Long gone are the days when being a surfer was viewed as a bit of joke in terms of being a professional sportsperson. Surfers are now elite athletes building brands and making careers out of a lifestyle sport.
Surfing has transcended global borders and brings together a community of people who love what they do together in the water.
But what does all this mean for the sport?
Are there now too many people surfing? Many may argue yes and many may argue no.
The recent news of Billabong and their share price plummeting might be a clear indicator that the days of the surf brand that doesn’t stick to its roots and look after its core audience may suffer the consequences.
Surfing like any sport has undergone a massive transformation with the advancement of technology resulting in increased levels of surfing performance and the ability to reach waves that were previously unreachable.
Being a surfer is about being part of something and identifying with the people that participate in that sport. Once you are a surfer it is hard to ever go back and remember what it was like before you became one.
Surfing has become more popular and the beaches have become more crowded. If you are a surfer you want more waves and fewer crowds.
Even though this rings true for many it is still good to see the number of people who have taken up a sport that offers so many physical and mental benefits.
Globally there are an estimated 23 million surfers. In Australia alone one in every 20 people surf and there are now over 400,000 annual surf school participants.
They are some staggering numbers when you think that surfing could be taking over some of the mainstream sports in terms of popularity and people engaging in them in Australia.
More people who surf results in more exposure for the sport and people pushing the sport to the next level.
If surfing doesn’t continue to be pushed and become more popular the next wave of junior surfers coming through might not get the exposure they need to take the sport to the next level.
Like anything it’s about encouraging the next wave of people to continue to push the boundaries. Surfing has always been about being different and pushing yourself and others.
As a community surfers need to continue to support each other so we can all participate in the sport that we love.
There are downsides to the rising popularity of surfing. The more mainstream surfing becomes the more it can feel like the sport has lost some of its soul that makes it so special.
On face value it is easy to think of surfing like this. It has become corporate and sometimes it is about making money rather than the actual surfing.
Think about the new destinations people are finding everyday, the new waves that are being surfed and the new surfboards that are being created.
Surfing still has that something special that makes it unique and not only a sport but a way of life.
Surfing may be becoming more popular but is that necessarily a bad thing?
WEST
Roar Guru
good to see some surfing on the roar. reckon Slater will win this years title ...again. The man is a machine.
WEST
Roar Guru
Billabong was huge brand in 90s I think of Occy and rip AI to name a few, but for some reason has been dropping off the radar. Even tho they still have key sponsorship deals with some of the biggest names like Taj, world title holder Parko, and if anything you would think that alone would of had a huge boost for the label. Maybe just needs a revamp to become more competitive with rival brands. Other issue. there is a few different types of surfers. Sponsored who competes in ASP or any other competition, amateur ect, surfers who need a big sponsor deal to survive. 2nd is this new generation of non competing free surfers who are still sponsored but don't compete, instead make dvd movies and go to remote places for photo opportunity's, like Rasta or the drifter Rob Machado. And that in my opinion would truly be the ultimate position. Like the article was saying majority of us just surf for the simple reason to just go out and ride some waves. The reason there are so many is that Majority of the Australian population is right on the coast, with easy access to some of the worlds best beaches and waves, why wouldn't you surf. Its a huge asset. I would expect to see surfing in the Olympics in the not so distant future. Even with millions who are jumping on the band wagon you can still find a perfect barrelling hidden wave. Just have to look.
Benjamin McGrath
Roar Rookie
The issue can't be too many people surfing, simply because there's nothing we can do about it, apart from whinge, complain and get territorial, which isn't what anyone wants surfing to turn into.If we genuinely believe that there is some sort of surfers 'way of life', we'll just have to accept any new surfers with open arms. That's how we maintain the integrity of surfing. As long as that is still there, which ultimately makes surfing more than just a sport, things can't be too bad
Statler and Waldorf
Roar Guru
I agree re Billabong's stock not being representative of the surf industry but it may have an effect on the pro tour. They need to cut costs and reducing the amount they spend on sponsorships may be one of those costs that gets cut. Also, one path forward for them is to be a 'fashion brand' rather than a surf brand, as they may appeal to a broader market and I would say this is why there is interest in them. If this is the case then they will not see sponsoring surfers or contests as a main focus. I have stopped buying stuff from the big brands as you become nothing more than a billboard for them. I am not interested in wearing a T-shirt with a companies logo plastered on it and many other people are thinking the same and hence the rise of smaller brands that make shirts etc that are not billboards. The big 4 have not worked this out yet and is one of the reasons for their declining sales. Anyway, I stick to my surfing with mates down the local beach and could not even tell you who won the last contest. It's certainly not overcrowded at the moment as it's dead flat.....
