Elo Flags Changes To The Mid-Year Cut
Last year, when the Woz introduced the mid-year cut, longtime comp watchers got a jolt of deja vu. Elo may have thought he was introducing something entirely new but it wasn't the case.
Back in 2011...so pre-Woz days...the then-ASP introduced the mid-year rotation, where poorly performing surfers were shuffled off the CT and top QS surfers got an early promotion. Yeah, it wasn't exactly the same in execution, but both ideas tried to implement mid-year drama.
Despite it being hugely succesful in kickstarting Gabriel Medina's career - he immediately won two CT's - and providing an early look at JJF, the concept was roundly criticised, most vocally by Bobby Martinez who launched his infamous "wannabe tennis tour" tirade on the eve of the first rotation.
Fast forward twelve years...
Though B-Mart is long gone, resentment is building to the mid-year cut, and for much the same reason as the old mid-year rotation: If surfers have one or two dud performances then they get the vaudeville hook.
Overnight, Nine Media reported that Elo said "fans and competitors can expect tweaks to be made next year" to the mid-year cut. “We want to get through this year before we make any seismic changes."
Owen Wright is consoled by sister Tyler after failing to qualify for the second half of the 2022 CT (WSL/Hughes)
“Once we get through 2023, 2024 is an Olympic year," continued Elo. "That’s a good opportunity to evaluate what’s working and what’s not. And I think it’s fair to assume that we as a league will make refinements to these [formats, including the Finals Series at Trestles].
Elo will have to be clear-eyed about what he wants, as the drama that saw veterans like Owen Wright and Sally Fitzgibbon cut from the tour - or more correctly, relegated to the Challenger Series - is the theatre upon which the Make or Break docu-series relies.
At present, Steph Gilmore and Sally Fitzgibbon sit outside the mid-year cut line, while in the Men's Kelly Slater is inside yet in the last advancing place.
Comments
Can definitely see a tweak coming if Kelly was to be dropped.
Golden goose needs to keep keep suppling.
WSL is losing its appeal even with Kelly,Jack and John John. All of them are so much better to watch free surfing.
There was actually a Mid year cut in 2010 when the Tour was cut from 45 to 32 after Tahiti.
Top 45 Rookies Nate Yeomans, Tanner Gudauskas and Blake Thornton are off the big boys' tour. Vets like Dean Morrison, Michael Campbell, Drew Courtney, Jay Bottle Thompson, Neco Padaratz, Kekoa Bacalso, Tom Whitaker, and Ben Dunn are now staring at the prospect of going back to the Star and Prime events or a career change.
F*ck I hope one of those changes is canning the final series!
+1
Hear hear......couldn't agree more. Not sure if you've caught the latest Make or Break series but the finals episode is clearly not up to scratch on the surf/wave quality front. If the finals were held in waves of truth (ATS plug) it may be a better concept however I still think it's a flawed way of deciding the world champs. Not sure what was wrong with the old way....
+3
Wonder how this would affect the Challenger Series too - as this has been the safety net for the cut surfers to get back on the CT. And would the CS/QS become clogged with CT surfers who are worried about not making the end of season cut (and result in double qualifiers etc)?
We are now at the end of Feb and there are still only 2 confirmed CS events.
I'd say the whole idea of a 3 tiered Tour is unsustainable.
This is ELO planting seeds for what is likely to be a huge retreat.
plenty of dead weight on the tour that we only watch because of gambling or fantasy surfer.
Yep, love it when a dead weight gets up in a multi.
I was just wondering the other day whether there are only a few of us that watch for gambling and FS. The betting agencies getting more onto it with odds each year, the slow death of the SurferMag FS and how much the WSL FS sucks has me pretty much ignoring some comps for the first time ever.
Separately, how good were the glory days of the odds. I remember a head-to-head heat at margies back in the day where ADS was paying >$2 with one agency and another had Bourex for >$2 haha...what a lolly scramble.
Back in 2012 I got Kelly at $11 to win Fiji. Made the bet at the end of the first round iirc. Couldn’t believe the odds offered so put on a cheeky $50.
