The Chief Speaks

Wednesday, 12 August 2009 00:00

The CEO at another board meeting.

Brodie Carr is the ASP’s CEO. Before that, the 37-year-old goofy-footer was the Sports Business Manager for the Sydney Olympics, and was involved in running Australia’s National Basketball League. He was headhunted to Coolangatta at the end of 2004, smack bang in the middle of the Dream Tour’s golden era. Andy Irons and Kelly Slater were going head to head, the surf was pumping (rememeber when Teahupo’o used to have the Top 45 shitting themselves?) and the global financial crisis was moons away.

Five years later, Wayne “Rabbit” Bartholomew has stepped aside as figurehead and president of the ASP, the surf companies are feeling the pinch as global purse strings tighten, and ESPN has entered into vigorous discussion with Kelly Slater’s manager and a sports promoter about starting a new tour, in direct conflict with the current one. Things aren’t blissful on the Dream Tour, but so far Carr isn’t losing sleep over the breakaway movement.

ASL spoke to Brodie in Hossegor, France, where he is based for the European summer.

Interview: Chris Binns

As far as the ASP is concerned, what’s going on with the proposed alterna-tour?
I met with them in California, and since then we’ve had a board discussion about the tour concept. As far as the ASP goes, and its stakeholders, the surfers and events, we’re all waiting to find out more information. So far we really don’t have enough to form an opinion on whether it’s good or bad for pro surfing. We’re not trying to be protective of the ASP, we’re thinking this could be good for pro surfing, so let’s consider it. And if it’s not, then we’ll make a decision when we have more information. But we don’t have that yet.

I’m sure if you talk to the surfer’s reps, Mick (Fanning) and Kieren (Perrow), they’ll tell you the same thing, so we’re all just saying, Let’s wait and see what they have to offer.

When you say ‘them’, who are you talking about?
It’s Matt Tinley (former boxing promoter) and Terry Hardy (Kelly Slater’s manager). I’ve asked for more details about who all the players are, who’s backing it, who is behind the scenes, but they haven’t come back to me yet.

When did the ASP find out about this?
Probably four to six months ago a guy from ESPN told me. We were already in discussions with ESPN. Suddenly they said they couldn’t talk anymore as they were entering into a non-disclosure agreement with another group. Then we didn’t hear officially about it from Tinley or Terry until J-Bay.

And now you’ve met with them. How did that come about?
I organized it. I was going to America anyway, so arranged to meet over there. There are so many of these things that come up every year. This one’s got a bit more work that’s gone in, and obviously Kelly’s behind it, but there are so many every year that we can’t afford to stop what we’re doing every time to chase people down and find out what they’re up to. It’s up to them to come to us a little with their plans and how they see it working.

“Kelly says he comes to us a lot. He doesn’t. He’s invited all the time, he could come to surfer meetings, and he doesn’t that often. There’s a bit of a myth that Kelly’s’ been bringing these problems to us for a decade.”

What were your first thoughts on leaving the meeting?
At the end of the meeting they asked what I needed, and I told them I needed more information. They didn’t give us enough to form an opinion on whether their plan is good or bad. First thoughts? Good meeting, good to meet them and put names to faces, although I knew Terry already, now we need more information. Everyone’s waiting on depth and detail, and until we get that no one knows if this can or can’t happen. There’s been a lot of talk, but nothing’s happened.

Are you in regular communication with Terry Hardy now?
We had an ASP board discussion last week to sort out our stance, and we sent Matt and Terry three questions we needed answers for, before we can proceed with anything formal to move forward. So we’re waiting. I’ve been sent a non-disclosure agreement to sign, so we’re reviewing that legally, and waiting on the responses to our questions, which will break down for us what our further response should be.

“They’ve made it clear their tour is going to be THE tour. It’s going to be a tour that sits above ours, and if it goes the way they say it will, there’ll be their tour, the current World Tour, and then the WQS.”

What vision do they have for their tour? Running in parallel or a breakaway tour rivaling the ASP World Tour?
They’ve made it clear their tour is going to be THE tour. It’s going to be a tour that sits above ours, and if it goes the way they say it will, there’ll be their tour, the current World Tour, and then the WQS.

That’s a pretty aggressive statement, how do you react to that?
It could be good, (but again), give us more detail. They’ve got some good discussion going with ESPN, a good media agency, a good media outlet. We’re not in a rushed, panicked state, the Dream Tour is far from dead. A lot of people don’t realise we’ve got all of our events signed on for the next nine years. We’ve got media deals in place, we’ve got webcasts. That’s all going, and will go again next year.

For them to go out and source venues, and source judges, work out who’s qualified and who hasn’t, that’s not something you can do overnight. Until they’ve got more meat on the bones, we’re not jumping up and down and panicking. We’re relaxed, we’re keen to learn more.

Comparisons have been made to the Indian Premier League in cricket. Flashy, big money, based on TV and entertainment. Is that how the breakaway tour could work, in parallel?
In my view of sport, there can only be one world champion, and as long as there is only one world champion then exhibition series can exist. But when it gets like boxing, and there are three or four different champions across different federations or organizations everyone gets confused and some of the legitimacy is taken away. So that’s key; to have one world champion. Everyone can go “Kelly Slater has won nine world titles, and is the nine time world champion.” Like that, no one else can claim it, or say they won at the same time on a different tour.

