ASP Announces Title Sponsorship with Samsung for World’s Best Surfers
LOS ANGELES, California/USA (Thursday, February 20, 2014) - Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) and Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd today announced Samsung’s title sponsorship of the ASP World Championship Tour that will see the global technology leader supporting the world’s foremost governing body of professional surfing.
The 2014 Samsung ASP World Championship Tour will commence its 21-event international series on March 1 with the Quiksilver and Roxy Pro Gold Coast.
“From the beginning, our goal has been to elevate the platform of this tremendous sport through top-of-class media and sponsor partnerships,” Paul Speaker, ASP CEO, said. “Samsung is a global leader in technology, opening new possibilities for people everywhere, an ideal partner for professional surfing. Samsung will help us deliver a world-class experience for our athletes and fans. We are honored to have Samsung partner with us to celebrate the world’s best surfers in the world’s best waves.”
Samsung will be instrumental in delivering the world-class performances of the globe’s very finest surfers, including reigning ASP World Champions Mick Fanning and Carissa Moore, icons Kelly Slater and Stephanie Gilmore, up-and-comers John John Florence and Courtney Conlogue and a field of international, explosive and engaging talent across both the men’s and women’s divisions.
Following a transitional year in 2013 where the organization built up its departments and programs, this season will see the sport reborn with all of professional surfing’s initiatives from production to athlete servicing to media, marketing, sponsorship, broadcast, falling under the purview of the ASP for the first time in the sport’s storied 38-year history.
Samsung ASP Men’s World Championship Tour:
- Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast: March 1 – 12, 2014
- Margaret River Pro: April 2 – 13, 2014
- Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach: April 16 – 27, 2014
- Billabong Rio Pro: May 7 – 18, 2014
- Fiji Pro: June 1 – 13, 2014
- Bali Pro: June 17 – 28, 2014
- Billabong Pro Teahupoo: August 15 – 26, 2014
- Hurley Pro at Trestles: September 9 – 20, 2014
- Quiksilver Pro France: September 25 – October 6, 2014
- Moche Rip Curl Pro Portugal: October 12 - 2014
- Billabong Pipeline Masters: December 8 – 20, 2014
Samsung ASP Women’s World Championship Tour:
- Roxy Pro Gold Coast: March 1 – 12, 2014
- Margaret River Pro: April 2 – 13, 2014
- Rip Curl Women’s Pro Bells Beach: April 16 – 27, 2014
- Rio Women’s Pro: May 7 – 18, 2014
- Fiji Women’s Pro: May 25 – 30, 2014
- Vans US Open of Surfing: July 27 – August 3, 2014
- Trestles Women’s Pro: September 9 – 20, 2014
- Hossegor Women’s Pro: September 23 – 29, 2014
- Cascais Women’s Pro: October 1 – 7, 2014
- Maui Women's Pro: November 24 - December 6, 2014
The 2014 Samsung ASP World Championship Tour will commence on March 1, 2014 with the Quiksilver and Roxy Pro Gold Coast.
Comments
Just one week out from the first event? I wonder if this late announcement was intentional.
same with the BOQ sponno announcement for the QuikPro.
could be a couple of reasons.
Jeez, why are they so bloody secretive? For ASP read FreeMasons. While I'm here.. Why is it not compulsory for, at least, the semi-finalists onward to have a GoPro on their board? They're WiFi these days aren't they. Surely a tie up is a no-brainer?
They're not WiFi in the way you're thinking (ie to be used for live broadcast). The WiFi capabilities allow someone to "access all your GoPro camera settings, power On/Off and start/stop recording", not broadcast the live vision.
Setting up a live board camera would be a little more cumbersome than a standard GoPro rig, and could also affect board performance.
But I agree, it's gotta go this way eventually.
"to elevate the platform of this tremendous sport", "global leader in technology", "opening new possibilities", "world-class experience".
Do all CEO's go to the same speil school or do the all "network" together with and come up with this dribble.
Where's the bucket, I wanna throw up.
Yeah while your at it get me one too. I can't believe we have descended to the depths of weasel words. The Yanks seemed to have invented this corporate rubbish which, like a cancer has taken over every aspect of life. They will soon be saying that they need to navigate the delivery of innovative services and programs. Arrrgggh.
Thanks for putting me straight Ben. Grab the card, quick edit and highlights before the end of the next heat would be do-able though eh?
Yep, that's what they did at Mavericks. Worked really well.
That'd be easy......but would the footage be watchable?
UNless it's in the tube looking out it's mostly sea-sick inducing drivel.
Are Bali and Fiji without event sponsors?
Yes, at the present time both events have no confirmed sponsors.
I agree freeride..the only decent footage is in the pit..
Jeebus, Fitzy, fair go.
I think I speak for all of us when I say well done to Mr Speaker for:
• Navigating the delivery of barely innovative services and programs, in accordance with Big Surf's priorities, albeit that these are less-than responsive to the viewing public's needs, deadening to frontline services and achieved for somewhat more than budget allocation.