I like the idea of the cut.
It worked out lame last year because they mostly got skunked in the second half (G-Land, ElSal, Rio, Tahiti (kind of)) and there was no Gabe or JJF on Tour.
I think the whole tour under Elo sucks.
No Gold Coast, No Honolua Bay for the chicks, Trestles is the decider
Etc Etc
ELO is looking for another way to keep Harvey (IOC) Fitzgibben on the tour.
Ha!
Apart from the concept of getting scored for riding a wave, and also surfing rounds so as to progress to a final, the whole tour needs to be scrapped and built again from scratch.
Travelling light and fast without huge amounts of infrastructure would be a start.
Beautiful and exotic rather than arses on bleachers.
I agree, but then where's the money to be made?
They'd have to go the pay per view model then, which if in great, pumping waves I'm guessing most would watch or package into existing streaming packages etc.
How do they make money from people rocking up at sitting on the beach watching apart from bells where they charge an admittance? I cant imagine to many people buy one of those stupid jerseys.
True, but they have those VIP ticketed zones, merch etc.
But yeah can't see them making much at all.
I thought the VIP area was for people who suck WSL dick. I didn't realise paid for it. I remember a time when the ASP used to put on lunches for the accredited photogs at snapper. The WSL is a joke, wouldn't care if it disappears into the ether.
Pay per view would be a massive flop IMO. As you said, it'd need to be pumping waves for most to even consider paying, and even then I still wouldn't pay. So much quality surf content around for free to watch in my own time, at best I've got the comps playing on a screen as I work, and I wouldn't pay for something I'm giving a glance to when I can.
True, that's why it'd have to be a part of a Kayo or similar package.
Where's the money to be made?
Dunno Craig, I'm not very bright but I can lift heavy things.
Personally I wouldn't fork out for PPV, they'd have to get me with basic stuff like sponsors and traditional ads.
Do they really make money via people turning up, bums on seats?
There can't be money in WSL merch.
I'd like to see a real dream tour, whittled down during the season and then put on a boat in Indo or wherever for the final pressure cooker few weeks surfing a variety of pumping waves of all descriptions.
Cameras in faces most of the day and see who cracks.
Could backfire though, could be so unappealing than people bail and the whole thing collapses.
" could be so unappealing than people bail and the whole thing collapses."
I'd pay to see that.
It'd be riveting.
I remember the first time I went to sea for a couple of weeks, sleeping in bunks with 12 other guys.
It was challenging, especially dealing with big personalities.
Reckon some of the young surf stars wouldn't know what hit em.
Get rid of the challenger series just have regional series top two from each region rotating in to next years ct
the cut had it's pros, created a lot of *drama* and gave stakes to the start of the season, it also completely removed all stakes for the final half of the season for the guys who were never ever going to make the final 5.
given the wossle has the power to keep an unpopular with the surfers cut, why not cut the number of places on the tour. the men waste a day plus surfing 12+4 heats to remove 4 surfers. cut it to 32, eliminate the first two rounds completely, mid year cut you can cut half the guys again. surely there's plenty of ways to tighten up the tour.
"it also completely removed all stakes for the final half of the season for the guys who were never ever going to make the final 5....."
Very true.
If they have a mid year cut they also need an end of year cut otherwise they are just shifting calendar dates. It would be brutal but it would also shake things up and add some jeopardy for those surfers not vying for final five.
It would also create real opportunities for up and comers and those ditched at mid year. With what we've got now they've created drama mid year only to lose it at the end. Given Trestles is already a fizzer they need some more stakes. Right now if you make it to mid year you've got a guaranteed full year on tour. What's the difference?
Yes Yendor, true survive cut = 12 more months
Matthew McGillivray showed last year at Margaret River that the cut is great for the lower half surfers.
From memory he was way below the cut line. I remember 1 snap/floater that looked completely unmake-able, however if he pulled it off he would have made the cut, and he did. Would he have made it if the cut wasnt there? i doubt it.