The other thing that is very important for a sport is that the career path structure is clear. So a 16-year-old kid knows the steps he has to make to become a world champion. At the moment they know that; you do your pro juniors, you do your QS’s, you qualify for the World Tour, you’re on, you become world champion.

If you break that up with another sport that selects people, with no qualification process, everything goes pear shaped. One world champion, one career path.

Spoken to Kelly lately?
Last time was the day I left LA. I don’t think we’ve spoken for a week. We’re on good terms, we get on fine. We share some of the same frustrations; he’s just at a different place to where we’re at. Some things we agree on, some things we don’t.

How many of Kelly’s criticisms (event timing, uneven webcasting, sluggish response to changing needs in the sport) does the ASP think are justified?
I’d have to go through them all and address them individually. He says that he comes to us a lot. He doesn’t. He’s invited all the time, he could come to surfer meetings, and he doesn’t that often. There’s a little bit of a myth that Kelly’s’ been bringing these problems to us for a decade. Sure, we’ve discussed things over the years, but when I sit with the surfers at events, I get 45 different opinions on what should be done, what could be different. You try to harness ideas, and work on common threads when nine out of ten guys say the same thing, and you have to fix them, but when there isn’t a common theme it’s harder to pull together. I could sit down with Dayyan (Neve) and he might say “bro, everyone needs to be wearing pink boardshorts” and that’s great, and we all know Dayyan and love him, but we don’t then run off and make everyone wear pink boardies.

Obviously there are going to be a lot of different opinions from the various tiers of the tour, but Kelly being who he is, his opinion must carry some serious weight.
Of course. Man, he’s won nine world titles, he’s the greatest of all time. When he talks people listen, he has a lot of great ideas and things to offer. He’s quite a thoughtful, methodical guy, he doesn’t just go off on a whim. And down the line there might be someone else in his place, maybe Mick will have won five titles and be the guy who takes over from him. Kelly’s great, great for the sport, and he’s gone about it this way ’cos he thinks it’s the best way. We’ve spoken about it, and I’m definitely not bummed at him at all.

Brodie and Ace Buchan catching up at a Surfline party Stateside. Pic Barrus

You obviously can’t speak for them, but where do the WPS (World Professional Surfers, the surfer’s union) fit into all this?
The surfers are saying they’re waiting for more information, just the same as us. The reps have their meetings with the surfers, and then they loop back in with me with their feedback, but so far they’re saying the same as us, there just isn’t enough information.

There are no secure venues. If I went to (the rebel tour organisers) and said “I want to sponsor an event, what can I have?” They don’t have an answer. There’s no Pipeline, there’s no Tahiti. Imagine you want to sponsor an event, ASL want to step up and sponsor an event, where can you go? Ask them!

Third Ave Burleigh would be pretty good.
Yeah if you suggested Burleigh they’d probably think that was pretty good, but if you ask them what they already have, they don’t know.

“We’re not in a rushed, panicked state, the Dream Tour is far from dead. A lot of people don’t realise we’ve got all of our events signed on for the next nine years. For them to go out and source venues, and source judges, work out who’s qualified and who hasn’t, that’s not something you can do overnight. Until they’ve got more meat on the bones, we’re not jumping up and down and panicking.”

The breakaway tour seems based upon TV coverage, and the resulting mainstream sponsorship pouring money in. Has the ASP courted television recently?
The ASP has assigned and sold the media rights to the events (the surf companies who run them) for three years. The events pay the ASP a fee, and they can go and do what they want with their media. The events then do individual and group deals for further distribution. They agree on a format and style and give it to an agency who distributes it around the world. So the ASP haven’t been doing media or distribution lately. We regularly talk with Fox Sports and Fuel, as they’re our partner on the women’s tour, and I met with ESPN again when I was in California. And you know what, our TV coverage is not that bad. ESPN would be great, and ESPN 1 would be better than ESPN 2, which is where the new guys would go. Don’t think it’s going to go on ESPN 1 with these guys.

The current agreement expires in two years time, but we have a deal with all of the events where, if we get a broader deal we can bring it to them. And they are definitely keen to talk. Billabong might work out a deal with someone and bring it back to us for further consideration. The events know that consistency across the board is important, and they know if you start well at Snapper then that will translate to bigger numbers in Tahiti, and onwards. So even as competing brands they work together if it’s better for the whole.

Is your goal to one day have the ASP website as the one you go to for every event’s webcast? And then maybe a standard TV package available a week or two later?
TV is a great medium, but our core fanbase are in the really young demographic. Not many of them sit in front of the TV, they sit in front of computers. So we’ve been focusing on the web as our preferred medium for a while now. As for the one website, it’s almost like that anyway. Eighty five per cent of traffic to an event’s website comes straight from aspworldtour.com and then they click through. That event website is a standard template, and then overlaid is each event’s graphics. All the streaming comes through one provider, which we negotiate at the start of the year. To put it all on the ASP website wouldn’t really see much change. I think what people want to see is more consistency of commentators, and the production of content.

