Tinley rebel tour slater espn

8000 dollar man

The rebel tour camp spoke to grindtv five days ago*. The interview offers an insight into the rebel camp's confidence and ambitions, but does not address the past lawsuits that were filed against rebel boss Mat Tinley, which I wrote about in The Australian this week. This is not the only statement to come from the rebel camp this week. Kelly emailed me at The Australian yesterday, saying, among other things, that there might be a year of chaos in pro surfing before the dust settles. The comments in the grindtv interview include some key points, not least of which is in the final paragraph: "Our discussionswith the brands are progressing, there’s substantial interest fromglobal consumer brands." The rebel tour was always going to depend on its ability to seduce big global brands from outside surfing to come aboard as advertisers. Now it's getting "substantial interest"? I'd like to see that. - Fred Pawle

* Thanks to the alert readers who pointed this out earlier. And "Walkley Award", I have read the lawsuit to which you refer. It is a publicly available document, but not covered by the qualified privilege extended to court reports. Without Tinley's right of reply, I can't publish it. Tinley has so far declined all invitations to discuss this and other matters regarding his rebel tour challenge.

Jedro
Posts: 43

Show Me the MONEY !
Reply #43 on : Fri August 07, 2009, 18:03:35

To Kelly and Co...SHOW ME THE MONEY.

It's just not there. News Corp just posted a 4 billion loss- advertising revenues everywhere have been smashed over the past 18 months.
Maybe the ASP does need a bit of a shake up?
But there's no point debating this rebel tour cause there's no money behind it. The thing that makes the ASP unique is unlike the Xgames it has built up a level of prestige through the test of time, greats of the sport have been crowned ASP world champs.

Brian
Posts: 43

Re: Tinley rebel tour slater espn
Reply #42 on : Fri August 07, 2009, 16:26:13

Whether it's the ASP or the new rebel tour, televised surf comps runs into the problem that it's not the best way to watch the sport; unlike videos, most of the time competitors are waiting for waves, not riding them. It's easier to follow the results and check Fox Sports for the, albeit minimal, highlights. I don't see how the rebel tour can change that unless it's an expression session format (which mightn't be too bad); 16 blokes out, 2 hours, best two waves wins.

marko
Posts: 43

Rebel Tour
Reply #41 on : Fri August 07, 2009, 13:16:46

Think you boys go overboard defending the ASP just because its in OZ. The mostly shitty webcasts (JBay was OK), terrible commentators, prize purses that are jokes. And July 14 was the only "dream tour" day I've seen this season. As to waiting for Kelly to die for the tour to go on, thats a sad statement on the competition- why not try to beat him off the tour? Back to July 14, Slater was killing it like no one else- Parko's lucky the next heat was wave-starved. Parko deserves a championship- so does Taj. But try to do it again and again- no one else has it in them.

Obama
Posts: 43

Re: Tinley rebel tour slater espn
Reply #40 on : Thu August 06, 2009, 14:48:09

Um, I am a terrible president. People just give me a pass because I'm a brother.

Ain't dat a bitch!

keith files
Posts: 43

Re: Tinley rebel tour slater espn
Reply #39 on : Thu August 06, 2009, 14:45:01

I'm going to ignore the cyber battle going on below here and just direct my comment to the article if that's okay? I honestly think Pawle's one of the best, if not the best, surf journo out there, and if something is amiss with the 'rebel' tour, he'll find it out. Does sound like there are a lot of holes at the moment - not to say those can't be filled. I do, however, have a hard time believing a proposal like this would be getting any traction at all if Kelly hadn't lent his name to it.

Anonymous
Posts: 43

Re: Tinley rebel tour slater espn
Reply #38 on : Thu August 06, 2009, 14:42:01

Thanks for the reality check Mick, perhaps we can elect a racist douche too...are you available?

relax people.
Posts: 43

Haha Mick
Reply #37 on : Thu August 06, 2009, 14:29:28

Maybe the Bush comparison was pushing shit a bit far but the rest was spot on. Whats with all the angry people around here. Fuck its just pro surfing, the rest of us can still surf after work and maybe we will be joined by a few new inductees to the real world but all in all it will be ok. No need to say someone must die, yeah thats a solid argument. Everyone you disagree with doesn't have to be a fuckwit, hey we could all live in a place where we all agree...just like North Korea.

craig
Posts: 43

Reply #25
Reply #36 on : Thu August 06, 2009, 14:29:28

Reply #25
yeah parko is belting him this year, mick did the same in 2007, andy did the same before that. I don't think that's the issue, or if it is, only a very very small part. He's got 9 titles for fucks sake, his vision, if you read any of the articles is a lot grander than winning a title.

