So, Stab did a story yesterday, and spoke to Conner Coffin (https://swllnt.com/3EjbTd5):

Stab wrote:

“It felt kinda unnecessary to run this really important round of the mid-year cut in waves like this…” Conner Coffin said after his equal 33rd finish. “It’s a bummer… It sucks.” Conner went into Bells tied for 18th place with four other surfers.

Yet, when the was Mid Season Cut was announced in August last year, Conner was the WSL Surfers Rep who provided a quote for the press release (https://swllnt.com/3Ed8rRg):

WSL press release wrote:

“With the new mid-season cut, every event counts,” said WSL Surfers Representative, Conner Coffin. “The fact that someone could lose their place on tour after five events really ups the stakes and is going to push everyone to surf really hard.”

Clearly the idea of the cut line is great, until you’re on the wrong side of it.

When a 40 year old has been, can eliminate the No 1 in the round of 32 it shows just how unpredictable surfing is. The cut off is just too harsh.

sounds like the boys didn't think it thru

WSL reasoning in their statement are sadly 100% focused on their 'business' and not the surfers. The reasons they list for not contemplating any change to the format are all based on sponsors, marketing, contracts, govt funding deals, social media hits and engagement. and zero interest in surfer/ people issues... shame.

Surprising / disappointing to see Tyler not sign the petition. Thought with all the identity politics campaigning she would also stand with the surfing union - but I guess the ladder/class interests got in the way

Fantastic idea ! All Pro surfers should boycott Marg's (maybe forever) Margarets locals stand with you in solidarity !
Vote in the street , vote on your feet
Boycott Marg's !
Fuck the wsl

Play stupid games win stupid prizes hey Connor.

Mid year cut is good if the right surfers are still there.

Can we just hand pick surfers instead? haha

I'm just impressed by Elo's signature. What did he use, a quill pen?

Yet again the cynic in me that keeps catching glimpses of the boom mic.....

Season one of Drive to survive was a real eye opener and it was clear the protagonists were not playing any version of themselves that they wished to see on the screen. By season 4 you can see that happening, dropping zingers here and there and honing their passive aggression into much less subtle accoutrements. Elo, I feel, wants to skip season one and get straight to the daggers.

Given the "tour" has been a financial failure from day one; surviving on sponsorship without measurement and government grants ( u ever seen a government capable of measurement?) surely the current owners are entitled to run it any way they like? After all their motivation is profit, ROI - not art. Sorry if that's too realistic.

My advice to the dissident surfers is go to the meeting, agree (get them to document) their (investor/manager's) points of measurement over the next 3 years, and get to the table of negotiation for 3 years so you get to undertstand what they are trying to achieve - by comparison, it seems childish to me to bite the handoff that feeds you mid-tour - to an idea that you all supported last year? Pretty embarrassing for so-called pros to behave this way IMO.

Fuck pro surfers are entitled pricks. They under perform and think they are entitled to stay on tour when every single one of them knew about the mid season cut in about 8 months ago. It's embarrassing that the guys and girls have signed the petition now, a couple weeks before they are cut. Why didn't they do it before Pipe? The Conner Coffin quotes are hilarious.
Go surf the QS / Challenger series and earn your spot back or get a real job.

Are the wildcards for the events after the cut?

The surfers have known about the Mid Season Cut for years - Elo's letter says they began its redesign in early 2020 (in consultation with the surfers), and the WSL went public with the new format in July of that year.

https://www.worldsurfleague.com/posts/453773/world-surf-league-cancels-2...

Only reason it didn't roll out in 2021 was because of Covid-19:

"Given the challenges around COVID-19 and the transition year in 2021, the cut will not be implemented until the 2022 season."

Hard to find fault with the WSL over this.

Like these guys the spine to stand up to dirk and potentially end the gravy train.

Lots of other interesting quotes within the petition and Elo's response too:

Surfers' Petition wrote:

"We understand that new formats need to be explored to make the CT sustainable."

This suggests that during discussions between the WSL and the surfers, the WSL has leveraged its unsustainable business model to justify format changes, i.e. we need to do things differently or we won't be able to survive. That point has been greatly speculated for years, but never discussed by the WSL (as is their right, as a privately owned business).