The cut is good IMO, however there is still WAY too much dead weight.
The finals day concept might work well sometimes in the right conditions but could also be like having Djokovic reach the Wimbledon final only to have it switched to a pickle ball match.
High risk of crappy outcome if a wind or tide shift turns the surf to crap. Some grind it out heats along the year long tour is okay but not for a final deciding a world champion.
Maybe the finals day leads to a top two who then go on hold to wait a week or three to then do a subsequent small team strike mission to Indo to surf some maxing out heavy reef break livestreamed 2 hour final - a gladiator style clash in death pits. A final should be peak drama - not a few air reverses in a shorebreak.
Survivor audiences have handled the pause after the top two are selected to later attend the final vote on a different day okay.
Toledo would be keen. Steph loves a death pit left. Imagine the drama and fear in their eyes and determination to have a go.
hahahaha.....
Anyone know there is a QS on now?
Last QS at Boomerang featured live audiences in the 200-300 range.
Today there have been 50-100 people watching live.
Hard to see how that is sustainable.
An audience of a 100 people barely qualifies it as a professional sport.
And most of these events barely have any spectators on the beach. Local club comps seem to draw more people.
There's a shot of the crowd at that event in this WSL link.
https://www.worldsurfleague.com/posts/512418/qualifying-series-action-co...
Hahah. Check the 2nd photo. “Unknown”. Wozzle can’t even name their competitors?
The finals concept is a debacle. I'll watch dozens of hours of heats throughout the year, then the overall winner is declared overnight (our time) in crappy waves.
I think there was just some panic when the Brazzos were winning every year, and I assume Brazzo fans don't make the sponsors much money compared to USA fans, so the finals allowed them to get a surfer from the USA in with a shot.
Not totally opposed to the mid-year cut, but can see why some surfers may not like it. It's pretty rare that a really good surfer misses the cut though.
Its nuts at the moment. You have world class surfers not qualifying or close to not qualifying. Not because of their ability. And then you have Beach Break Bouncies, from a beachy near you, qualifying ! Of course Owen Wright is not going to qualify in QS slop. I think the whole thing is having the reverse effect of what WSL were trying to do. Used O as an example. Pipe was a flop. Give the guys 12 months on tour if they qualify, dont they deserve it ? At least the average punter might be able to follow it to some degree, and relate to who is actually on tour.
Problem is Challenger Series is just a glorified QS mostly held in beachbreak slop so it's not letting the right people through.
looking at the picture in the article what is Owen W doing now?
QS warrior?
riding a leashless mal in Byron?
Is he still sponsored by the curl?
anyone know?
Still got Rip Curl stickers on, but judging from how quickly they dumped Matty Wilko after he dropped off Tour that is no sure thing.
Not doing the current QS comps and well outside the CS cut so it seems he has retired, at least unofficially.
Yeah his IG was just lifestyle and kids.. good on him.. a few wins, a year challenging for the title and a bronze medal. A good innings
Saw him at the pass during last weeks swell.. he did like 50 reos on one wave…. Still ripping
Hopefully whatever decision(s) the Woz make provide further impetus for a rebel tour
I reckon a Free surfing Hipsters vs Pro Jocks tour would would be cool.
Or a Duo teams challenge where a Pro buddies with their own invited Free surfer and their points combined in 4 Man heat. 2 on 2
I reckon they should maybe keep the cut, but only for the top 10 for the final 3 events, which would be held at locations worthy of deciding a world champion.
https://beachgrit.com/2021/03/a-brief-history-of-fuck-the-wsl-the-backla...
Looks like the Noa Deane statements back in 2014 were a great prediction of WSL turning surfing into grid iron.
For all the hate I have for the WOZ, actually think the challenge and qualifying series are a great innovation. Increases accessibility into the big comps for surfers and provides a really exciting race into the challenger events
Yep, the main problem is the wave/venue quality, and the length of the comps. Pretty much guarantees the majority of surfing will be done in very poor waves.