How do you react when you see the coverage from Brazil?
It’s a little bit frustrating, sure. And I think it’s frustrating for the surfers, and the other events on tour who work hard to build up their image online. For Hang Loose though, their focus is on Brazil, internally, and they get 70,000,000 people watching live on TV. 70,000,000 people watched the final live. Our TV distribution around the world isn’t that bad. And this new tour isn’t going to change that much, it’s a real US tour. What about the rest of the world?

“Everyone’s waiting on depth and detail, and until we get that no one knows if this can or can’t happen. There’s been a lot of talk, but nothing’s happened.”

Do you think the ASP has its hands tied by the big surf brands? Are the companies scared of letting go of the sport they’ve built up?
I don’t know. That’s a question you should ask them. They seem open to doing what’s best for the sport. I don’t really have an answer so I’m not going to try and make one up.

Do you see a day when we have the Mercedes Masters, and the Xerox Classic?
There are two schools of thought in surfing. One is that it needs to go more mainstream, the other is that what we have is pretty special, and going more mainstream is going to cannibalise that. You have to find the sweet spot in the middle so we don’t wreck what we have, so we’re not quick to jump away from what we already have unless it’s going to be great. We’ve taken 30 years to build the sport to what it is today, and yeah, the surf brands have been great and have made this what it is, as much as the surfers, so it would be irresponsible of us to make a decision quickly. We don’t want to rush anything, we want to take our time and assess everything and make sure we’re making the right decision for the sport, ’cos otherwise we might not be able to turn it back again.

Click Here to see what Kelly told Tim Baker about the new tour

Click Here for Nick Carroll's take on the situation

Click Here for ASL's movie about the ASP VS new Tour

Comments (80)

Hey Brodie,mate nothing against you but you have been long enough as CEO and nothing happened and i dont think you have enough experience mate ... i know someone who was heavily involved at the Sydney 2000 games and dont know you at all!!!
Time for change and starts with you !!!!

Yep, get a proper CEO, with solid MBA qualifications and an impressive resume in management. The ASP is a white Australian-centric organisation. And is inconsequential and xenophobic in a world where, moving forward, the surf consumer growth will be coming from population-dense and wave-rich regions like Central and South America and of course, Asia. So over that mate, youse rubbish.

Make a statement. Get an Asian with significant management skills to run the Rebel Tour. With surfing reaching everybody's tv screens and the availability of Chinese-made baords, every kid from the poorer nations can have more access to boards and surfing more than ever before. Be it those in the Indian Ocean area like Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Malaysia, and the central american, south american, and east asian nations in the pacific rim. We'll be seeing some great world-tour level surfers coming from these areas in the future who will not be limited by the cliques that infest australian-favouring surf companies and surf organisations.

China Telecom, QTel, TelMex and any big telecom/mobile phone provider in developing nations can collectively come up with the finances necessary for this Rebel Tour. Just think out of the box. There's enough Chinese, South and Central American, and Asian companies in clothing, airlines, telecoms, hi-tech that will ride on this to sell their product to the free-spending youth culture.

Nike 6.0 don't sponsor any high profile surfers? What about Michel Bourez? He only kicked Mick Fanning's arse at J-Bay... Nike are getting involved slowly but surely...

Mate, I'm well aware of this event, Nike has more money than just putting on a qs event. What I'm trying to say is if they seriously got into surfing the salaries would be much higher. They don't have any high profile surfers, just qs and juniors surfers (except their attempts for jordy). This is a company that has money to splash around if someone sold the sport to them right! They are so much bigger than Billabong Quiksilver etc.

Cancel all pro surfin, get them all out of the line ups all over the world. The Pro Surfers are that great without the Tour and we can all get more waves.
The ASP has been doing a too good of a job. Contests everywhere.
Start planting trees, clean the reefs and start fixing the environment.
THE MONEY HUNGRY FUCKERS ARE TAKEN OVER world and the ASP with it. Nothing is ever good enough for these greedy funkers. Mr Slater included and his sideways walking manager.
Where does it all end?
IN DISNEYLAND!
.....IF THE USA ever get hold of competitive surfin' it is finished.
Every man for himself...... Viva Las Vegas!!!

When Rabbit stepped down I was a little concerned about ASP´s future, but now I know it is in good hands. What is happening w/ a paralel tour is pretty sad, and I doubt Kelly would just care less about his 9 times ASP world tour and back up another tour run by someone surfers outside the US know nothing about it. Fact that cannot be ignored is that there are issues w/ the CT and a lot more about the QS that need to be adressed, discussed and fixed. But this is about surfers, and surfing is about waves! Who would be willing to sit for a 3 hr mtg after competition finished in J-Bay when you could be in the water with classic waves! Brodie: you have a hot legacy in your hands! Just do your job in fixing issues and don´t let anyone ruin what has taken 30 yrs to build!

I am well aware of the money surfers get through their own contracts, thats not my point, I was just making the point that the ASP hasn't exactly lined surfers pockets, in fact I would say it barely covers the cost of competing on the CT. When people keep saying oh the ASP made Kelly and all this shit, it isn't really true. The ASP doesn't really do anything for the surfers. What this whole saga has made clear is that the surfers are more important than the organisation. I want to watch Parko vs Slater or Mick vs Andy etc every contest and I want them to want a win more than anything and paying the boys serious $$$$ will motivate them more than anything. And to those that say oh surfing is more than money, yes it is but if you could get it would you take it? I know I would.

i just want the pro surfing body to be run by surfers, not some money hungry suits that will drop it as soon as ratings decline...

