The Future Of Surfing Looks A Lot Like The NFL, And Not Everyone's Stoked About It

Whoever wins the Billabong Pipe Masters this week -- Gabriel Medina, Mick Fanning or Kelly Slater -- will be the last man to ever win the Association of Surfing Professionals Men’s World Championship. “We believe the new name is easier to understand,” ASP CEO Paul Speaker announced in an open letter in September, “and gets us on a better track to serve our fans, athletes and partners, and to grow the great sport of professional surfing worldwide.” The NFL Treatment Growing the sport is Speaker’s main goal. That will always be a struggle.” ASP’s vice president of communications, Dave Prodan, told HuffPost the ASP is well aware of the fact that “the ocean is the most dynamic field of play in all of sports” and “setting aside broadcast time on a network is challenging.” He says the WSL will focus more on athletes' stories, rather than play-by-plays at heats. It makes me feel like they believe in us.” Prodan called the investment in women’s surfing an “If you build it, they will come” situation and said the women are an especially big draw for the WSL’s story-telling aspect. “If you’re a fan in South Africa,” Prodan said, “you may receive social alerts or SMS alerts every time Jordy is going to surf.