Surfers' Petition wrote:

"We also understand that the Margaret River event has been sold at a premium value and the “cut drama” has been built throughout the broadcast"

That's odd - the Margaret River Pro is one of two events that DON'T have a naming rights sponsor. It's primarily funded by the government (interestingly, last year was the "Boost Mobile Margaret River Pro", but they seem to have shifted their sponsorship dollars over to the downgraded Gold Coast event).

Who has paid a premium, and what for?

Elo's response wrote:

"While we still have work ahead, I'm confident in saying that we are within sight of having a healthy, long term sustainable tour for the CT..."

Doesn't sound confident at all.

Elo's response wrote:

"We have changed our partnership pitches (around the Mid Season Cut), generating some of the highest levels of interest that we have ever seen..."

'Levels of interest' are difficult to evaluate, and are essentially meaningless until a deal is done. For example, there's still no overarching WSL sponsor to replace Samsung, who left at the end of the 2016 season. And Teahupoo - the most stunning tour location of them all - hasn't had a naming rights sponsor since Billabong pulled the pin at the end of 2017.

wouldnt hurt to cut the mens back a bit maybe not as much as what the cuts going to be though......anyway gravy train must end sometime

Highly embarrassing for the surfers only now having a little bitch, surely there is more to the story. It's a shit idea anyway.

Perhaps even worse than the championship decider at Trestles. Now that is worthy of a revolt.

Do surfers think they stand a chance against Darth Corpo Jargon and his dark soulless acolyte lawyers.

Until there is a Anakin/Anankia Skywalker on tour, there will be no balance.

Simple...don’t have a cut...just have the tour with reduced numbers to begin with...it both sounds sustainable for the business and should shut the entitled whinging sooks the fuck up.

On a different topic . What the fuck is going on having that chick Shannon Huges commentating ? She sounds like Alvin from Alvin the chipmonks . Worst voice for a commentator ever and her commentry is pretty crap too . Bring back Barton Lynch !

Hopefully dirk pulls the pin on the whole thing before summer stupid challenger or challenge (?) comp is meant to start at snapper. I thought they had given up for good.

Seriously, the WSL have got something unreal on their hands. And something that could be held in great esteem as we see consciousness of the environment/interaction with the environment take centre stage in (world!) policy in the next decade.

The athletes are absolutely amazing at what they do. Many, many people surf regularly or occasionally. We do moves that they do to incredible levels. It's seriously inspirational.

I think I can see the WSL trying to adjust costs, maybe get their costs down? Any business that needs to turn itself around will need to go through this process. Perhaps it's way more than costs. A complete revamp.

Surfing, the way we surfers see it, and the way it's presented; is quite unique. It's not another sport. On another thread I mentioned broadcast being more like test cricket, to which Ben added that it's more individual than a team sport. This is all true. Luckily, our society seems to place great focus on the individual - this stuff is rampant through most advertising currently.

So how to recast it? Stadiums and 1980's style events? That was before, another world. Something more introspective? A more individualised presentation? A more team sports presentation? Surfing world championships were firstly once-a-year and a great meeting place of athletes and design/ideas. Teams went from nations.

Thinking out loud: Australia draws Brazil in the SHemi conference (groan), events are home-and-away at locations at both. There's a big home-ground advantage, but a gifted individual can overcome this. Like players in the World Cup, team members (and backup) are on contract.

Obviously Elo and the board are paid the big bucks to consider this in much greater detail. In his reply he's posting actual increases in engagement and it does sound like a business turning around. But the athletes do have a point: if cut, it's a big fall in their circumstance... how to reconcile? A different contract/retainer for positions below 20/10? I've seen the difference in local staffing between casual and contract positions. It's profound - getting the balance right can work for the company, too, with redistribution of workload and more security for staff.

And yeah, no reason for me to write this, still have to 'keep what I kill' in the world of business, no retainers or cushy contracts or windfalls unless I make them. No jealousy of athletes on good pay either. I'm tuning in and watching, so they must be doing something right.

Time for a rebel tour! Bros not pros. First place wins a meat pack.