I think that's a testament to how bad the ASP is

im suprised you all want to write of the asp for a new tour that no one knows anything about...

I read all sorts of comments on money, business, media, you are all a bunch of sell outs who forgot the essence of surfing: freedom, enjoyment.

You don't need world champions, all you need is more surfing!! Getting stocked when at your break someone pull moves that leave you speachless... then you go back to work with a sense of accomplishment because you got your share of fun. You must enjoy the simple fact that you are a surfer and you witness greatness! The rest is B.S!!! Who cares who's the world champ as long as after your session you get a big smille on your face !!!!!!

It's sad to see surfing become so commercialized. Surfing is about culture and sharing that culture with others. Somewhere in the promotion of the sport we lost the value.

IPS had its flaws and the current ASP tour is a joke, but an ESPN tour might even be worse for the sport. Talented athletes deserve to be recognized and rewarded for their skills, but that doesn't always happen in the present system. In most sports the limits are pushed during competition, but contrived mediocrity often wins the heat in competitive surfing.

In an ideal world, the ASP gets its act together and works like it should, but man, it is what it is, and just hoping it'll change for the better ain't gonna make it so. So yeah I welcome this new tour. I think their might be a year of growing pains like Kelly said, but (someone else wrote this) if for all his nice talk Brodie and all involved in the ASP really care about surfing and not just their positions in the surfing world, they'll step aside, anoint the new tour as the elite tour and focus on being the pipeline to it, and save trouble by doing it sooner.

Young surfers - You don't need a pro career to surf. You don't need deep pockets to surf. All you need is good mates and some sic waves. who would like to see in the lineup next you ESPN (Walt Disney) or ASP(surfers)?

Everyone keeps asking if this dude has any qualifications? Well does he? It could be a wheaties one for all we know. What is MBA anyway?

@ Young Surfer. Did you see the Trestles WQS this year? The ummmm nike 6.0 one? Obviously not. Geez young guy open your eyes.

@ can i say. Plus to this the World Title Bonuses and US$1.5m salary. You are looking at US$30m. And trust me I know. Would he be getting that salary and that bonus if there wasn't an undisputed world champ. I am not necessarily pro ASP I am just educating old mate here.

as a spectator of the sport I think the ASP need a good ass whipping. They have bankrupted themselves BEFORE the economic down turn, and it only looks to get worse. I think its about time the sport evolves and is more lucrative for the surfers... do you know the prize money hasn't increased in 5 yrs! Most of the Top 45 have to morgage their homes to stay on tour!

I have meet Brodie as well and to put it politely he is a wanker! He has no respect for the surfers or their families.

Let me pose this question... when the tour is losing contests (Fiji - a CT, Hossegor - QS) what is he doing at the events drinking a beer?! He should be doing what real CEOs do, being out canvasing new sponsers, media etc. I have worked for a number of companies listed on stock exchanges and all those CEOs work their buts off. They certainly don't look tanned, toned, highlighted and freshly botoxed, especially if the company is failing.

I think its time that the ASP is moved to the states, has a proper management team, and looks for a proper PR firm etc

Strong opinion? Yes. Correct? Definitly!

Career earnings doesn't show how much money Kelly is earning. If you know anything about surfing, their main income source is from sponsors and it's in the millions.

Don't try and tell me they aren't making a good living. I know a couple of pro's and they all have nice houses or a few.

The ASP need to listen! splitting the tour up is a joke, so this new tour is a joke! But competitive surfing does need a better product. Try having a format that encourages progressive surfing, not the methodical crap we see from a few. How about having Kelly Slater structure heats like at Mundaka last year, more waves where ridden. Also having best wave win's; it keeps the tension going while the surfers go for it. And the 'best' surfers will win. No more of this repetitive crap in competition. Also judges need to rewards aerials more, kids at every local beach ain't trying to do repetitious crap. Go with the times, and this still includes power turns for those purists.

sorry for my little rant.

Young surfer, you make the point that the ASP has fed Kelly for so many years, well Kelly's career earnings are $1,910,405 over fifteen years on tour that equals an average of $127360.33 each year for a man who has one 9 world titles, that is a joke. He is least likely to benefit from the new tour as he is coming to the end of his competitive career where as the younger guys can look forward to potentially earning more in a year than the best competitive surfer has made in his career. No the ASP has hardly made them fat.

The phenomenally talented surfers on tour (Parko, Mick, Dane, Jordy, etc.) have all had to weather their careers under Kelly's shadow...I cannot think of anything worse for them than having to join the "Kelly Tour".

The real problem is the people who run the ASP. Get some 'real' talent is there- but they must be surfers. selling the media rights to the sponsors- consistency boys and the sport will grow.

Why would Kelly go bite the hand that has feed him for so many years. The tour has dramatically changed over the last decade for the better (money, wave criteria, etc). It may be slow but it is still progress. Also, the new tour would not be respective of the whole world, as the main guys will be from USA and Aus (and i'm aus); this isn't far. There is major money in the sport in Europe and Brazil if they market the sport right. Also, on a side note, all the main surfers complain about their media commitments now, what would happen when they go main-stream- espn will want their money's worth.