Mick
Posts: 43

FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT
Reply #35 on : Thu August 06, 2009, 14:28:35

Defender of professional surfing, please note:

The comment was made to show you a dodgy background means fuck all and if you know the right people, won't stop you from getting your way. You never know, maybe Matt Tinley can become president too!

OK, you can return to defending professional surfing from commentors again.

PS - you do raise an interesting point. Maybe Kelly should find a negro to run the show because as we've seen, even if they are terrible no-one will criticise...

Bad Choice
Posts: 43

Re: Tinley rebel tour slater espn
Reply #34 on : Thu August 06, 2009, 14:16:35

I don't really understand the reasoning behind Kelly's selection of Matthew Tinley (TV "Guru"). Television, as all educated humans know, is on the way out as a medium. Of course, it's still extremely powerful, but we're now moving towards a fully-integrated online society, and Kelly needs a webcasting expert to push surfing in the future. Also, surfing is a terrible sport for television - too many lulls, uncertainties, etc.

Mick is an Inbred Moron
Posts: 43

Mick is an Inbred Moron
Reply #33 on : Thu August 06, 2009, 14:04:37

@Mick

Sorry, but did you just try to defend Matthew Tinley by comparing involvement in professional surfing to George W's US Presidency?

Mother fucker, have you been asleep the last 9 years?

It doesn't sound like you do, but if you actually cared about professional surfing, then maybe having someone who is akin to the worst US President in history involved might not be a good idea.

Fuckwit.

Good point Peely, but...
Posts: 43

Re: Tinley rebel tour slater espn
Reply #32 on : Thu August 06, 2009, 14:00:57

Peely, I reckon you're right. We do need to find out who is behind the scenes on this. However, to let Kelly off is a bit soft. After all, he's the reason we're even talking about it. He's lent his name to it, he's backed it in the press and he and his manager are in bed with Tinley. What I find interesting is that when they first blew their load in the media during J-Bay, they made it sound as if they were replacing the ASP and doing their own thing. Since then though, they've been back-peddaling on just how much clout they have and are now "working with the ASP on things." Frankly, the whole thing smacks of ill-conceived notions.

Mick
Posts: 43

Re: Tinley rebel tour slater espn
Reply #31 on : Thu August 06, 2009, 13:58:34

Speculation, speculation, speculation, speculation, speculation, *random curse word*, speculation, speculation. Jesus. Christ.

Who gives a fuck what the dude setting it ups back story is. Dubya was a coke snortin' draft dodger and he ruled the free world. And kids on the QS? Who gives a fuck what they think. Mail room monkeys don't get called into executive meetings to give their 2 cents, why should these clowns.

They should blow up the ASP, have a handful of decent comps in the best spots, sponsorship open to the highest bidder, let 20 people compete for big bucks and everyone else - if your sponsor stops loving you and you can't flog a DVD - get a fucking real job...

Shane Peel
Posts: 43

Is it Kelly's tour?
Reply #30 on : Thu August 06, 2009, 13:45:32

The BIG question here people is simple, does Slater or Quiksilver have ANY direct financial links to this tour? Everyone seems to be pointing a gun and it would be a shame to "shoot the messenger" that's the big question WHO OWNS THIS THING. I think that the democratic process will take hold here soon and people will realize a tour of elite surfers would be seen as selfish. A combo of the existing tour with a clear feeder tour to this elite proposal would be sick though. Maybe they should just run the thing as multi speciality events cause the framework already exists within the ASP for that. This is a real challenge for Brodie and the boys would love to know what Rab thinks about it all now he's at a safe distance.

kyle
Posts: 43

Re: Tinley rebel tour slater espn
Reply #29 on : Thu August 06, 2009, 13:44:22

i know this aint what were talking bout here but teh atehr day someoe said its sux kelly is doing this when parko is winning. i think thats right on. it sux that keely doesnt have the balls to go for 10 this year but he can cause distraction and disruption when parko is at the top. chicken shit.