I'm not a massive fan of the WSL, but I think they are right on this one. the tour is way more exciting this way, in my opinion, I also hope that professional surfers wake up from the delusional status of GODs that they think to have, life is hard for 99% of the world and should be no different for them, interesting how the "pro surfers" look like politicians once they grab a seat they will play dirty to keep that seat.

there's always gonna be a few surfers outside the cut that probably don't deserve it, but if it means more quality events due to reduced logistics costs then it's probably worth it.

As Ben said, WSL is a privately owned business and as such can pretty much run the tour as it wants too. It’s quite possible Woz just went through the discussion and negotiation process with the tour surfers (who may well have signed confidentiality agreements to be involved in it) to appear reasonable, and then it may not have given the tour surfers an option.
On the flip side the surfers may be now trying to get some genuine negotiation happening.
Having said that, IMHO each of the comps take way too long, and in recent years there have been a few pro’s that really shouldn’t have been able to use the QS to hang around for another year (recall those heats you didn’t care about with those tradesman like surfers).

It seems really obvious on the surface. The tour was most "successful" when it was more "dream" tour and less whatever the hell we currently have.

If they want more eyes, they need the best surfers in the best waves. I have been following professional surfing since 2003-04. Every year there are events that we all know are an absolute bore - even for us diehards - and they are ALL beach breaks. So what does the "casual" viewer think if that's their first exposure to the sport? The mainstream doesn't care about 3 foot Bells, Brazil or that one good day out of 100 at Portugal.

I'd love to see them cut the tour back on events and on pro surfers. Instead of quantity, you get quality content with the best surfers in the best waves. That should = more eyes.

Tour starter pack could include:
Pipeline
Chopes
Keramas
G-Land
Cloudbreak
Trestles
J-Bay
Snapper Rocks - at the right time of the year...

Instead, we have Brazil, Portugal and...the worst of all...Margaret River.

I often don't agree with how the WSL tinkers with professional surfing, for example, jettisoning legacy, and tradition with the wild abandon of a two year old, but I do support this decision.

The contests are too long and the lower ranked surfers are not bringing much to the table. Losing Steph and Sally, however, would be a pretty bitter pill to swallow, if that is what happens.

However, in the surfers' defence how do you structure a financially viable competitive career with this new format? I'm not pretending to be an expert, but it seems somewhat akin to the previous regime i.e. having to back yourself on the QS if you didn't think you would make the cut at the end of the year.

Perhaps a compromise of sorts would work: shorter contests with fewer surfers without a mid-year cut?

Lots of possible options. What drove this, just saving money? If so, fair enough. I’m not sure that performance will improve just because there is a mid year cut, seems like a rationalisation that the marketing department put together.

Cut the non-elimination round. Maybe have the cut off two thirds of the way in the year, and ditch that final five surf off to decide world champ. That last one invokes no interest for me.

It’s a job not a hobby! You get paid because it’s meant to be a little bit hard and not all shakas and good times. The whingers should pull the pin and get themselves a job as an aged care nurse or a copper. See how that goes for their mental health.

Be interesting to hear what the surfers who signed the 'petition' think of the rebuttal by Elo.

Anyone have intel on what went down during the 6.30 meeting in the VIP area?

I get that it's Yin and Yang but I follow surfers, not competition organisers. I go to Bells to see heros surf not muppets selling products, The WSL is making it about them and their brand, not the surfers. Much like how the UFC operates with their fighters.

Dear CTS…we pay you. If you are unhappy, go somewhere else. Love WSL.

It’s easy to see most ‘angles’ in this situation . Wozzle have a version of the World Tour and need to make $$$ . People under the line don’t wanna get the chop !
Obviously surfing is a unique ‘sport’ which is difficult to package to the masses , otherwise this wouldn’t be happening again
I reckon it will be interesting ( or batshit boring ) if we end up with a new crop of young uns at maxing Chopes or Pipe and they’re not willing to have a dig .

Obviously WSL will save a fair bit of prize money after the cut. If this is what they need to become more financially viable and potentially, sell their product to more sponsors then let it be. Good on them for trying different things, if there is no innovation business will slowly but surely die.

Fuck the WSL.

Using K Slaters blank chequebook... i will start a rebel tour....
24 men, 16 women.
8 bottom ranked from each gender relegated end of calender yr to be replaced by best of challenger.
Mens 1st and 2nd round...
4man,40min heat....(up to 1hr heats if forecast is promising).
Top2 moves on.... Losers out of comp.
3rd round is semis.... 3man heat, winner to finals, bottom 2 out.
Man on man final.

