The ASP announces commentary team for 2014
LOS ANGELES, California/USA (Tuesday, February 18, 2014) - The Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) is pleased to announce the broadcast commentary team for the 2014 ASP World Championship Tour (WCT). The core commentary team includes Pat Parnell, Joe Turpel, Ross Williams and Martin Potter, supported by Peter Mel, Rosy Hodge, Todd Kline, Strider Wasilewski, Ronnie Blakey and other regional experts.
The ASP commentary team will work together with the rest of the Broadcast team to deliver top-of-class coverage of this year’s WCT. Hundreds of hours of content will be produced, allowing fans to watch every moment of the elite competition.
“We’re very excited about the core commentary team for 2014,” Jed Pearson, SVP of Content and Programming, said. “Their experience and background within the sport is unparalleled and for the first time in ASP history, we’ll have a dedicated and consistent team for the sport. In addition to our core team, we look forward to utilizing regional resources around the world to ensure that the broadcast is the best possible quality for the fans.”
Australian Ronnie Blakey will offer valuable local insight as an analyst and reporter at the opening leg. Blakey comes from a strong commentary and analysis background, having covered for the sport for the last several years. Other regional experts will join the team as analysts at each stop on the WCT, bringing their extensive local knowledge and inside perspective to the Tour.
The 2014 WCT gets underway in Australia in less than two weeks with the Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast and Roxy Pro Gold Coast, March 1 – 12, 2014. The opening stops on the Men’s and Women’s WCT will see the world’s best surfers begin their campaign to win the coveted title of 2014 ASP World Champion.
All WCT events will be webcast live on www.aspworldtour.com and www.youtube.com/ASP. In addition to the LIVE digital offering, there will be linear broadcast coverage on ESPN in the US and in respective international markets as well – partner announcements forthcoming.
2014 ASP International Commentary Team:
Pat Parnell
Born and raised in Southern California, Pat Parnell has been covering action sports for over two decades. He joins the ASP team as host and play-by-play commentator. Parnell’s Career highlights include a long tenure at NBC covering five Olympic Games, the Vans Triple Crown and the network premier of the Mavericks surf competition. He has also hosted an array of shows including eight seasons of the Emmy-award-winning World of Adventure Sports, FUEL TV’s The Daily Habit, as well as Surfer Poll, Billabong XXL and the NSL California Cup. He boasts several production credits including co-producing Paved New World for ESPN as well as producing segments for J.W.A.S. on NBC Sports and Surfer Magazine TV. In addition Parnell has worked in various roles with MTV and ESPN on both the summer and winter X Games.
Joe Turpel
Joe Turpel started surfing on the South shore of Oahu, Hawaii. His dad, a former lifeguard, surfer and sailor began pushing him and his sister into waves on the weekends. When Joe turned 13, his family moved to Laguna Niguel, California where he joined the high school surf team. He later went to the University of California, Santa Barbara where he competed on the surf team and clinched a national title. While studying Communications and Dramatic Arts he interned at the ABC affiliate, KEYT, in the Newsroom and Sports department. After graduation, he got his first announcing job working for the National Scholastic Surfing Association, and a year later in 2007 he delivered his first broadcast in Brazil. Turpel is entering his fifth year calling play by play for the WCT. He has also been the play-by-play voice for the Billabong Pipe Masters, Vans Triple Crown, Rip Curl Search Events and the Volcom Pipe Pro amongst others. Turpel has published work with Surfing Magazine and worked as the Associate Editor at Surfline.
Martin Potter
Originally born in England, Martin Potter moved to South Africa aged two. Potter has been involved in the sport of surfing for 38 years. He started at age 10, turned professional at 15 and competed in his first WCT event at 17. He came 8th in the world during his first year on Tour went on to win 16 WCT events and the World Title in 1989. He still holds the record for the largest winning margin to date (3800 points) and was the innovator of the aerial maneuver. Since competing in the WCT he has worked within the surfing industry as a coach, commentator, brand ambassador and mentor for numerous companies. Potter is married with three children and lives in Australia. He is still as passionate about surfing as he was aged 10 and surfs almost every day. Potter joins the ASP as an analyst.
