Cash for Surfers Drying Up

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↵For the mainstream sports fan, Mavericks is probably the most well-known surfing contest. On the central coast of California, the waves at San Luis Obispo reach astounding heights. I don’t surf, but just sitting on the beach at Mavericks scares the crap out of me. It’s cold, there are sharks, and plunging into a malevolent ocean is a really freaky proposition. But the surfers, they love it. They take on the big waves because they love the sea. Staying in tip-top shape for the Mavericks contest, which isn’t held until certain wave height conditions are met, is a nice bonus.
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↵But the contest might not last much longer. Pete Thomas of the Los Angeles Times reports that sponsorship of the contest has dried up amid wider economic problems. Only a handful of surfers make a living at the sport, and most of their pay comes from apparel companies. But obviously big events like Mavericks provide the necessary exposure to make those endorsement/sponsorship deals worthwile. Without big events, the surfing industry will shrink and the number of full-time surfers will shrink.
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↵As the casual sports fan probably has never watched surfing or attended an event, this doesn’t seem like a big deal. But it speaks of a wider set of issues for smaller sports. As ESPN solidifies its powerful hold on major American sports, the long tail of sports get pushed aside. For every extra hour of college football or pro basketball on the network, sports with a smaller, more passionate following get pushed aside. That further hurts the ability to earn, and causes the variety to shrink in stature and breadth. More choice is better. Even if you don’t like surfing, you might enjoy another minor sport. It would stink if these all went away.
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↵Whenever this year’s Mavericks contest happens (if it does), be sure to check out some of the action. If nothing else, the setting is incredibly gorgeous. Support beach bums who need gas for their van. And support non-major sports.↵