Kelly Slater Backs Rebel Tour, ASP Breakaway
Kelly Slater, 9x world surf champion, and other industry leaders are proactively developing a Rebel Tour to boost surfers' prize money and to thrust surfing into mainstream
 SAN DIEGO, CA -- In an attempt to make the surfing professional tour more profitable and more mainstream, "Slater, his manager Terry Hardy and fellow backer, former boxing promoter Matt Tinley, are planning to lure the world's top surfers and sponsors away from the Association of Surfing Professionals," according to a recent report on The Australian.
In addition to Slater's support, which comes from years of discontment with the ASP-run circuit, the project was bolstered by an ESPN agreement to provide full media support and a commitment of independent investors to finance the rebel tour. According to some writing partially published on The Australian, Slater told fellow competitors that ESPN is “looking to present a fully professional sports package of surfing to the world with dedicated prime-time TV and the best live webcasting available,” adding that the tour could “potentially start next year.”
| "On the financial front, each leg of the tour would have a purse of $1.5 million, shared among 16 competitors, eight permanently on the tour and eight wildcards. |
On the financial front, each leg of the tour would have a purse of $1.5 million, shared among 16 competitors, eight permanently on the tour and eight wildcards. By contrast, “the biggest existing events on the ASP tour have only $US340,000 in prize money, which is shared between 45 competitors,” notes The Australian. There would be a total of eight stops, running over five months in the latter half of next year and adding to $8 million in total prize money.
There has been a mixed response to Slater’s rebel tour among industry leaders. According to Downtheline.com, Quiksilver, a surf clothing company and Slater’s long-time sponsor, has been proactively involved in developing the rebel tour for at least the past month. Other companies, like Billabong, are waiting for the project to mature before making the decision of whether to support it. “John Mossop, spokesman for leading Australian surf label Billabong, says his company has met Hardy but is still waiting for more details before committing to anything. Billabong remains allied with the ASP,” reported Downtheline.com.
| "Even if it went sour for a year, it would eventually work out in a year or two and it would be better for everyone," Bede Durbidge |
Among some WCT competitors, the idea seems to be getting traction. Bede Durbidge is quoted in Downline.com saying, “The ASP needs to change its ways and go outside the industry to get sponsors,” he says. “Maybe look at Target in the US; they just signed a big sponsorship with (top female surfer) Carissa Moore and are getting into action sports. Once they get on board, others will follow. I know LG is interested in action sports, and Mountain Dew. Everyone is really curious about what will happen and excited about taking the sport to the next level. Even if it went sour for a year, it would eventually work out in a year or two and it would be better for everyone.” Now whether it goes sour or not, it’ll depend on Slater and organizers of the rebel tour. One thing is sure: Slater, a 9x world champion, has an unmatched record in delivering results.
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