Nameless QSer
Posts: 43

Fuck Yeah Peely!
Reply #28 on : Thu August 06, 2009, 13:28:51

Fuck Yeah Peely! I'll remain nameless, but suffice to say, I've been on the grind for a few years (been as high as the 70s), currently sitting around the back half of the 100s (perhaps my window has past). Look, I'm not saying this for me, but for the kids that have a shot at making it and who are truly phenomenal surfers. The fact that these elitists think they can change the rules for qualification so late in the season is both insulting and pathetic. Personally, I don't think there is a fuckin' thing wrong with surfing. You win, you lose - that's competition. At the end of the day, everyone has to surf the same stuff and the guy with the massive profile can just as easily go down to the unknown. Furthermore, the concept of Slater selecting "wildcards" to compete for a world title is so fucked up it makes my head spin.

John Titor
Posts: 43

Re: Tinley rebel tour slater espn
Reply #27 on : Thu August 06, 2009, 13:25:04

Big Kelly fan, always have been. Lots of confusion regarding this new tour thing. Not a lot of facts to be digested, but from what there are available, I can only say that I'm disappointed that Kelly would opt to go around the existing sporting body and side with someone who has never dealt with surfing and has a questionable past. As a leader in the sport and as an inspiration to so many kids, it's too bad that this is the way he's gone about "changing" things. Not that his frustrations are without merit from the sound of things, but it also sounds like he doesn't have the concerns of everyone at heart. The ASP has issues, but at least does an excellent job ensuring that all surfers (men, women, longboarders, juniors) are given attention and the pathway system it has created to the world title is about the best thing it has going for it. What I really would have liked to have seen was Kelly taking a more active role within the ASP to change things for the better. This new concept feels way too self serving to be honest. Anyway, I hope it all works out for the best. I love pro surfing. My kids love it. We love watching the webcasts and seeing the world's best do their stuff.

Shane Peel
Posts: 43

Rebel Yell
Reply #26 on : Thu August 06, 2009, 13:20:08

Hey Jed,
You should talk to the kids who are about to secure a spot on next years CT, be interesting to see what they think about all this fuckery bet some of them will be bummed if there is no gold at the end of the rainbow.

Anonymous
Posts: 43

Re:
Reply #25 on : Thu August 06, 2009, 13:19:54

@craig

Could it be that Kelly "seems fucked off with the whole thing" because Parko is knocking his head in this season?

Muppet.

Walkley Award Take 2
Posts: 43

Re:
Reply #24 on : Thu August 06, 2009, 13:05:48

Hahaha Fuck Yeah Pawle! Knew you wouldn't let us down on the court doco. My seppo cousin says he used to spar with one of the dudes suing Tinley. And from the sound of it, the guy is an absolute fuckwit.

craig
Posts: 43

Re:
Reply #23 on : Thu August 06, 2009, 12:53:42

fuck.... there's some heavy shit directed at Kelly for all of this. To say that the tour will progress after Kelly is gone is bullshit. He is the one man who has done more for the sport than anyone else. He still surfs like a maniac and maybe one day someone will come close to achieving what he's achieved. It's a shame that a lot of the comments related to this tour have just turned in to people writing of slater. I don't agree with what's proposed with the rebel tour but one thing remains, things need to change at the ASP for surfing to progress to another level.

What's strange is Kelly has stuck his neck out for this but no other surfers are willing to comment (Other than Bede). I'd like to hear some other opinions on what surfers think about this and give an honest opinion on how they think it would work, or even what's wrong with the ASP at the moment.

Surfers have left the tour in the past few years (Dorian, Machado, etc..) because they don't want to compete or don't like the competition format. Dane says he doesn't really give two shits about whether he wins at contests or not and Kelly seems fucked off with the whole thing. So if this is how surfers are feeling about competing, is the rebel tour going to solve this? And how?

Can surfing break out of the extreme sports genre? It's still labelled with skating, wakeboarding, kitesurfing, rock climbing, etc. None of these sports will ever break in to the mainstream, will surfing be different? People who surf watch surfing because they understand it. People who don't surf watch surfing and get bored, I can't see it changing.

Anonymous
Posts: 43

Re:
Reply #22 on : Thu August 06, 2009, 12:50:43

Bit extreme, but pretty fuckin' spot on Harbo.

tb
Posts: 43

Re:
Reply #21 on : Thu August 06, 2009, 12:19:55

Hey fuck off mate, you don't know Kelly and saying he needs to "die" is way out of line. He's done a fuckload for the sport and deserves a bit more resp....oh who am I kidding, I hate the fucker's guts and his association with his douchebag manager and this lying sack of shit makes me want to kill myself.