• Leading a significant culture change environment that disempowers staff to develop and deliver innovative and effective services, instead providing ones that are almost but not quite responsive to the viewing public at large.
• Navigating a financially unsustainable workforce by implementing an any-size-but-right organisational structure that delivers key outcomes ineffectively and inefficiently outside agreed budget allocation to achieve unnecessary targets. Developing an utterly inflexible organisation that can't quite deal with different points of view.
• Taking a narrow perspective, misunderstanding complex, unconventional and sensitive situations by manoeuvering underlying issues to deliver wrong solutions that miss critical time frames. Not quite anticipating generational change and links between variables and forecast scenarios so as to create competitive and directional strategies, resources and plans.
• Immobilising people (particularly that dissenting bastard LS) who wish and try to work toward a shared vision and purpose in the best interests of surfing generally.
Missed this one. Bravo.
An interesting point worth noting - the initial press release (which arrived overnight in the Swellnet inbox) referenced the "2014 Samsung ASP World Championship Tour”.
However the ASP’s own website changed this to be the "2014 Samsung Galaxy ASP World Championship Tour”.
In my opinion, there is somewhat of a difference between a 'brand' sponsor and a 'product' sponsor. The implication here is that Samsung are using the ASP World Tour more so as a vehicle to promote a specific product (their Galaxy Smartphone), instead of an overall branding strategy for 'Samsung the Electronics Company' who manufacturer (amongst an enormous range of other things), phones, computers, cameras, air conditioners, fridges, washing machines and microwave ovens.
And that's not to say that it's a bad fit. To the contrary, the surfing demographic is a perfect fit for a smartphone sponsor.
However, what happens if Samsung discontinue the Galaxy model? Do they change the name of the world tour to accomodate a new model , or perhaps a completely different product? That was one of the strengths of the Fosters branding - over time, it just became part of the vernacular, by becoming ingrained into the media's thinking of what the tour was called.
But if it changes year upon year, there is no branding continuity. This suggests to me that the deal could be (for the moment) short term while Samsung assess the return on investment (whatever that may be).
That being said, I reckon Samsung are a great fit for the ASP World Tour. They are global brand and could really do some unique integration with the sport as broadcast technology expands (it's also worth looking at the comprehensive "Samsung Sports" Wikipedia page just to see how much they invest in sports right around the world).
Or maybe it could have the reverse effect?
I'd imagine competing companies would be watching how this first year pans out closely.
If it results in increased sales, brand awareness and market penetration a short term sponsorship could come back and bite them and play into the hands of Zosea. This would in turn strengthen their bargaining position attracting more sponsorship dollars to the sport.
On the other hand.....
But are there competiting companies? The ASP's been without a naming rights sponsor for 6 (?) years now. They're hardly beating down the door.
True.
Either way, Samsung is a pretty good effort first up for Zosea.
I'm off to buy a Samsung product NOW!
(do the make leggies?)
just a quick note re: the SAMSUNG watch pic (which is sadly what attracted me to this article) - the day we all start wearing watch phones, receiving calls whilst in the line up, or worse on a wave, is the day surfing dies. "honey can you come home now, and grab some milk too" - MAKE A STAND - SAY NO TO WATCH PHONES.
yoohoo ,
lucky batteries can go flat , signals can be tricky underwater , and you were too busy fighting off sharks to answer " Darl , I'm on my way " ....
Nice to see the tour fleshing out a little again this year with a couple more events for the Mens. The chicks must be stoked that they have got a full calendar this year. Think it is deserved, they have definitely been stepping up of late. Like that they have their own event back to back with Mens in Fiji, looks like they might get out in some really decent conditions, instead of the second rate stuff they often contend with when billed with the Mens.
Extra money flowing isn't all bad it seems…
Also think it can't be bad that the ASP gets an industry tech partner, I have had some disappointing online experiences this year watching / reviewing a couple of the events. Will be interesting to see if it means that the bar gets raised in this regard.
Another last minute deal - yesterday afternoon, BOQ (Bank of Queensland) announced that they would be the "presenting partner of Gold Coast’s premier surfing event, the 2014 Quiksilver and Roxy Pro".
One week before the event starts?
https://blog.boq.com.au/boq-in-the-community/boq-sponsor-2014-quiksilver...
Doesn't the ASP have the big wave world tour too? I think I now understand why Mavericks was dropped off the list of spots: its an apple operating system name!
Oh, there's another thread here about BWWT, and a salient post as well:
BIG news - JBay is back on!!!!!!!!!
let's hope they get waves :)
https://www.swellnet.com/news/form-guide/2014/02/25/asp-returns-jeffreys...
Nooo ozziieeeoffshore ! just awoke to the horrible news that Jeffreys is back on world tour after booking a month long trip to SA. Bloody Samsung
Devo!! Right in the window?
Swap it to Bali, they've cancelled that event after one year.
So who's bankrolling J-Bay?
They mention the local community....what? are they going to fund it with sausage sizzles and biltong sales on the Point?