Ross Williams
Ross Williams starred in Taylor Steele’s Momentum Series and became a professional surfer in 1990. He spent 10 years on the WCT, four of which he spent in the top 16. Following a broken foot in 2001 Williams retired from the Tour and, on recovery, became a free surfer and an ambassador for Reef. He has been married for 10 years and has three daughters. Williams will join the ASP team as an analyst.
“My goal is to shed light on all the beautiful intricacies of competitive surfing with a passionate effort”.
Peter Mel
A legendary big wave surfer and 2012 Big Wave World Tour (BWWT) Champion, Mel will join the ASP as an analyst and reporter.
Mel has been a professional surfer for 25 years, both on the BWWT and the ASP Qualification Series. A Santa Cruz native, Mel has been at the forefront of big wave surfing for nearly two decades. He’s surfed some of the biggest waves ever ridden and was part of the inaugural mission to Cortes Bank in 2001. Mel has also made a name for himself on the big screen starring in several documentaries, including “Step into Liquid” and “Riding Giants”, as well as the film “Chasing Mavericks”.
In 2010 his candor and charm fueled a secondary career as an online personality hosting ASP webcasts. He lives with his wife in Newport Beach and has two sons and a stepson.
Rosy Hodge
An experienced WCT competitor turned commentator, Hodge’s winning personality and surfing insight will ensure she is a great attribute to the ASP Broadcast team working as a reporter. Hodge grew up surfing the right-hand point breaks of east South Africa and managed to qualify for the WCT just one year after graduation from high school. After four years on Tour, from 2007 to 2010, she moved to the other side of the camera and has been commentating on surf competitions around the world for the past four years.
Todd Kline
Todd Kline is a former professional surfer who grew up in Florida. He surfed professionally for five years and achieved four wins on the ASP Qualification Series during that time. He also served as Quiksilver Marketing Director for 16 years. He now lives in San Clemete with his wife and son and competes in bass fishing tournaments when he’s not surfing.
Kline has been interviewing athletes on the beach at ASP events for the last several years and will be a host and reporter as part of the ASP Broadcast team.
Strider Raspberry Wasilewski
Strider Wasilewski is a California native and professional surfer known for his a big-wave riding of Pipeline on North Shore of Oahu, Hawaii and Teahupoo in Tahiti. He will join the ASP commentary team as a reporter and analyst.
Strider claimed his first surfing victory at the age of 12, winning the NSSA National Title, and continued to successfully compete throughout his teens. Following this Wasilewski took a different route to professional surfing, doing film and photo trips around the world and choosing to compete in contests only in Hawaii and Tahiti, where he still surfs. In 1994 he landed the cover of Surfer Magazine. Wasilewski has served as Team Captain, Team Manager and Marketing Manager at Quiksilver, during which time he discovered and signed Dane Reynolds and created the now legendary Quiksilver Pipe House. He has also produced and directed his own films including Circle One and Clay Marzos' Just Add Water. He lives with his wife and two sons in Malibu, California. Wasilewski is excited to be part of the new ASP Broadcast team and bring his knowledge of the sport to the viewers in a unique and colorful way.
Ronnie Blakey
Ronnie Blakey started his career in surfing in 1997 as an assistant editor at Tracks, Australia’s biggest surfing magazine, a position he held for two years before launching the magazine’s website as online editor. During his tenure the Tracks website quickly became one of the top five sport sites in Australia. In 2003 Ronnie became editor of Waves magazine, and, after three years began working as a freelance journalist contributing to various publications, including Surfer, TransworldSurf, Stab, Surf Europe, Zig Zag and Surfline. Since 2006 Ronnie has worked on many ASP event broadcasts and called over 20 WCT finals. Articulate, thoughtful and entertaining, Ronnie delivers expert analysis and unique insights into the strategies, elite athletes and world-class locations that make up professional. He will serve as analyst and reporter as part of the ASP Broadcast team in 2014.
Comments
No Sal Masekala? Bit of a surprise.
One aussie.
At least it's Blakey.
Gunna be a long year with Turpel on the mike.
Interesting to see the various sub-categories they have created for the announcers.
Pat Parnell and Joe Turpel will be 'play-by-play commentators'.