They could keep the cut, as it does add excitement. But as for the meaningless deadweight regards those who remain but won't make end of year top five? Well, perhaps they could have a second cut a few comps later, to make sure that surfers are still battling to remain above the cut line to the end of the year. Or even better - have a little cut every single comp after Margs, to eliminate two or four surfers each ongoing event, until the last handful remain for Pipeline. That way waiting periods get better each event with less surfers and waves required to cater for. Cost less too. Certainly no finals at Trestles. It is okay for an event throughout the year, as perfect hot dog performance wave location - but no, not for any would-be world champ on a final series.
Persistant, incremental cuts is a good idea!
Imagine spending a year qualifying then getting cut after two heats, don't think they're gonna go with that
He's talking about the second half of the year only, ie, slowly cutting the top half surfers.
Ah yep fair enough, not a bad idea
Was listening to the Lipped podcast at work today. Good poddy.
One of the fellas on there made the suggestion of dropping 6 men and adding 6 women.
Makes sense to me.
10 women is ridiculous, considering the emerging talent coming up in the womens ranks, and it's looking likely the current world champion isn't even going to make the mid season cut which makes the sport look amateur in my opinion.
Conversely, theres a group of 10 or 12 men that have languished in the bottom half of the draw for many years, e.g Kolohe, Rodriguez, Lau etc....that if culled a further 6, would still allow a few of those regular journeymen enough wiggle room to still have a stellar first half of the year and make the cut.
Although i agree with a comment above, it would make putting a few bucks on a smokey less profitable!
Also, fk Elo!!!!!
How the fark did this kook get given the stewardship of professional surfing?
An alternative cut and finals system (I've only done the numbers on the men so far)...
First 3 events are cut free.
Last 4 on rankings after each event from Bells to Tahiti are cut - in the event of a tie - a surf off is held before the mens and women's finals.
7 cut after Tahiti to make top 5
Finals held across 3 waves in Indo over a month long waiting period. A right, a left and a wave of consequence. Each wave has a nominated day of perfect conditions where all 5 surfers can surf together with a priority system rolling across a 3 hr time frame.
Best two waves count at each venue. 6 wave total, highest score is world champ.
Each of the three days are live streamed without scores. WSL films a "Make or Break" style documentary across the month and releases the documentary with a live results awards ceremony at the end.
Guarantee the viewer ratings for the live streams and that finale would smash viewer records.
Whaddya reckon??
+1
there it is!
I love it.
Surprised people still care about that corporate circus, I guess smooth brains need to be told who is number 1
Great visionary skills crg Love the idea..Not sure where in indo though, maybe nokanduis g-land and either padang padang(maybe too fickle) or ht's? hts a bit remote though for contest with scaffolding etc but so is nokanduis and rifles..As far i heard nokanduis and rifles are a bit fickle too..hts pretty consistent.
Like it crg.
Gotta be better than the current rock show.
I honestly don’t get the point of the opening / elimination rounds. Just seems to chew up so much time within the swell window.
hate the elimination idea too, not sure why pros who dedicated youth to becoming pros on a full yearly tour now half or whatever get dropped and even off tour the next year..Not sure but Owen is a pretty damn good surfer maybe not a Robbo or JJF but top 15 yet quit the tour probably due to the cut and tour wasting his damn time.
Would rather be like Mason, Marzo or JOB if i was that good, but freesurfing sells out surfing too, making money by growing crowds and inflating numbers everywhere.
Pick a format and then give it at least 5 years to provide some certainty.
I can live with the current system, it's only sport after all. Getting a bit sick of the constant tinkering.
As much as I loved watching great surfing at Tahiti or Fiji or Pipe I also thoroughly enjoy watching Elo run this shit show into the ground. I couldn’t care less if pro surfing went tits up. Cheers for the drama Elo you cheesy bastard.
It would be interesting for Elo to expand this whole WSL cut off concept .....to focus on the drama on the WSL team media circus... including judges, commentators, event organisers, PR, etc.
maybe an new offshoot production.
eg. "Sink, Swim or Surf"
if they're unable to produce a marketable product with the best professional surfers in the world in the best waves 2023/24;
they may get relegated to some 'backwash' beachbreak CT event until they can perform in this this comp creating higher ratings for WSL media inc.
