WSL - Over

Clayster

Miki Dora status
Oct 26, 2005
5,646
1,241
113
What kind of idiots are going for pro surfing from an early age? Even before the plague that career was dead and gone. There is NO CHANCE your kid even ends up being half as good as Italo and Medina. They will end up getting smoked and tossed out at 1 star QS'ses after wasting their prospects of ever getting a reasonable education and job.
Italo and Magina won't be around forever. Still, I agree with you about having to commit your kids to being home schooled from an early age, and risking their future on such a longshot. The WSL really needs to change the dynamics of this. It is too great a gamble for most people to take. Plus, most pro surfers aren't really that articulate or interesting to listen to--for a reason.

It's a horrible system and needs to be ditched or changed.
 

Northern_Shores

Miki Dora status
Mar 30, 2009
4,487
4,404
113
Italo and Magina won't be around forever. Still, I agree with you about having to commit your kids to being home schooled from an early age, and risking their future on such a longshot. The WSL really needs to change the dynamics of this. It is too great a gamble for most people to take. Plus, most pro surfers aren't really that articulate or interesting to listen to--for a reason.

It's a horrible system and needs to be ditched or changed.
People just need to be realistic. Get some sort of education on the side and quit before you have spent 10 years on the QS and burned all bridges.
 

Clayster

Miki Dora status
Oct 26, 2005
5,646
1,241
113
I never surfed more in my life than when I was in college.
That's kind of my point. Dropping out of school to be a home schooled knucklehead in hopes of a pro career is dumb, yet the sponsors all encourage that, with the complicity of the WSL. There is another way.
 

vanrysss

Billy Hamilton status
Mar 25, 2019
1,630
3,670
113
from Oregon, now SD
Sounds like quite a few from the Aussie contingent have already flown home? Something about quarantine slots or whatever. Talked to two folks so far who'd mentioned the strain of pros not coming/leaving early, possibly having to sell property or rent to long term tenants. Can't say it sounds like a bad thing if people were over-leveraged and now have to rent/sell to people who actually want to live here.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Boneroni

hammies

Duke status
Apr 8, 2006
15,587
14,215
113
If pro surfing goes away it would not affect me at all, at least not at first.

I can see a long term benefit to the sport in that fewer people would be motivated to take it up. Especially the kind of kid who sees a future in it as a career filled with money and bucks and chicks and paid travel and all that.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Boneroni

youcantbeserious

Billy Hamilton status
Oct 29, 2020
1,518
4,579
113
Location location
Sounds like quite a few from the Aussie contingent have already flown home? Something about quarantine slots or whatever. Talked to two folks so far who'd mentioned the strain of pros not coming/leaving early, possibly having to sell property or rent to long term tenants. Can't say it sounds like a bad thing if people were over-leveraged and now have to rent/sell to people who actually want to live here.
It would be really good for the long term rental market. The problem with AirBnB's in a market like we have up here is that there are no apartments anywhere and no end of people wanting to come to vacation. This means that if you can't afford to buy, there are not too many options for you. And lots of people can't afford to buy. North Oahu needs a healthy rental market for residents and families, not tourists.

At some point I'm going to have to move to CA at least seasonally for work and I'm going to bring my family. We'll rent our place here long term. It would be lame to vacation rent it -- lame for my neighbors, lame for my community.
 

sdsrfr

Phil Edwards status
Jul 13, 2020
5,859
11,267
113
San Diego
That's kind of my point. Dropping out of school to be a home schooled knucklehead in hopes of a pro career is dumb, yet the sponsors all encourage that, with the complicity of the WSL. There is another way.
getting B’s and using the spare time to socialize and play team sports did wonders for me.

surfing is a hobby not a career.
 

racer1

Tom Curren status
Apr 16, 2014
12,922
14,982
113
Honolulu, Hawaii

freeride76

Michael Peterson status
Dec 31, 2009
3,337
4,145
113
Lennox Head.
How many pros in the history of surfing have made enough to sustain them for the rest of their lives?

I don't think many have a future where they will have enough put away to be set forever. Surfing isn't like Football or basketball where a few years in the pros will get you seriously paid.
only need enough to buy coastal real estate and then any normal person even of below average intelligence is set for life.
 

EastCoastBrah

Legend (inyourownmind)
Nov 16, 2020
474
433
63
I think this is a misconception.
The reality is tourists, pro surfers, industry bros, casual surfers show up contest or not, as exampled by this year.
That's what I was thinking. No shortage of people wanting to go to Hawaii. Someone else would rent those houses. Though maybe you say prices go down some due to slightly less demand.
 

Muscles

Michael Peterson status
Jun 1, 2013
2,596
3,597
113
California/Hawaii
only need enough to buy coastal real estate and then any normal person even of below average intelligence is set for life.
Coastal RE in Hawaii starts at 1M plus for a dump. Same for CA. Then at least $10K a year minimum for Prop tax and maint.

How many pro surfers made anywhere near that in career earnings?