Starting feb....
Pipe
Honolua bay
Snapper
Bells
Chopes
Cloudbreak
Keramas?
J bay
Hossegor
Mundaka
Supertubos?
Morocco?
Trestles?
No grand final....Title to most points over season.
No massive grandstands or scaffold WSL ivory towers built.
No jetskis unless its huge, life or death conditions.
No hangers on /entourage like promotors, managers, board caddies(carry ur own fucken boards), masseuse, mental health counsellors, baristas/juice mixers...
Stylists.....
Aura healers.....or shakra cleansers.
No onsite commentators.....work from home.
No snouts in the trough....
3 cameras
(2land/1water).
Keep it streamlined....small scale, low overheads, minimal impact on environment.

Noosa!!! Yeeeew it’s off guts all year. Just put ‘em up in Halse Lodge all year and save some coin. World champ decided at groin close outs yeeeeww

Professional surfing an oxymoron if there ever was one. The fact they are getting paid to travel and surf is pure luxury. None of them are owed anything and it’s laughable that they think it’s their given right. Going off all the information this format was on the cards for well over a year. Maybe it took a year for them to fully grasp the new format? They are ‘professional surfers’.

As an aside re WSL .. see they now have cushy partnered up with Chinese car manufacturer GMW Haval as their main sponsor for the Sydney Pro. Aussies should think about supporting Chinese imports from a country who don’t give a fuck about human rights, who turn a blind eye to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, who look like invading Taiwan, and who look like setting up a naval base on our doorstep near PNG.

https://www.worldsurfleague.com/posts/498566/gwm-becomes-official-automo...

so you're saying that Australia doesn't bend anyone over and give it to them when it suits? Those wine and barley tariffs were imposed in response to the ill-advised foreign policies of an incompetent Australian government, who decided to throw Australian wine and barley producers under a bus for a few cheap dog whistling political points. What kind of a pack of fools would frame foreign policy around the absurd conspiracy theories of the American right wing anyway. Well we know that because you see these clowns on the news every day. It would have been a different story if it was the ministerial salaries that were going to cop the slasher. By the way mate, those cars were made using Australian iron ore that this country sold to them so what exactly are you talking about anyway.

Each surfer on the tour has 30 minutes with another surfer in the water and equal opportunity for the most part (bar Ewing today) to do what they need to do to make it through the heat. If they don't, that's just bad luck.
John john is good enough to make it through heats, as is Italo as is Toledo as is a smattering of others that are of the elite level.
If you're not good enough, well that's just sport. That's how it goes.
Steph and Sally may not make the cut this year, and it seems like an atrocity, but the reality is, their form slide has coincided with a whole bunch of rookies bursting onto the tour. If they were good enough they'd make the cut easily.
You can only blame yourself if you don't make the cut. Harsh but realistic.

Even Elon is having his say

This is an excellent development. We now have a readily available list of both pro surfers and swellnet posters who are either business owners and/or class traitors, and those organising and/or standing in solidarity with workers' interests.

Surfers of the world unite.

Which side are you on?

This cut is great. I fully support it. Next, bring a ‘little final’; a battle for a 3rd spot so there is a legitimate 3rd and 4th.

I’m gonna float an idea
Surfers that don’t make the cut get 1 more chance,
Surf off comp in a slab of death. Force em to paddle into ‘the right’ or get a tube switch foot at the box.
Those who survive get to make the cut.
Would make unmissable viewing ha ha

.

Stop the mid year cut.
Throw out the seeding round.
Piss off with your final five finals day.
Use overlapping heats.

I'd sign that petition.

Having the 1st round as non elimination is like getting a mulligan on the first tee in a golf comp.

Shouldn't happen.

Question for all, why the fark didn't they run overlapping heats when it was pumping?? So many insane waves left to run through unmolested. Probably would’ve had a different mens champ IMHO

Mid Season Cut = Thanx Stu / Ben for the links & bringing the crew up to date.
No idea it was getting so well outta hand...can see why though.
Did a quick outsider's check & surfers have cause for concern.