Martin Potter and Ross Williams will be 'analysts'.
Peter Mel, Strider Wasilewski and Ronnie Blakey will be both an 'analyst' and a 'reporter'.
Rosy Hodge will be a 'reporter'.
Todd Kline will be a 'host and reporter'.
Wonder what the dress code will be?
Joe Turpel's voice is infuriating! I hope Occy & Dorian still get a look in.
tell me what you think potts, what would you do potts, what was it like back in your day potts, should be really fun to watch, omg! wheres the fun i thought occy was so funny sean doherty so entertaining and well dorians dorian real insights at pipe chpoes and fiji, wont change anytime to soon surfing is so far removed from glossy bullshit lucky the surfing has been next level this year
"Other regional experts"
Could Sean Doherty jump in the hot seat for Bells?
And maybe Dave Stansfield is regional expert at Pipe?
Not so bad and one Aussie and an adopted Aussie on the panel.
By the sounds of things I reckon the dress code will be Quiksilver gear judging by the 'personalities' they've signed.
That's strange, I can't see a connection between Quik and ZoSea anywhere else.
Todd Kline, Peter Mel, Ross Williams- Quiksilver. Strider, Quiksilver marketing. Rosie Hodge- Roxy, Potts, Quiksilver for years.
Maybe? Maybe not?
Erm, perhaps my irony tablets weren't strong enough this morning. I was actually referring to Paul Speaker (former Quiksilver board member, now ZoSea CEO).
Whoops.
Or maybe I should double the dose of my powers of perception tablets.
Is Ronnie doing the whole tour though?
On one hand they list him under the "2014 ASP International Commentary Team" list, but the press release also states prior to this: "Australian Ronnie Blakey will offer valuable local insight as an analyst and reporter at the opening leg" - which suggests he'll only be doing the first three events.
I hope he's on the main team - he's one of my favourite commentators.
Anyone got any thoughts why Sal was left off? Seemed to me they were prepping him as the face, and of course voice, of the webcast team. He was being used for all their promo pieces, morning shows etc etc.
Would've thought he'd be the first name signed.
Yeah I thought he was pretty good last year. However he's been in demand with a lot of non-surfing events lately (such as the Sochi Winter Olympics for US broadcasting giant NBC), so maybe the ASP's incentives weren't enough? Who knows.
ASP: Just don't screw up heat analyser and you and I will get along fine.
I can't believe we are stuck with joel turdpel he is the most annoying commentator of them all , everytime he is on I have to watch it on mute . Ross Williams is not much better , glad there is no sal he doesn't even surf .
Here's Sal not surfing:
What's that red logo on his board?
Anyone got any thoughts why Sal was left off?
Money, honey...I mean Stu. BTW, I saw Sal shred backside at Malibu one good day. He knows of what he speaks. Too bad, I reckon. So much better than some of those dudes. Meanwhile, my scoop on the team was damn close, but no cigar. Back in me box.
As long as they can say "we're joined by millions of fans online and on TV" does it matter who sits and lies to the public companies who paste their names in large print above the contest?
Suspend your disbelief, Frank. You're entering Fantasy World.
Stu,
Spoken like a died in the wool surf media member. Yew!
Attaboy Brewser. Maintain the raaaaaage....
*burp*
Stu,
You interested in reading a few more IP addresses?
Currently working my way through Murakami's back catalogue, but sure, always interested in reading more.
Stu,
Check your email. I've got a few you might be interested in. You've got some intersting "commentors" here.
Haven't received anything yet. NSA servers must be running slow today.
lol
I was wondering were the bunny had gone.
Super stoked to see Ross Williams as a permanent fixture.
Does this mean we have to hear about the "tube monster"?
My thoughts exactly. We're all grown ups, so please, please, PLEASE....no more tube monsters!
haha true that, but he seemed to have them dropped by bali last year unless i missed a few..
...there were a few tube monsters in Bali.
The tube monster is endemic to Bali.
No Occy mmm. No humour. Seems like its Quiksilver who have bought the ASP.
So did the NSA, I mean Frank, supply the industry plant email's Stu?
Yes, he does Freeride. And as a successful blogger, you already know the answer.
