Rebel Secrets

Rebel Pride

Timing is everything…

It has been quite quiet on the Rebel Tour front over the last couple of months. Almost too quiet. I’ve read that someone said it will never happen. Another said that it won’t work. Some people don’t like change. Brodie Carr is against the whole fucking idea. I have been told that he is in full panic mode. That he is currently circling the ASP wagons. He is fear of losing some of his stars. Are the phone call an attempt at trying to keep the family together? We do know that he is burning the phone lines up. Calling some people two and three times in a single day and not sounding extremely confident.

There are others who want a change. Who want the sport of surfing to grow. People who are sick of the ‘ASP’ way of life. People who have a vision of growth. A vision of growing the audience outside of it’s current fan base. Is the Rebel Tour going to do that with the help of ESPN? Speaking of the RT, things are progressing nicely with the Rebel. Look for the official announcements to come in January after the current year’s World Title race is done. I wouldn’t be surprised to see Mick win and stay loyal to the ASP. Parko written out of the script as many are predicting and leave the ASP. You WILL also be surprised by some of the other names that are interested in the RT. You can take that shit to the bank. Just remember that you didn’t hear it here. Locations are being locked in. It is not a matter of if it will happen but when. It’s on bitches. The Rebel Tour will smash the ASP. SMASH! I could not give a shit if the haterz believe it or not. Doesn’t matter. The shit is going to fly….

Back to growing the sport of surfing. Can it get bigger and better? Will adding another tour just water down the competitive side? Or will it push the ASP to become better? Could it be a wake up call to the ASP? It does seem that the current surf industry has been squelched by a handful of companies to include the ASP. If you speak out against the ASP are you then black-balled? What happens if corporate money is brought in from outside of the industry? It the big world of corporate marketing, our lovely surf companies are not as big as they think. Or should I say, as big as they want you to think.

Look at what became of NASCAR from the late 70′s to where it is today. How many drivers are superstars now. Household names. NASCAR was a ‘Regional’ motor sport that originated with bootleggers. It was a backwood group that had a vision. It has become a multi BILLION dollar business. Many of their drivers are household names now. Even people who don’t follow NASCAR can recognize many of the drivers names. With the exception of Kelly Slater, how many people who don’t follow surfing could tell you that Mick Fanning is a pro surfer? Jordy Smith? Rob Machado? Parko? Think about it. You all know these names because you follow the sport.

If Marketing is marketing then it doesn’t matter if you’re selling a set of tires, ocean front property or a bar of surf wax. You are building brands. Selling images. Selling a lifestyle. The sport is really bigger than the ASP but just how much? The current industry and the ASP are doing ok marketing itself and people to it’s current fan base. Is the time now to open the door to other possibilities? I personally know people who have come to this site and didn’t know anything about surfing. Through our stories and fun some of these people have been exposed to surfing. These people who have been coming to this site for several months have also started following Nugable, Stab and LikeBitchin sites. They may have never been exposed to surfing before. What I am saying is it’s time for the industry to look outside of it’s current fold a little more than it is. Get creative. The Rebel Tour is going to with or without you guys. That’s a fact.

Is there more? Yes… But timing is everything.

-RS