WSL has no smooth transition in place from WA CT.
Ben's Cams reveal no WSL Goldie comp gear is rolling out for fast approaching 7th May CS.
Not only that...State Govt / GC Council / Qld Surfing promote everything but this loser WSL CS comp?
WSL Sand Pumped CS Correctional Sanitarium has no Timeshare booth to wow the Hodads!
Pro Surfers are watching the Big Wheels fall off their Circus Train.

Anomaly : (It's not Mid Year!)
Outcasts are not surfing on Pro Tour for exactly 66% of the Year or surf for only 33% of Tour Year.
Finals format cut is one thing, but denying competition for 66% of the year smacks of desperation.

Anomaly : WSL cuts 33% of Surfers from Lineup or 33% surf 33% of Tour Year..(Pretty Spazz Huh!)
Elo's Accountant....'See here, ya trim 33% off yer bottom line & you qualify for Joe's BBB Tax write off!'

Anomaly : Top 22 Men + (2 wild cards) & Top 10 Women + (2 wild Cards)
Q: Are 2 of ELO's Ultimate TV Surfers competing as Wild Cards? (Coz the Timing lines up!)

2022 CT cut sheds 14 & 2023 CS has 15 going up to CT
https://www.worldsurfleague.com/athletes/tour/mcs?year=2021

Note WSL encourages Top pros to compete in CS (3 CT surfers are above the cut)
Anomaly...Kanoa was recently leading both tours? (Likely a First...for stat keepers!)

Here's a few more spazz Anomalies escaping out attention...
Every Grom gets stoked when Circus comes to town & hoot for their local to take down the Champ.
Drool! Gotta luv that! Showered in Beer & Stickers plastered over the town & every dog!
If there is a hidden reason for adopting this 2/3 tier set up then this rings loudest & most obvious.

CS tour ends in Hawaii ensuring in form Local Rookies flood the CT Hawaii Leg for upset win.(Tick)
1st 5 comps on CT tour is stacked with Aussies...a biased home town advantage for Oz Leg Win (Tick)
1st CS Comps in Oz scoop up endless CT Oz desperate outcasts biasing a local Oz CS win (?) Soon.
VIP 5 comps head to Brazil with stacked ratio of Home town surfers biasing a Home town Victory (?)
Back to Hawaii local Wildcards CS > CT overload.

Pretty sure this is how WSL planned it...but little is said of this giant finger pointing glove.
There is some small talk of CT < > CS (integration) Nothing more than thought bubbles.(Not reality)
Could be wrong here...just that tbb is not up to speed on WSL (Integration) Not here on the Goldie!
Most punters would say the whole deal has zero integration...hence, the angry surfers!

Just saying there is a definite Comp Format bias for shaping Home Town Hero Stoke.
That's a good thing...if it were organic...but clearly WSL stacked it that way...Not a Fair Competition?
If only WSL explained the convenience of nurturing hometown Stoke...we might come on board.
This is exactly how & why surfers tiredly point the bone at another Kooky WSL Mental Plan!

Next Anomaly is a sneaky thing > Prize Money...tbb admits that this slipped by first time around.
Must be said...WSL funny money is getting harder to track down.

Rewind to Trestles Final Top 5 x (Mens/Womens) One & Only WSL CT Equal Pay Comp
Total Prize Pool $470,000 ( Around half of a CT full Comp Purse )
1st $200,000 each (m/f) >(2-5 Placings) Total (m/f) 8 surfers = $70,000 combined
If split evenly = $8,750 each or Less than lowest rank Surfer of any comp...for a finals Comp?
Clearly we see a new WSL that loves Winners at cost of losers...(Reflecting the Mid Year cut ethos!)
That is a massive competitor Pay Gap..."A warm welcome for the wannabes...now you can Fuck Off!"

tbb is puttin' in a request for Mid Year WSL Comp format & Prize Pool (Can't find either anywhere!)
All here know if either were at hand we could maybe get better insight to this cut off row!

WSL are keeping real quiet on this...
Men already earn less per performance due to higher competitor numbers 36 > Women's 24
Men surf more rounds for less appearance money & first round Male losers earn less.

Mid season cut should widen WSL pay gap more so in women's favour (Men 18 > Women's 12 surfers).
Be real eye opener as not only those below the line but more than half above the line will have a say.