So, who can't we trust Stu?
Who's a double dealing stooge?
Always trust the surf media.
Well Frank, you said you were going to supply some IP adresses by email implying some commentors were...what? ...suss in some way.
Did you do that? Because we'd like to know whether you're legit or full of shit.
no need for slogans either, just a yay or nay thanks.
Careful Freeride, you're asking me almost as many questions as you "asked" those nauseating IT companies about the 2.1 million "viewers" for a WCT contest.
So, the answer is no.
Thanks Frank. We can all relax now.
Good to see you back on the pony.
You can relax. I am completely full of shit. 2.1 million pounds of it.
so fresh.
I hope Pottz tells us again how Dane wears his leg rope all the way up to the car park. That's always a highlight.
Joe Turpel may find employment at Guantanamo bay as chief interrogater if his asp career fails, What if your name?Who do you work for? 2 minutes later..Stop it Joe! I'll tell you everything just please stop.
Shame no Occy
Why don't they have spunky arse chicks on the team....?
Least the viewing will be entertaining whilst the others are talking blah blah fill in crap.
Second stop of three on the Australian leg.. and where's Ronnie Blakey?
This US-centric commentary team is becoming a little grating.
I think there is some amazing verbal talent on the team. The weak link is obviously Potz who not only stops to take a breath now and then but even worse from time to time says something comprehensible. Joe Turpel is the star. Non stop, not a word of sense in it.
Turdpel is the epitome of the term verbal diarrhoea. They need to watch cricket commentary where they pace themselves. It truly is excruciating to listen to. I have to turn the sound off it is that bad.
Apart from the fact that it is mind numbingly boring it is offensive to anyone with any knowledge of surfing. Though as I said before there is one exception.
Get Mr James Jennings onboard.
Three mentions of Chappy in three seperate threads. You must be pretty keen on his commentary skills!
The General commentating surfing nah wouldnt be interested .....golf or horseracing yes.
Is it surfing they are talking about? I thought it was something about bricks and masonry.
Bill Lawry, Richie Benaud, Bruce Mcavaney, and Dennis Cometti... The dream team....
Richie - " Well... i really expected the conditions here today to suit the surfers... We should be seeing some fine cutbacks..... gouges..... The odd tube..... So to see Slater fall on that last swell was quite surprising.... Scores are coming in..... It's a 2.22....."
Dennis - " Yes, Richie..... He been out there bobbing around like a cork in the ocean... Not much time left on the clock..."
Bruce - Here goes Mick! Oh he pulls in, can you belieeeeve it!!!! Fanning!... Fanning!!!!.... Fanning!!!!!! Ooooohhhhh that was Special!!!!!!!"
Bill - Got him yeeees!!!!! Fuck off back to Florida you has been!!! I don't know what Slater was thinking giving up priority at this stage.... He needs to take a long hard look at himself.... Soon we'll be back at the home of professional surfing.... Victoria...... It's all well and good throwing moves willy nilly, but Kelly needs to go to the winki nets and get his fundamentals in order"
Richie - "Thanks, Bill... Wells it's lunch here today.. Stayed tuned for the "surfy show", hosted by Sonny Garcia.... Should have some really interesting stuff.... including the latest fashion tips on how to wear black shorts, the best way to spray a "kook", and a wonderful segment on making figurines from your old scraped wax.... We'll be back here at Margaret river in 1/2 an hour...."
Da da da da...... da da da da....
Yeah, apologies re: multiple thread post. Name says it all really.
Still, ponies knowledge is such a fit.
The sad thing is that the potential exists for intelligent, analytical commentary particularly since the vision has different angles and slow motion. The current team fail to define the manoeuvres precisely and consistently, let alone offer perceptive analysis. If their intention is to reach a larger audience then maybe the average US viewer is dumb enough to fall for hyperbole and bullshit.......but I doubt it.
There is also the issue of the commentary team being employed by the ASP which absolutely guarantees that whatever else they achieve it will never be an independent critical voice, that may be difficult in any circumstances but it is hard to imagine a more restrictive arrangement than the one in place now......tell 'em what they want to hear or see you later!