C
Guest
Billabong's stock dropping should not be considered a representation of the surfing industry. It is simply a bad business model. A brand that spread itself too thin. If anything - the interest that outside investors have in Billabong should be a good indicator that the industry is strong and if anything growing. Yes - for third party investment firms - its about making a quick buck BUT the ability to do so needs to be there. It is with Billabong. It comes down to restructuring.
Statler and Waldorf
Roar Guru
There are two sides to surfing, one is what most of us do down the local beach with mates and the other is pro surfing. In my mind these are two separate ‘sports’. Pro surfing is nothing but a marketing tool for Billabong, Rip Curl, Quicksilver & Hurley. Billabong is a basket case – lost $859Mil last year and Quickie lost $20mil last year and you would have to think that they may pull back at least some of their sponsorship of the tour to save some money. Nike (Hurley) is pulling back from sponsoring surfing which leaves Rip Curl and I can’t see them wanting to sponsor every event on the tour. Pro Surfing in the future may not be the meal ticket it is now (and even now very few make a good living out of it). If pro surfing survives it will have nothing to do with the next generation or taking it to a ‘new level’ it will be due to the big 4 brands continuing to use it as a marketing tool. The ‘real’ surfing that goes on down the local would not be affected by whether pro surfing is successful or not. We do not need to engage others or promote it to continue to do it and there is no need to take it to the 'next level'. We surf because we can, not because Kelly or Mick does. But to your question - Is it too popular? Pro surfing is not popular at all - The recent US Open of surfing had 21,000 viewers for the final in prime time in the US. Chopes had 11,000(?)- Not much of a following (especially if you are a sponsor that is losing money!). Non competitive surfing is too popular at the moment but like any sport, it will have cycles and as crowds increase and the fun dies off, so too will the numbers.
Josh Barter
Guest
I agree Andy. The ability for people to still make a living off these sports without having to do it with competitions is a good thing.
Andy
Guest
I don't surf but I skate and snowboard and understand the issues with the commercialisation of sports. I cannot watch the comps anymore because the soul and creativity seem to have been ripped out of the sports. It's a little sad but you can't get mad at those doing it because who doesn't want to get paid to d what they love? Who doesn't want to get paid a ton of money either? I don't know that it helps to push the sports as all three seemed to do pretty well without mainstream coverage and annoying commentary. It's great for the athletes, it's good to see other people respecting the skills and athleticism involved but having your local skatepark overrun is probably a lot like having your local wave taken over, it gets old quickly. The good thing about surfing, skating and snowboarding is that no one has to be pushed into that comp scene. People can go and do as they like. You can go out and do it for your enjoyment, puch boundaries and if you're good enough still get paid.
Johnno
Guest
A nice article. The happy side this article explores on surfing ignores surfing's dark side. The idea of popularity is right surfing won't be the same again. But surfing has a dark culture like many sports. Surfers can be incredibly territorial of "there beach" "there waves", they also spruce this spiritual stuff that they have a deeper connection to the ocean or understand the ocean better, which is complete nonsense. How many surfers in the Bra boys are marine biologists, or up at Naraabeen, do they have the statistics, compared to the rest of the popualtion? No, or how many surfers, at byron bay have marine bioligy degrees. I know the surf scene a bit, having been a surfer myself. And I can tell you many are so territorial of there waves, rude to non-surfers, or surfers coming to there beach, and also rude to tourists who interfere, in there surfing. Well hello surfers, the beach is not exclusively for surfers, grow up and evolve with the times. The beach is there for everyone. The movie point break, showed a lot about territorial surfers, really good. But many surfers, which i do surf myself, but i don't hang with the surf culture, i'm an individual who just likes to catch waves dude. But the darker side of surfing, with all the this is our beach crap, has a negative impact. Surfer's do not own the beach. And if the wider audience popularity of surfing, can happen it will be a good thing and end all this gang culture at times, and "this is our beach our waves" nonsense that is part of surfing, and all the testosterone chest beating you get at a lot of beaches.
peeeko
Roar Guru
nice question, its bit like travel, its loses a bit of its charm when everyone is doing it and crowds make it unpleasent