2022 (1st Half formula) WSL Biggest loser Pipe Cheque...$9,750 (vs) Chix $10,000
If prize money is the same or similar as one would imagine then....
2022 (2nd Half formula) WSL Biggest loser Chopes Cheque $Bigger (vs) Last place Chix = $Massive
We can rule out Top Tier prize money as reason for angst...more about income security.
There can be no doubt that base level pay disputes are driving protests...only we don't see that...
2 class structure... 2nd Half can bludge for more easy money & Chix are showered in Shopping money!
Be hard for crew to buy #1 elite back end comps will have less Prize Purse ...so more pay for losers.
These surfers have already qualified for 2023 & will get pimped to camp on shoulders.

1 month to 28th May & still no 2nd half Comp rounds format or Prize money tiers

Sophie's choice example.
ATP / WTA Tennis Cut Finals
Men's 8 + 8d Players (Prizepool $7.25m) Winner $1,094,000 > R/U $530k > SF $173k
Women's 8 + 8d Players (Prizepool $5m) Winner $1,240,000 > R/U $420k > SF $30k
Battle of the Sexes...Women's tennis Goddess smashes Glass ceiling to poop over #1 Men Champ!

WSL are clearly influenced by Sophie's Tennis world of #1 Highest Paid Female World Athletes
WSL are angling Top Women's Prize Purse for fast return Accolades across sports world.
Their is a wide open field for WSL to make strides to gain cred fast by advancing women.
WSL is 1st a vessel for sportswomen to earn higher performance fees than men...which they do!
Recall WSL Plan was to address this shortfall in Comp numbers Ratio Prize money...but instead!
2nd half of 2022 is designed to further widen Women's higher performance fees above brothers.
These are WSL goals...not tbb stirring the pot!

Qldurrz wish to point out that WSL has yet to hold an equal Pay CT comp in Qld & have no plans to!
Clearly more at play than wot we see from the outside...coz in our World this is huge backward step!
Why! Well we lost our CT comp didn't we! Now none promote it's lesser replacement...(WSL - Losin' it!)
Goldie surfers could argue this is when & where the WSL wheels started coming off!
Don't need to say that Goldie ran a Good CT comp as World knows that better than us! Just sayin'!

Now > No comp formats / Prize money details locked in for upcoming CT Tour Leg.
Zero #1 CS Comp awareness & No support by Govts / Councils / Surfing Australia - States
All Comps / Money / Formats geared away from Group toward stoking Local Home Town Diva Chix.
WSL Hodads ask...Where do I sign the Petition?

First and Foremost, it's an entertainment platform. All 'gigs' depend on the crowd showing up.
If we compare it to the Music Scene, bums on seats sell tickets. Bells is an amazing Vibe, not just a viewing medium.
If we look at a Pop Festival Format, for example, Tamworth for the Country Scene, it has a massive line up of 'Talent'.
Festivals provide an array of talent to satisfy the masses.... not JUST the 'Cream of the Crop'. A long Festival with varied artists gets a much larger demographic than 5 x the best acts.
For my part, the power of Courtney Conlogue, the flow of Stephanie, the gouges of Connor Coffin, the vertical path of Ryan Callinan/Connor O'Leary and the precision of Kelly, plus some I know personally, float my boat. After the Cut... for me... there'll be less to see and enjoy. If the criteria (possibly) changed to a collective of 'want to see' from the 'punter' audience, Style and Rail Carves over Twirlybirds might change the variety left after the 'cut'.
I certainly feel the Graham Cassidy /ASP version felt more connected than a sometimes Them v Us WSL product. However, I was more than a punter back then, so perhaps that clouds my judgement.
It's hard, where does the WSL recoup their losses and keep some of us entertained?

Perhaps another thing of 'note'. Elon says the Fans are all in favour of the cut.
I thought I was a fan, but I don't remember voting...

My prediction for 2024 and beyond:

- scrapping of the CT cut
- scrapping of the CS completely
- return of pipe for end of year in December
- Gold Coast to return as a CT event
- continuation of the finals top 5 thingy
- Australia to have both a Men’s and Women’s world champion in the same year

And Kelly to say”I don’t like surfing anymore- I’m gonna play LIV golf”