Don't abuse me, but I have a bit of sympathy for Joe Turpel.
He seems a nice bloke. He is actually quite knowledgeable about surfing history. He can talk quite accurately about things that happened well before he was born.
Joe has a tough job. He is under a lot of pressure. I can't think of a sport where less happens, than in a 2 man surfing heat with inconsistent, ordinary surf. I do find his adenoidal voice a bit irritating, but that voice does seem not uncommon amongst U.S. surfers. He babbles on, but he does takes the heat off his co-commentator. Pottz sound good, but partly because Joe is doing the hard yards.
What Joe says is fine: but his adenoidal, running words together drawl means that you often disengage. As a start, Joe just needs to talk in sentences with breaks in between.
Hmmm, wally you are asking us to make allowances for the fact that Joe is a nice guy when he has a very desirable and presumably well paid position to travel on the world tour but by your own admission is not really up to the job. Doesn't really fly does it?
Yes it does fly, doesn't it.
I think he is actually better than we think, because his job is harder than we think.
I haven't heard of one surfing commentator that everybody likes.
If there is, I can guarantee that he or she must not have been speaking for very long.
There are Aussie commentators that are widely liked by Aussies. But you look at the other countries' surf sites, and many find those same Aussie guys quite irritating.
It is under very rare wave conditions, that watching 2 people paddle about is very compelling. Keeping the commentating going, hour after hour, is tough. Add ratings and sponsor sensitivities, it is extra tough.
I obviously don't know much because I quite like Dave Stanfield, but I seem to be in a minority there.
Not knocking the new ASP, which obviously seems to be the last chance saviour of reasonable money pro surfing, but I did like the variety of commentator offered by the old system.
If it was me, I would have Bobby Martinez as part of the commentating mix, but that ain't gunna happen.
So causing us to disengage and an inability to talk in sentences are OK for a professional sports commentator? Surely the main job of a commentator is to engage us with articulate insights their expertise has given them. It's not only about Joe, he just happens to be the worst offender. Actually they all seemed to have toned it down today, they even tried to justify their repeated use of "the bricks", as if it was the term itself rather than its constant use that was the irritation. On the point of filling up the time they obviously now have access to a library of past footage and that has been a plus. But if I was running the show I would be auditioning a stack of recent communication graduates and building expertise rather than shuffling the existing pack.
I think Joe Turpel is one of better commentators they've got right now. He doesn't do the hyperbole as much as the others. For some of them every turn seems to be AMAZING or INCREDIBLE by one of these INSPIRING ATHLETES or whatever. I Turpel quite moderate by comparison. I miss Sean Doherty. He got excited sometimes but he was also able to call a spade a spade when a bloke did an ordinary turn.
I also find Turpel doesn't get stuff wrong or mix metaphors as much as the others. Pottz is a nightmare for that. And Rosie needs to think about what she wants to ask before she starts speaking rather than starting an introductory sentence that leads away from the question she wanted to ask. I dunno, I think Turpell is the best of a bad bunch.
But yeah, they need to stop describing the waves as they happen. They need to learn that there's nothing gained by describing what we're looking at. It ain't radio. Just let it happen and give us insight about the ride not tell us what we can see for ourselves.
"He takes off and hits the lip" Wrong.
"The speed he had off the takeoff made it really easy to hit the lip and project into the next section" Better. Maybe unrealistic to expect on the fly but more interesting.
It was definitely more restrained today and the analysis seemed sharper. I think they also need to be a bit more opinionated about both the surfers and the judges. These are professionals, if a surfer turns in a sub-standard performance or fails to make the most of their opportunities, they should call them on it. Similarly with the judging. Being employed by the ASP and, I suspect, knowing the surfers well, is probably detrimental to independent opinion, which is what the audience wants.