Anonymous
Posts: 43

Re:
Reply #20 on : Thu August 06, 2009, 12:11:08

I don't normally comment on these things, but I've been following this since it has come out and am absolutely gobbsmacked by the comment from "Harbinger of Doom".That says it all. In its entirety. Kelly needs to die.

Harbinger of Doom
Posts: 43

Re:
Reply #19 on : Thu August 06, 2009, 12:08:24

Okay, so please correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't this concept really just a glorified old man's tour?

I mean, this "rebel" tour is supposed to sit above the CT, which sits above the QS, which sits above the Pro Junior...so...for a hot up-and-comer to make a push for the world title, he must now go through a whole other level?

This sounds ridiculous.

I understand Kelly is upset at the state of professional surfing, but maybe the tour isn't the problem...maybe it's our champion.

Dude's been at the top for 20 years it seems like and he becomes less likable each season. Face it, I'm not buying products because Kelly uses them...none of you are either.

Surfing was never as exciting as when AI beat the shit out of Slater for three years. It wasn't just Andy's surfing (which was bullshit), it was the fact that it signified a new era in surfing, change, progression, a new dynasty.

We don't need a history lesson to see what has happened since, but frankly, professional surfing will not move on until Kelly leaves...and it would be even better if the boys smashed him on his way out the door (not unlike this season).

The phenomenally talented surfers on tour (Parko, Mick, Dane, Jordy, etc.) have all had to weather their careers under Kelly's shadow...I cannot think of anything worse for them than having to join the "Kelly Tour".

Trent
Posts: 43

House of cards-
Reply #18 on : Thu August 06, 2009, 10:54:39

Here the truth Kelly, Mick and anybody who breaths the rarified air that eliet pro-surfers breath then read on.

Non surfing corporates have dipped their toes in pro surfing over the years- Coke, Pepsi, Boost, Ford, Beer companies etc
Why don't they still sponsor ASP events- normally they are local affilates such as Coca Cola Amital in Australia that doesn't derive income from outside their territorries. They have no interest in gaining exposure in markets they aren't in. Why don't they keep coming back to surfing? Yet other sports have no trouble attracting big corporates?
Because pro surfing is only a niche sport at best,
for rest of us surfing is a lifestyle that we love.

This new tour is just a house of cards- It just won't work . Kelly must have close to no understanding of how the real world works, he's dealing with a guy who couldn't get a boxing match together ( 2 guys probably in Vegas )how the fuck is this guy going to organize an International pro-surfing tour in remote locations?- where's the revenue coming from?- next to nobody would subscribe to pay for view for pro surfing.

So if Kelly believes in this tour so strongly would he invest his own money?

Sure any executive would listen to Kelly, but when they do their sums this would be flat out the easiet business decision they would ever make.
A BIG NO.

One thing I do agree with Slater is that the ASP needs to improve the Webcasting of events.

Anonymous
Posts: 43

Re:
Reply #17 on : Thu August 06, 2009, 10:18:27

So, I'm guessing that Tinley was okay to reveal himself as the "insider source" to Pawle but obviously not to GrindTV when this exact same interview was posted word for word a couple of days ago. Sounds bogus to me. The dude's got nothing and a few flaps of his lips gets the whole word talking.

jack
Posts: 43

meh
Reply #16 on : Thu August 06, 2009, 08:32:18

you qs guys whinging need to stop it. You've probably been grinding away that tour for 5 years plus, you aren't going to bring anything to tour. Just another shitty heat we have to sit through while we wait for the big guns. You notice how the danes and jordys make it first year or 2? Cream rises to the top.

Dejavoodooo
Posts: 43

Matthew Tinley...Douchebag
Reply #15 on : Thu August 06, 2009, 08:15:56

I like the way that reply #3 is on all the blogs relating to this story and then soon after there is a reply saying something like "no way is that story for real, what a douche" hhhmmmm have the CT/QS battlers hired a PR firm to put their spin on this shit or what? Beacuse thats where the resentment appears to stem from, battlers worried they won't ever get into the 16, fact is if you deserve to be there you will be there.

Illuminati
Posts: 43

Re:
Reply #14 on : Thu August 06, 2009, 08:06:30

The link is to a conversation Lewis had with Slater in May of 2008 - while he was in the midst of his record-breaking run towards a ninth title. At the time, Kelly had no reason to be vindictive towards the ASP - yet he laid out his grievances.

http://postsurf.com/2009/08/03/long-time-coming/#comments

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