LOS ANGELES, California/USA (Wednesday, January 24, 2018) - World Surf League (WSL) and Facebook announced a historic partnership today that makes the social media platform the exclusive digital home for the top live events in surfing in 2018 and 2019. This includes all elite men's and women's Championship Tour events, the Qualifying Series 10,000 and Big Wave Tour events, as well as the World Junior Championships.
The deal builds upon the non-exclusive live rights agreement that Facebook and WSL struck last year, in which all men's and women's Championship Tour events, as well as Big Wave Tour events, were simulcast on Facebook and WSL's website and mobile app. Aside from the significant reach on WSL channels, more than 13.9 million people watched a World Surf League event on Facebook in 2017 - and they came from countries all over the world. The top three countries in terms of unique viewers were in the U.S., Brazil and Mexico.
"Facebook fosters a global community and, as surfing is a sport that celebrates and centers around community, we are proud to announce our media rights partnership with the platform," Sophie Goldschmidt, WSL CEO, said. "This is game-changing for the sport in many ways and, with current and new fans front of mind, we can retain the free offering to fans, and it allows us to deliver the world's best surfing to even more people on Facebook's platform."
Women's World Champion Tyler Wright competing at the Maui Women's Pro. - WSL / Kelly Cestari
"We're thrilled to become the exclusive home of the World Surf League's live events for the next two years," said Dan Reed, Facebook Head of Global Sports Partnerships. "This is a natural next step in our terrific partnership, which has steadily progressed over the years as the League has expertly used Facebook to distribute content and build community. This was especially true last year, when millions of fans came together on our platform to watch live surfing. We're excited to help WSL continue to serve and grow this vibrant community and usher in a new era of surf broadcasting on Facebook Watch."
The relationship has proved to be a model example of a flexible, innovative and collaborative relationship for both parties. All live events will be available globally on Facebook. Those in the U.S. will be able to tune in on Facebook Watch, a video platform where content, conversation and community come together. The partnership also calls for additional Facebook Watch programming, such as Surfing Sundays, which recaps each week's top surfing action, with more programming planned in 2018 on this platform.
Ian Walsh on his way to winning the Pe'ahi Challenge on Maui, part of the World Surf League's Big Wave Tour. - WSL / Richard Hallman
The shows are part of the World Surf League's robust content offering. The League produces 800 hours of live content a year across multiple disciplines as well as a wide array of static storytelling and educational content covering the sport, history, heritage and culture of surfing, which will be available on WSL platforms alongside Facebook.
When recently analyzed in late 2017 by Sports Business Journal and third-party social measurement company Hookit, the WSL ranked in the top 3 sports leagues in the world in social engagement, alongside the NFL and NBA.
Live Events Overview
Crowning the undisputed men's and women's champions since 1976, the WSL's elite Championship Tour takes the world's best surfers to Australia, Brazil, Indonesia, South Africa, Mainland USA, France, Portugal and Hawaii in 2018, all of which will be broadcast live on Facebook.
Led by reigning two-time WSL Champions John John Florence (HAW) and Tyler Wright (AUS), the first event of the 2018 WSL Championship Tour will be the Quiksilver and Roxy Pro Gold Coast in Australia from March 11 - 22, 2018.
2018 World Surf League (WSL) Men's Championship Tour:
Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast, Australia - March 11 - 22, 2018
Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach, Australia - March 28 - April 8, 2018
Margaret River Pro, Australia - April 11 - 22, 2018
Oi Rio Pro, Brazil - May 10 - 19, 2018
Bali Pro, Indonesia - May 27 - June 9, 2018
Corona Open J-Bay, South Africa - July 2 - 13, 2018
Tahiti Pro Teahupo'o, Tahiti - August 10 - 21, 2018
Surf Ranch Lemoore, California/USA. September 5 - 9, 2018
Quiksilver Pro France, France - October 3 - 14, 2018
MEO Rip Curl Pro Portugal, Portugal - October 16 - 27, 2018
Billabong Pipe Masters, Hawaii/USA - December 8 - 20, 2018
2018 World Surf League (WSL) Women's Championship Tour:
Roxy Pro Gold Coast, Australia - March 11 - 22, 2018
Rip Curl Women's Pro Bells Beach, Australia - March 28 - April 8, 2018
Margaret River Pro, Australia - April 11 - 22, 2018
Oi Rio Pro, Brazil - May 10 - 19, 2018
Bali Pro, Indonesia - May 27 - June 9, 2018
Corona Open J-Bay, South Africa - July 10 - 17, 2018
Vans US Open of Surfing, USA - July 30 - August 5, 2018
Surf Ranch Lemoore, California/USA. September 5 - 9, 2018
Roxy Pro France, France - October 3 - 14, 2018
Hawaii Women's Pro, Hawaii/USA - November 25 - December 6, 2018
Supporting the live content of the elite tier will be the Qualifying Series 10,000 events, the WSL Junior Championships and the WSL Big Wave Tour (BWT), taking the world's best men's and women's big wave surfers to Nazaré, Pe'ahi and Mavericks - all events will also stream live on Facebook in 2018 and 2019.