It May be a sunny beachy business show series compared with the drama that appears to be popular below.....
Reference
https://www.failory.com/blog/business-tv-shows
I would sit and watch an entire wavepool event if they agreed to ditch the finals at Trestles
4th Aug 2021 WSL release 2022 Challenger Series Tour Schedule Starts 7th May - Ends 7th Dec!
https://shop-eat-surf.com/2021/08/wsl-announces-2022-championship-tour-a...
5th March 2023 WSL withhold 2023 Challenger Series Tour Schedule Starts 6th May > and...and....?
6 months Delay on 2023 CS Tour Schedule & only 2 Comps Locked in & No one says a word! Huh!
Speaks Volumes for WSL Challenger Series...The Wot one was that again! Yeah! That's the one!
WSL have gone off the rails...gonna need lots of #1swellnet exclusives...crew can deliver!
Lets sort out Starkie's Mess for him...Yes! We fellow Qldurrz are obliged to mop up!
Gotta go way back to the start of this rot!
Mens or Womens Pay Gap...was this ever really a thing?
Coz if it was...tbb felt violated, along with the crew, being made to feel guilty, but for what exactly!
Coz of one photo!...Won't take long to check the WSL account books to sort this!
*2014 Gold Coast ( Last Year of ASP )
36 men Pool $311k/8 hts = $1,080/ht (vs) 12 women Pool $250k/7 hts = $2,976 ht (175.5% extra/ht)
*2018 Gold Coast WSL (Pay Gap Outrage with WSL women still earning 75% more than men/ht)
36 men Pool $607.8k/7 hts = $2,411/ht (vs) 12 women Pool 303.9k/6 hts = $4,220 ht (75% extra/ht)
*2019 Gold Coast (1st WSL Equal Pay Comp) Women throw the Men some loose change...Salute!
36 men Pool $607.8k/7 hts = $2,411/ht (vs) 18 women Pool 364k/6hts = $3,370 ht (39.7% extra/ht)
*2022 Teahupoo CT (Last Cut CT Event) Sneaky way of showering the Chix in more Cash!
24 men Pool $528k/6 hts = $3,666/ht (vs) 12 women Pool $377k/5 heats = $6,283/ht (71% extra/ht)
Pro Men can't be held to account if Chix budget their Comp Purse just to cry poor! So not a thing!
Pro Men have bankrolled Pro sisters for at least 10 years now & say nothing about it!
Pro Chix can now rightly charge 2x & 3x more for their Surf Lessons & Resorts coz WSL justifies it!
Chix Cheques are miles bigger than the Guys...so what are us blokes gonna do about it! (Nothing!)
Surfjustsurf...or you know you should just give wot little ya got left to the girls...just to help them out!
.......................................................................................................................................................................................................
ASP/WSL Comp duration requirement ( Average Range ~ CS / CT 8 -13 Day windows )
Nations / Venues failing to supply or bill too much fall off the tour real fast!
Yes! tbb will share a Table showing just that...sounds bizarre...just run with it!
2008 Ended an open era of free/cheap Aussie beach hire > Goldie 40 days-Bells 72day Windows!
Hazardous Beaches are cheaper to hire > Highest Ranked CT Favs (Lock them in!)
Days > Rank > Venue (Notice Hazardous Beaches are cheaper to hire so rank highest on WSL Tours!)
CT ~ A Team.
13.........#1..........Pipeline
13.........#2..........Sunset
12.........#4..........Teahupoo
11.........#5..........Bells
11.........#6..........Margs
10.........#7..........J Bay
Pretenders............................................................................................................................................
9...........#8...........Peniche was 13 > 9 days Struggling > Needs Rip Curl back Up.
9...........#9..........*Trestles was 6 > 9 days > Bankrolled > Punching above it's weight.
