Sponsorship Packages Available for Brands Wanting to Leverage “Authentic Ocean Energy”
Bohiney Magazine | The London Prat
WSL Announces Malibu Will Host “Experience Economy” Surf Event, Zero Actual Surfing Planned
MALIBU, CALIFORNIA — The World Surf League announced this week a new flagship event at Malibu’s First Point that organizers describe as “an immersive celebration of surfing’s authentic coastal identity” and critics describe as “a music festival that happens near water.”
The event, titled the Malibu Authentic Wave Experience Presented By a Financial Services Company, will feature live music, a curated artisan market, a panel discussion on “surf and sustainability hosted by someone who surfs,” and a surf contest that has been described by the event schedule as “integrated.” Tickets start at $85. Parking is additional. The ocean is free but the viewing platform is not.
What the WSL Said
In a press release reviewed by this reporter and immediately set aside, WSL’s Head of Experience Architecture described Malibu as “the spiritual home of the authentic surf narrative” and said the event would “create touch points for brands seeking to connect with the ocean lifestyle demographic.” Brands seeking to create these touch points are invited to contact the WSL sponsorship team at a rate of between $50,000 and $250,000 depending on how many touch points they require.
The actual surf contest will be held on one morning, subject to swell, and will feature a field of competitors selected partly by world ranking and partly by their social media following, which WSL described as “a holistic talent framework.” The winner receives a trophy, a check, and a photograph opportunity with a brand ambassador.
Local Response
Longtime Malibu locals expressed the full range of emotions available to people who have watched their break become a lifestyle product, which is to say: exhaustion. One surfer, sitting on the hood of a truck in the car park, estimated that the event would bring “a thousand people who don’t surf and forty who do” and that the waves would be three feet and onshore because “that’s what happens when you book a surf contest in advance.”
Much like London’s Cereal Killer Cafe, the event appears to be less about the activity it celebrates and more about the aesthetic of the activity, monetized and served with good lighting. Admission for the authentic ocean experience includes a wristband, a reusable cup, and a tote bag. The ocean is in the background.
SOURCE: https://bohiney.com/live-nations-totally-normal-ticket-empire/