Sheepdog got it right (everybody except Mr Special). Cricket is a classic slow sport which has, I think the perfect commentary for the sport. They all have a personalities and and an opinion, and are FUNNY, taking the piss out of each other (both the Aussies and Poms). Humor is non existent in the ASP. Turpel and the boys just rabbit on and on and on and on with a really bland broadcast . They just need to shut up every so often and pace themselves, talk when it is required. I disagree with Wally. Turpel is a knowledgeable and an apparently good surfer however he is a failure as a quality commentator when you compare him with those in cricket. It is not good enough to say he is the best of a bad bunch, that is just dumbing down the whole thing. Go with what Blindboy said, start taking interviews for the job from a wide range of countries, or rotate the positions until you get the right mix. I too felt that the old commentary teams were much better. Bring back Sean Doherty campaign, in my opinion the best commentator (the Dennis Cometti of surfing?).
In every half hour of Test cricket, there is a guaranteed average of about 42 balls bowled. That's a ball bowled about every 43 seconds. Plus there are 12 players on the field. Surfing commentators would love that amount of action.
I agree with the need for more personalities and opinion. At the moment, the commentators seem scared. No doubt they are fearful for good reason. I think the reins will slowly be loosened. The new management will realise they are in the entertainment business. A protective glumness is not a good default position.
Good info' Wally, it isn't that slow afterwards. How come I snooze off all the time? Maybe the ASP need to rethink the format if it is as slow as you have shown compared to something like cricket. 15 minute super heats where you have to run in jump on a ski and to for broke for a shorter period with a round robin to the quarters. They need to think up something if they want to appeal to a broader audience. Look at T20 (which I hate and refuse to watch), the punters seem to love it in the sub continent. Do the surfers, sorry athletes, need to be entertainers as well? Buggered if I know but they need to think laterally if their stated desire is to attract more people to watch it. Maybe there is a super series for the top 10 like a finals series which is for us and then there is the general ASP top 30 which is hit an giggle. Welcome to suggestions.
Pottz's favourite phrase - 'Variety of repertoire'. I think he thinks it makes him sound intelligent.
'Feet in the wax' is a close 2nd, but he didn't coin it so can't give it to him
'Back to the drawing board' is in there as well
Cheers, Memla.... And Wally,,, often bowling sides do not meet the required over rate.... And to top that off, not every delivery is "action packed".... Lots of balls going through to the keeper..... Blocked deliveries etc.
But what they do well in cricket is rotate the commentators, instead of hearing one monotone yankee high pitched voice all.....day......long..... They also have "still shots", looking at batting technique.... Perhaps do that a bit more with big moves...
I think more commentary rotations with more guests is the key.
I also think as far a professional surfing goes, it should be 3 waves, not 2..... I saw so many perfect smaller/mid sized waves go through earlier in the comp.... Ridiculous.... If you sit out the back and only get 2 waves, bad luck..... Make the pro's work harder, paddle more.... The guy with priority sitting out the back during a lull see's the other bloke snare 2 mid sized screamers where he's thrown some serious air, and all of a sudden, the guy with priority is sweating..... "Fuck, he's got 3 scores.... I've only got 1..... It would make for a more intriguing battle.... More rides....more scores... more tactics...
Also extend waiting period for all comps to 2 weeks, not 12 days.... It can make all the difference......The big man on man tennis comps have two weeks...
All good ideas. I like the three wave concept too.
I've said this before but will revisit it once again, I think they should drop the priority rule for last 5 or even 10 minutes of the heat. Sound a warning siren and then for the last part of the heat, all gloves are off. I don't know how many times I've watched a good heat ruined with the leading surfer sitting on the other preventing waves.
If you're reading this ASP, look into it and you got the idea here from me, for free.
Zen and Wally. I had to join the ASP to watch the broadcast so I have sent them my critique thus far (fairs, fair - they want my details so they can get my opinion with it). Included items were rotate commentators and a range of other items. Love your suggestions Wally why don't you give them to the ASP as it was exactly what I was thinking about catching more waves and the revisiting the priority rule (as long as there are no blatant drop ins). All in all need more action.
Sorry 'ruined' may not be a good word.
Replace that with 'fizzled out'.
Margs and now Bells. Where's Ronnie?
Where is anyone with anything but a Californian accent. Jabberin Joe really whines on and on and on and.......... Wait 50 seconds of Occy and someone else in the booth then straight back with JayJay.
Maybe ASP didn't like his brothers comments on the last " Ain't that swell " with Jed Smith.
Ronnie's back! Jeez it's nice to have some balance in the commentary booth now.