8...........#10........Saquarema was 9 > 8 days > same as above > Lip Service! In/Out
2...........#11.......*The Ranch was 3 > 2 days (50% cost saving > Likely a Day / Night Olympic Trial)
Cheap as Chips plug in (Back Ups) 13 Keramas / 12 Fiji / 10 G Land / 10 Uluwatu / 10 Mexico
No 2023 Sponsors *The Ranch (WSL backed) + Margs (Pop Govt Backed)
*The Ranch *Trestles run 2028 LA Olympic Games Arena Format Comps. (Not Tour Cut Comps)
CS List > Slipping Down the charts
13.........#1..........Haleiwa (Bullied out by North Shore Chix Muscle Beach Party Sponsors)
10.........#2..........El Salvador was 9 >10 days...cheap as chips...eyeing off #1 CS
9............#3..........Ericeira was 6 > 9 days (This Event should be Locked in for 2023 but it's not!)
9............#4..........France was 11 > 9 days CT relegated by hire / Accom / Labour + Sponsors walkin'.
8............#5..........Gold Coast was 11 > 8 days CT relegated - Pricey Accom / Labour > re: Team Sally!
8............#6..........Sydney-Prohibitive cbd hire/accom/wages prevents CT status. (Chinese Army Sponsor)
8............#7..........Huntington was 6 > 8 days Olympic Dreamers...Vans just got outed! (Bye!)
8............#8..........Ballito was 7 > 8 days...affluent gated resort coast...(Parachute Sponsors)
WSL are reluctant to lock in CS Tour (6 months late) > Only the crooked Oz Leg is locked in!
Read FEATURE > No CS tour = No CT cut...can't just cut'n'dump the cry babies.
CS 2nd tier of 10 men + 5 Women (Those missing CT promotion) Are allocated repeat CS berths
Likely a safety net...in case a minimum 4 ranked CT Comps can't get up! Gonna get ugly!
WSL Challenger Series ( Comp Success / Fail Rate )
2020 : Reduced to 1/7 events (Covid)
2021 : Reduced to 4/4 events
2022 : Reduced to 6/7 events > Reduced to Best 4/7 Points Tally
Xmas : (Kook's bored Sticker) { CS Star Power Happens }
28th Feb 2023 Cut is scratched (See Feature!)
CS Promotion / CT Relegation has more changes.
https://www.worldsurfleague.com/posts/505240/world-surf-league-announces...
2023 Wotz New (CT cut was so popular the CS will also slash surfers)
CS Tour slashes Men 96 > 80 + Women 64 > 48
Rank reduced from 5 > 4 tallied from reduced 8 > 7 > currently 2 comps (Maybe!)
CT mandated surfer in CS comps reduced from 2 > a Sponsor's weaponized Wildcard
2023 CS Tour News
Note the CS Oz Leg is presented by RipCurl (Propping up a few!)
6-13th May : Gold Coast Boost is still within Sally's Mobile Range!
17-24th May : Sydney Surf GWM Pro is branded a Vehicle For The Chinese Army!
July : South Africa should be locked in by now?
Aug : Huntington > Vans has been outed!
https://www.swellnet.com/news/swellnet-dispatch/2023/02/09/vans-pulls-ou...
Sept : Portugal should also be locked in.
Oct : France (2022 was Cancelled)...needs Les Beer Baron.
https://www.swellnet.com/news/form-guide/2022/07/30/wsl-announce-cancell...
Nov : Brazil (Scratched) Saquarema has rejoined CT Tour
Dec : Haleiwa (No Aloha) Bullied out by North Shore Reefer Madness!
https://stabmag.com/news/weve-got-a-challenged-series/
Prediction : Next swellnet feature...Starkie's Wet'n'Wild Card Series + Free stick of Bubble Gum!
Anyhow! There's a lot of exclusive madness there to take in...
Once tbb unlocked that WSL fav Comps had largest Event Windows then it all falls into place!
Like any, never knew about The Cheap Comp format being the driving force shaping WSL tour.
Hazardous Venues are losing real estate & welcome any Tour bucks & Pros grooming their beaches.