The New Ceo needs to look at himself saying that our target audience is the web, yeah maybe (I wouldn't mind watching it on tv, especially as internet costs are vast), but that isn't where corporations want to spend their money, and why haven't they gone after Nike 6.0 like a bad rash? What formal training does he have (not on the job training)? The place is run by fouls.

Can I Say, You're A Douche! who cares how its spelt, he's got the right idea.

They need to move the ASP to Cali and get a new CEO that can do a proper turn and that has some business acumen. IE- fortune 500 experience and an MBA or law degree or any advanced level education for that matter.

Enough of this bro brah stuff, lets get some authenticity.

That's all really great, but the ASP still hasn't taken surfing to where it should be. The broadcasts completely suck, I watch them and don't need to be told they don't.
Did you know a good most of the surfers on the tour w/ travel expenses and accommodation don't even break even w/ the prize money they're given (Bede spoke out about this)? Is this the state of professional surfing we're ready to settle for? So a 12 year-old has a clear path to being broke at 25 to help the brands make profits? I hope it gets better... change'll have to happen.

I expect the ASP to fight it at first, but if this new tour does come down right (fingers crossed) I hope Brodie and the brands'll show us how much they actually care about surfing and focus on trying to give the 12 year-olds a path to make the living their talents have earned them. Better TV/webcast'll be good too. Hehe

politicking!! yay!!!

I believe the word is THRONE.....so not really that well said.

I was worried when i heard Rabbit is on his way out but Brodie comes from a decent background and knows his sport, not just surfing but professional sport as a whole. Then in the other corner you get a boxing promoter and a Quiksilver manager, none of them having released a decent (informative) press statement in weeks... Who would you trust with a world tour?

How old is this Brodie Carr character? He sound like he's been around a bit but he only looks very young! I reckon we have to steer clear of anything or anyone (ESPN) that turns our sport into the dew tour. I fucken hate those shows! And do we really want some Don King wanna be running our sport so he can line his pockets? This is all about 1 thing, $$$$$. Kelly and the rest of the Pro's dont need anymore money, they've already got plenty and a fucken good life. I dont understand how this new tour could possibly make surfing better for the fans!? Why, cause we can flick on the Idiot box and watch a half hour highlights package at 10 pm on a Wednesday night? Thats more than likely what we'll end up with here in OZ. Surfing and TV dont mix, theres just to much time in between waves to show it live. Simple as that. Now as our mate "Connor" from above says "everyone get back to business and focus on watching Parko ascend the thrown!" well said.

lol, I bet he ran it through billabong's PR department

First I am a surfer with a lot of experience in the industry and I am a owner of a production company praxisuniversal.com working in water sports sailing, ocean rescue, ocean environmental shows primarily we are currently doing a Doc. on Zac Sunderland the youngest kid to sail around the world. We also do a web show called oceanrescue.tv. I’ve worked with ESPN and know their model well.

Be careful, you're on a very dangerous path here. I question Espn as a good fit for surfing as a primary venue for exposure. Deals like this mean giving up the autonomy that you currently have. If the show isn't successful you'll have very little control of when it's shown and if it gets cut. Beyond that the future is in internet webcasting not TV. I think you should look at the Tennis Channel model, as a frame work for the future of surfing, not becoming part of an existing networks stable of shows, where surfing will rank very low.
As a part of ESPN I see surfing becoming and X-game sort of thing mildly interesting to the average person. Surfing being what it is never going to attract the audiences of the major sports, thus you cannot compete. I realize that in the forefront surfers might make more money, and just question the sustainability of this direction.

Of course I don’t know all the facts, but I do know how this business works.

Good Luck

The asp rocks!, they have done everything for our unique sport. We dont need some rich seppos splashing our sport all over the US (as if it isnt allready crowded enough)for some kook to watch in Kentucky. Fuck off Slater & support the system that supported you or hand in ya 9 titles!!!! lookin for a retirement fund ey Kelly?

sorry but for the media it's getting harder and harder to cover the asp world tour. the video content and the press releases could be much better, and buying pictures over getty images is probably the weirdest thing i ever heard. do i really have to spend money for that? are you kidding me. in fact if i would like to write pre- and reviews about an event i have to buy pictures. that's a joke. don't wonder if i am not going to write the asp as much as i did the last 6 years... we're open for something new.

What about a simular thing like the TTR in Snowboarding?

I watch most live coveridge of ct and wqs events,as i have a vested interest in these events, but no normal person could sit there and watch a computer screen for between 5 to 14 days to see 3 or 4 days surfing of which about 1 hr a day is actually on the wave. The information on the web is pathetic,you sit there and watch a screen that says next call at whatever,but this time has already passed hours ago.Live coveridge on mainstream media is not possible due to the nature of waves, only possibillity is a 1 hour end of day wrap up.This may be ok in usa where they have world championship sports that they are the only people in.eg base ball ,gridiron, ice hockey, basket ball , they just dont care about the rest of the world. kellys tour would be great for 12 americans and a few token non americans to make it seem rellevent . The system that is in place now needs major improvements,but Kellys system is not one of them.

