Swellnet's Live Webcast

Snapper Rocks is off and running, and if you’ve surfed the channels you’ll notice it’s free-to-air on both Facebook and the WSL’s website. However, this situation won’t last long.

Earlier this year, when the WSL struck it’s broadcast deal with Facebook, part of the agreement was that the webcast would stay on WSL.com till Facebook’s offering either equalled or exceeded it. When that happens then Facebook will become the only place surfers can watch it for free.

Have you ever watched a webcast on Facebook? Access to the world’s largest market - which is what the WSL is chasing - means there are many, many eyeballs watching and almost as many fingers typing, and the comments fairly fly across the screen. They come at speed, in all languages, and flush with emojis, typos, and outrageous opinions.

Community? Not at that size...

People want to comment and read what others are saying, but here’s the clincher: they only care about those within their ecosystem. What does Zenagain really think about Gabs Medina? Blowin got a take on this on this Carmichael bloke? What about Halibut and anyone who rides a Thruster? And the same goes with online communities at every surf site! We’re all invested, yet the only thing a one-stop webcast will produce is a database of names yelling into a darkened room.

However, with a small amount of dev work the FB webcast can be embedded into existing websites. The WSL can access the world’s largest market but they also be broadcasting directly to existing communities - AKA the core fans. They can still play their own ads and whatnot, and people who aren’t signed up to FB won’t be coerced into handing over their details. Furthermore, if your work blocks Facebook you can still watch the webcast here!

And that's what we've done. Introducing Swellnet's new Form Guide Live Page, where you'll find everything you need on a single page.

We're currently running pages for both Snapper (see link above) and the Noosa Festival of Surfing.

Watch the webcast(s), comment when you want, all without having to navigate away from the live stream.

Way to keep everybody happy, eh?

Comments

thermalben's picture
thermalben's picture
thermalben Monday, 12 Mar 2018 at 11:58am

Also.. there's a few upgrades to come to this Live Event page too (more content, weather data etc) - this is currently Version 1.0.

If you've got any suggestions, we'd love to hear 'em.

NickT's picture
NickT's picture
NickT Monday, 12 Mar 2018 at 2:15pm

Great idea, well done Swellnet team

Blowin's picture
Blowin's picture
Blowin Monday, 12 Mar 2018 at 6:11pm

Only just saw this.

Nice work gents. Good option.

I’m a bit soured on the whole WSL deal right now , but as Stu stated elsewhere , as soon as I’m sitting twiddling my thumbs somewhere I’ll wish I could tune in. Which never would have happened if it came down to Facebook only.

Cheers guys.

zenagain's picture
zenagain's picture
zenagain Monday, 12 Mar 2018 at 8:09pm

My sentiments exactly blowy, thank-you SN for enabling this., Great work.

For the record, we all know that I think Medina is a cock. It's just that the bugger is so undeniably talented.

the-u-turn's picture
the-u-turn's picture
the-u-turn Wednesday, 14 Mar 2018 at 10:50am

Well Done Ben et.al.

As a heads up, the opening day of the Noosa Festival of Surfing (NFOS) had something for everyone on Saturday. I do know that we had friends watching from Hawaii, France & USA (..even Rhode Island). So the Live Webcast has a far reach with a very keen global audience. Many Thanks All Round!

wax-on-danielson's picture
wax-on-danielson's picture
wax-on-danielson Wednesday, 14 Mar 2018 at 7:39pm

What was wrong with round 5? What a jib!

thermalben's picture
thermalben's picture
thermalben Wednesday, 14 Mar 2018 at 7:40pm

Whaddya mean?

wax-on-danielson's picture
wax-on-danielson's picture
wax-on-danielson Thursday, 15 Mar 2018 at 9:02am

When WSL were busy scratching Pipe in 2019 they also got rid of round 5. Now it is the top 2 qualify in round 4 go straight to semis. It kind of ruins round 4 cause that was the round surfers could really push it and know they would get a second crack if it didn’t work out.

stunet's picture
stunet's picture
stunet Thursday, 15 Mar 2018 at 9:09am

That was how it was marketed when they first introduced it, however the reality was always different. No surfers wants to risk surfing another heat so strategy in Round 4 was every bit the same as other heats - get on the best waves, control priority etc. The reckless abandon they hoped for simply never eventuated.

Getting rid of it was one of the better things they've done.

wax-on-danielson's picture
wax-on-danielson's picture
wax-on-danielson Thursday, 15 Mar 2018 at 12:13pm

Less surfing for the same price. Would have been good to see Mick and Mike Wright get another swing in this comp, plus 4 more heats in pumping surf. At least with round 5 the format is consistent with round 1 instead of QS style, 2nd is good enough.