years time , after the next generation of rippers grow from our neverending search into new locales throughout the region .... Both surf travel and the corporates looking for new markets ....
Its gonna be an interesting Year ....!?

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the-roller Saturday, 15 Feb 2014 at 6:58am

The last two ASP WCT champs are from Australia. Four out of the last seven champs are from Australia.

And the new ASP mgmt thinks it's alright to shut all Australians out of the commentary box? How farking stupid is that?

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freeride76 Saturday, 15 Feb 2014 at 8:33am

It's far more than that Frank. Govt underwrites events through tourism bodies. That is the case for all three ct events in Oz. WA govt is bankrolling half of the CT there, so there's close to 2 mill right there. Not massive dough but more than chump change. No way we would have 3 ct events here without that govt underwriting.

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Coops70 Saturday, 15 Feb 2014 at 8:49am

There must be someone with some sort of pull at Zosea saying WTF!! No Aussie commentators . like someone said before will be using nothing but heat anylizer on mute. Way to alienate a market and proud surfing nation!

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dumpy Saturday, 15 Feb 2014 at 9:08am

I wonder how long until WCT events are pay to watch? Other sports make you pay for live webcasts, for example it was difficult to get a free telecast of the cricket over xmas (had to dig out an AM radio!)
I don't think i would cough up the coin to stay rivetted to the screen!

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brutus Saturday, 15 Feb 2014 at 9:17am

just clicked onto the webcast of the Aust Open and theres a figure of 5231 people watching....is this true??

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thermalben Saturday, 15 Feb 2014 at 9:43am

Pretty much. That's the number of concurrent streams (ie at that point in time, there were 5231 computers/smartphones streaming the live vision). Most people tune in for a small amount of time, so the total number of people would be higher than this, but probably not a great deal more.

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thermalben Saturday, 15 Feb 2014 at 10:01am

BTW, that's close to the highest number of viewers there's been all event. Every other time I've checked it it's usually been half of that.

I was down at Manly a few days ago, and the webcast infrastructure is phenomenal.. they've got a couple of OB semi trailers in what appears to be a broadcast equivalent of the NRL grand final. But, with just a couple of hundred people on the beach and a couple of thousand watching the webcast. 

Someone's gotta be doing some major dough this event.

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freeride76 Saturday, 15 Feb 2014 at 10:39am

Who the fuck is going to bother tuning in to watch second string monkeys flapping about in one foot dribble. This is just big top circus surfing designed to get mug punters to the beach.

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zenagain Saturday, 15 Feb 2014 at 11:01am

And it appears to not even be doing that,

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blindboy Saturday, 15 Feb 2014 at 11:12am

.....well it's been raining most of the morning as well so yes, the absolute pits.