Matty says..."What Kelly is proposing for the Kelly Tour is a throwback to the 80's when competitions were run in shitty venues with no waiting periods so they can run on a TV schedule." ...

...Isn't this completely untrue? It's basically supposed to be at good spots with current sponsors and better webcasts, in a shorter time span making a shorter season for surfers, with a tv 'package', not live TV...that's logistically impossible, takes too much time. Why is it being called Slater's Tour? Does he own it or what? (I know his manager is involved so a possible conflict of interest there). But overall the option sounds logical and rational until people (damn Aussies) get a hold of it and think it's some sort of thing to fuck with Parko's year or make into a US tour or whatever else you can come up with. Does that actually make any sense to anyone? Where do all you people get your info from? It seems everyone just sorta reads things and then assumes things and comes up with worst case scenario playing out in their minds. Brodie seems like a nice guy but how much does he make and what has he actually done for surfing? Why has Rabbit disappeared from the picture altogether and what's his opinion? What are ASP's future plans to provide us a better webcast and more of a living for guys spending their lives touring? Does anyone really want to watch another round two ever happen again? Can we agree on that?

How 'bout some real and logical talk about this?

Mr. "It's Gonna Happen". Forgive me, but you seem tragically misinformed. Coca Cola already had their taste at professional surfing in the 90s...they didn't enjoy it. Nike 6.0 is already heavily-invested in the ASP with their high-profile pro junior events and the WQS event at Lowers. On top of that, the 6.0 team is comprised of youngsters who are all planning currently focused on navigating the pro juniors and/or qs. The bottom line is that the current system, although somewhat flawed, still offers interested parties a superior product. At the end of the day, while people may be interested in change, the concept tabled by Terry/Tinley/Kelly is completely moronic and self-serving...it's not a tour they're proposing, it's a circus.

@its gonna happen. Wanna bet mate? hey Binns start online betting will ya mate. I will gladly take this kooks coin.

@Whole Tour. FINALLY! Somebody said it. It's great to see someone thinking about the tour as a whole. Obviously, not much is known about the rebel thing, but it sounds like it is only serving the needs of a select few and not even bothering to consider the rest of the surfers on the CT or the QS or the kids coming up. It also doesn't say anything about the women, who are often forgotton. I guess I like the system as it is as the improvements I can see are more prize money and a consistent webcast channel. That's it really. I don't think Kelly is looking out for all the surfers in his proposal, but it's cool the ASP and Brodie are staying firm on defending (or at least trying to) all surfers.

Love everyone's philosophy of staying true to the roots and finding the sweet spot. The truth is, Nike, Coca Cola and larger non endemics are about to stroll in. If the industry is oblivious to it, this is your inside scoop. It's happening. The meetings are happening. The reports are happening. Google "ESPN Kelly Slater Tour Surf" and read. So get ready for the next surf tour. The ASP will either embrace this and make a valiant effort to move forward with this great movement and exposure for the sport, and support for the athletes, or become the bud pro surf tour=a thing of the past. It's simple science=the only constant is change - Heraclitus. Our industry loves to embrace old and celebrate new. The new tour will feature the best surfers in the world, however they are chosen. As long as it's not like the X Games, where if you check in 10 minutes late, while there's still 20 minutes till your heat, you get replaced (Alex Olson - http://vice.typepad.com/vice_magazine/2009/08/new-york-skateboarding-is-so-gay-right-now.html) since they would never do that to Kelly, Bruce or Andy...

Rant summarized. Time to move on ASP, and admit there's competition with a better platform, bigger pockets, better strategy and the know how. They're going to get it done, and they have the surfers behind them.
A smart man would work with them.

Im the guy behind this new tour and im sorry but i was just really drunk at the time.
I dont have enough money for this tour i was just trying to look really heaps cool to Kelly and the gang.

Good to see someone is thinking about the "whole" tour and not just the top pros. Even though i think you top pros rock you were one day a junior kid as well. Remember the cooly kids (Mick, Joel and Dingo) all cracking to get into the big leagues. And thank god we had the path for these boys to smash the seppos. Yeah Parko bring it home dude!. Leave it to these new tour circus clowns and the kids of tomorrow will go no where.

Good interview, interesting answers, very insightful. Refreshing to see an honest piece of journalism with an honest response. Good work guys, certainly lifting the (currently) low-set bar in surf journalism.

Haha, a political ad?! Mate, have you lost it?!!? This is arguably the least propogantic, least bullshit-heavy, most honest interview I have read since this whole mess started. I had heard of Brodie Carr before this, but had never really read anything he's said or done. Seems like a behind-the-scenes guy and a straight shooter. Interesting to see what the eventual outcome is, and I hope it's the best outcome for ALL surfers. I've got a few mates on the QS that are sweating it a little bit.

Well done Binnsie. First rate interview and one of the only ones I've read that actually seems honest. I mean, he basically says that "no decision has been made yet because we don't have details", but fuck, that's more than the surfers and Kelly, Terry or Tinley are saying. Never heard of him, but seems like an alright bloke. Good luck Mr. Carr.

yeah he surfs and and has a cool haircut but it is clear he knows lots more than what he is saying. he is basically a politician so should be treated with suspicion. this whole soap opera is funny stuff. good to finally hear from the asp though. i wish i could hear all the juicy stuff going on behind closed doors.
good one binns.

