Florence Marine X To Sponsor Pipe Pro
After sponsoring the Pipeline Pro (and Pipe Masters when it was known as such) for sixteen straight years, Billabong recently backed out of the deal. Their withdrawl wasn't any great surprise considering the recent sale of Boardriders, who own Billabong.
Thus the 2024 CT schedule, which was released in September, had Pipe sitting naked without a title sponsor, though they had Yeti as a presenting sponsor.
This week, the breech was filled by Florence Marine X, with namesake John John writing on Instagram:
"I’m really proud to share that @florence_marine_x will be sponsoring the @wsl Pipe event. Pipe has been my backyard and favorite wave for as long as I have been surfing. I’ve grown up watching and dreaming of being in these contests. And then one day I was in them, surfing with the same surfers I looked up to as a kid. To be able to support the event now is a dream come true. Stoked to have this opportunity alongside @yeti and @visslasurf."
On the WSL website the contest still appears white-labelled and there's been no mention from the WSL nor FMX about how long the sponsorship deal may last.
Comments
Either JJF has some backers with deep pockets or his FMX brand is really taking off. Good on him.
Or he was gifted free publicity for his brand so the event organisers get to save face.
John has Bob Hurley and sons involved or partnered in his business I`m pretty sure . A lot of capital exists there .
And just like that - a mere five weeks after the announcement! - Florence Marine X is gone from the Pipe Pro (along with Vissla), replaced by Lexus.
Huh?
Here's the original poster - it's the same design, they've just inverted some of the colours, and moved the logos around.
Not much chance or Lexus or Yeti winning pipe to cause controversy.
Florence on the other hand.............
Bigger chance of WSL T's&C's + associated cost's behind the pull out?
Even more bizarre - just four days ago Vissla posted to Instagram: "We are proud to announce we will be the official outfitters and co-sponsors of the 2024 Pipe Pro. Vissla and @Florence_Marine_x, united for the WSL Pipe Pro."
Doesn’t Florence Marine X and Vissla sell basically the same stuff?
Seems strange that they would both want to be co-sponsors.
Cool to see Florence Marine Decal on Margo's Boards...
hahahah. the WSL is absolutely fucked. Imagine if tennis or any other legit sports organisation did this......... hang on...... they wouldnt
The John Florence Pipe Pro Invitational presented by Florence X Marine
Sorta kinda like the tiger woods invite, he was sponsored by a number of the companies that have “presented” it
Bobby you're up!
Bobby, Hedgey, Kelly
Really does sound like the pipe masters…..
Lexus has a better ring to it......prestige .......unlike the wsl
So now that E Lo is gone , who is actually running this circus .... ?