The guy is calm, collected and educated. There is no protecting the ASP, if this new thing is the bomb then he says we do it. So what is all the fuss about. I like he is mindful of keep Surfing core. Do i want to see the Target WCT? Oh my. I would have trade in for a booger.

Hello Hottie!!!! Hey ASL what are his digits. Dare you.

this reads like a political ad. bleh

@ someone. You really think ASP has a "PR Crew". You're out of your mind dude. They've got like one guy that does everything. Brodie seems pretty smart and comes off as pretty honest. I'm backing him.

I once tried to bring BC an idea and he shut me down like I didn't even exist. He said "We can do it ourselves". A year later and nothing has happened. If this is how he conducts business then this whole situation doesn't surprise me.

Bottom line is the ASP needs to move to the US and this should of happened a long time ago. He is right that the ASP is a global tour however if he wants to grow it he needs to be closer to the global brands HQ's which are in the US. This is the main problem. The CEO of ASP needs to be rubbing elbows with the non-endemics in LA and NYC.

One of the postings had it right in saying that the ASP has no vision but has structure. I agree and without vision in an ever changing global economy you will get left behind.

FYI- I think BC needs to check out some metrics on TV viewership among the youth demo. IT IS STILL MASSIVE. Of course online is the future but this should be complemented by a TV Deal. They both can compliment each other and lead to more ROI for partners. It is all about an integrated media strategy targeting all mediums with precision and innovation.

Nothing wrong with the tour, everyone get back to business and focus on watching Parko ascend the thrown!

Wow,

Educated? Surfer? Authentic? MBA? That is what the ASP needs? This guy created this monster by not making things better and coming up with innovative thoughts. Don't blame it on Kelly as he is trying to make things better for the surfers. Brody needs the asp for a paycheck because where else would he go? Kelly does not need the ASP. He has more business senses then this guy and actual results to prove it. He was a grunt in the Oz Olympics--who cares. Get someone that can throw a turn and dissect an income statement at the same time while on a wave,

GO ESPN and GO KELLY,

Lots of commentary on the Tinley/Terry/Kelly alliance. Who has heard a peep from these guys? Let's see a link to the press release they sent out? Who says the events are going to run on live TV anyway? That doesn't even make sense. In order to do that you would need hours and hours of airtime and a viewership that likes to watch people sitting in the ocean doing nothing. ESPN is not stupid.

Good on Brodie, who HAS actually spoken with this crew, for at least saying he will do whatever is best for surifng.

To showland, that was a great post. Word.

Do you really think that Brodie Carr's answers weren't passed through the ASP PR crew?? Really!!! Maybe the initial talks that ASP were having with ESPN were abandoned by ESPN because ASP were being stubborn, now the ASP may have no option but to merge or die!!!

It's awesome to see the online squabbling amongst the pencil dicks continue. I'm actually just relieved to read an interview where it didn't sound like bullshit. The guy basically says, "look, I don't know much about it, and until I do, we carry on doing our jobs" Frankly, I think the Kelly Tour is a shit idea.

Part 3

Now, imagine in a perfect world everybody is rocking IPTV as mentioned. You could get all surf coverage running through your home entertainment system without having to hook up your laptop.

Back that up with Kelly's ESPN deal offering a professional mobile production unit supplied in HD. The one unit would drive the Live Webcast, Website/Mobile with On Demand content, supply region specific news feeds to the world, all the while off-lining the “Wrap Up SHow” for global distribution to “mainstream TV” the next day ( instead of the current 6 week turn around ). With the $$$ backing of an ESPN we would see all the technology available to execute perfect digital media and distribution strategy. The beauty of this is that people get information through all networks both core and mainstream in relative real time.

Aaaah if only : ) and it's all good in theory I know.

But before any of that, the question is how will Kelly approach this tour? Go it alone or work with the ASP? If Kelly and the ASP can work together on a global format for surfing that is promotable then the world is our oyster.

Part 2

The reason I say this is because of IPTV. For those who don't know this basically means content delivered via the web to your TV. The technology has been around for years ( eg. digital TV all run via IP versus TV run through cable ) but the hardware/interface in peoples homes has not caught up yet. When the two properly merge your web browser is also your TV, there will be no talk of TV and Web, just coverage. Most networks are starting to offer a service where the user takes control of what they want to view, when they want to view it. This is an extension of that.

The problem a lot of networks are having is trying to monetize the process. Kind of like Telco's freaking out when VOIP arrived.

As Brodie mentioned, it's no secret that the brands run the media program for the events, Mostly on a shoestring budget and the most part do a good job. People tend to think this is a monopoly and stranglehold and this is how the "big 3" like it. But the truth is the brands do it because there is no other option. Make no mistake, the brands want what's best for the sport. How do I know? I work for one of them and my personal opinion is that I would love to see the media rights taken over by the governing body in order for them to bring consistency from event to event like any other professional sport. Surfing wins, everybody wins.

What sort of fucking name is Brodie anyway? And who wants to watch ESPN anyway, they would wedge it in at 11 at night in between the Negro Ball and Worlds Strongest Man competitions

Part 1

In regards to the rebel tour being the answer I think Kelly and the gang need to be smart with how they work in with the ASP.

People tend to be taking sides with Kelly or the ASP but I think one without the other won't work. There is no reason both parties can’t combine their better elements and come up with a unified plan. The reason I say this is because the ASP can sometimes lack vision, but they have structure that would benefit Kelly’s tour. On the other hand Kelly has great vision but no concept of the commercial reality. So there has to be a balance in there somewhere.

In terms of mainstream coverage, Surfing was forced to webcast long before the mainstream even used the technology. Webcasts have been good to surfing and based on this I don’t think Surfing needs a live prime time TV spot because regardless of the format, it is not TV friendly for the general population. The focus should be on providing better quality streaming and production. Keep it all web based and work on a plan to drive all traffic there.

To To Wow...yes, the brands on the ASP Board of Directors, the ones who make the decisions. Hence my point...douchebag.

The only complaint i have against the asp is the numbers. If they could just cull the 45 to 32 or so the standard would be increased dramatically

I think people often forget how good Rabbit's Dream Tour concept actually is. I mean, we get the world's best surfers and they compete in some of the world's best waves (that doesn't always happen of course, but I never understood why ASP gets the blame when Mother Nature doesn't deliver).

What Kelly is proposing for the Kelly Tour is a throwback to the 80's when competitions were run in shitty venues with no waiting periods so they can run on a TV schedule. TV sucks anyway, just make the webcasts better. And the idea that you would INVITE surfers to compete for a world title is a fucking joke and I'm embarrassed that Kelly is even associated with this.

No, ASP is the way to go. It can be improved, but it shits on any alternative out there.

The brands, who comprise the board of the ASP you mean? The same ones? The ones Brodie, the CEO of the ASP, says he doesn't know anything about?? Hmmm

That picture is hysterical. Another board meeting? Nice. Love the playfully tussled hair in the second one too.

People are always writing this guy off, but he actually seems to know his shit and can string together a couple of words. This is more than I can say for most of the surfers, and fuck, at least he's speaking to the media about what's happening. Tinley/Terry/Slater only seem to speak in Haikus and riddles, and I think Carroll hit it on the fuckin head when he claimed there was no actual money behind this crap.

I'm actually pretty fuckng impresssed that he can even stand up given he actually has an education and a non-surfing background. Seems to me that the problem isn't the ASP, but some of the brands, including Quiksilver, who sponsor Kelly. Maybe Slater should have gone and complained to daddy first before splashing his name in the papers on this mess. Moron.

shoulda started with: if everything brodie SAID was true

What's the fucking obsession with surfing being on TV?!!? Who the fuck watches TV anymore anyway!?! And honestly, the only thing accomplished by surfing being on ESPN is more fucking kooks in the water. I fucking hope the ASP doesn't side with Jimmy fucking Slade and put the sport on ESPN. The last thing I want is some fuckwit who just made Jimmy and his fat fucker owner Bob another $20 million burning me at D'bah. Get a clue muppets.

if everything brodie was true he wouldn't have to be answering these questions. the asp is not doing everything it should, that's why there's this new tour, and that's why kelly's supporting it... unless of course he's trying to destroy the sport and brodie carr is the saint trying to stop him.

that picture is ridiculous/hilarious. thanks site man, now i know brodie carr is one rrrrrad dude

Seems like an okay guy. Be interesting to see how this pans out. I'm still blown away that Kelly would back something with that crook Mathew Tinley - I read somewhere that Tinley was sued for over a million dollars by Bernard Hopkins only a couple of years ago. WTF is Kelly thinking?

Brodie's telling one side of the story in a way to make it seem like he's telling both. Talk is cheap. I'm not stupid enough to be persuaded the ASP is working like an organization in its position should.

This new tour has to prove it's better, for fans, for surfers. I hope it does... just cus something's there already doesn't mean it's qualified to be. Maybe the ASP is doing the best job that can be done, but I have a pretty strong feeling it's not. The problems are there and have been there and haven't been fixed... don't tell me they aren't there.

Yancy (aka Kelly aka Terry aka Tinley), grow up cock-smoker. There have been nothing but Quiksilver/Slater puff pieces since this crap story broke during J-Bay. This is the first interview I've actually read regarding someone from the ASP. It's actually quite refreshing. Good on ya' Brodie, fuckin' hell. Piss those muppets off!

That bitch is 37?! I'll have what he's having.

I fuckin' knew it. All the other pieces coming out are claiming that Kelly has been trying for years and years to enact his changes with the ASP, but when it comes down to it, Kelly hasn't done shit. And I'm not even taking this away from the interview - Carr could have come out and blasted him, but he didn't, he seemed really fair and only rebuked the idea that Kelly is so involved with management at ASP. Face it, at the end of the day, Kelly's world is about Kelly, and the Kelly Tour is about Kelly. How dare the ASP allow someone else to win. Good interview Binns!

a great wise man w/ so many nice answers, aaaand yet the ASP is still a shit show

Ha. A puff piece... I'd expect nothing less... keep up your good work for the ASP boys!

I really disliked Brodie Carr before reading this interview, and now, that's been diluted somewhat. He seems like a pretty straightforward individual, and fuck, at least he's willing to be open about this shit. Which is more than I can say for the other side.