The World Surf League’s new regional office on Hawaii’s North Shore intends to be self-sufficient by the end of ’19. The WSL's new regional HQ, overseeing Hawaii and Tahiti, is currently dependent on financial support from the sport's ownership group to operate, but WSL Hawaii/Tahiti GM Jodi Wilmott is confident evolving business opportunities in the region will change this in the near future. "In my region, my goal is three years, so by the end of '19, I want us to stand 100% on our own feet in this region," she said. The WSL's Hawaii-Tahiti region, which generates income through global and event sponsorships, as well as through entry, membership and license fees, is about halfway there, Wilmott said. "Geographically Hawaii and Tahiti are small marketplaces compared with our other regions," she said. "Local sponsor partners and government support of our regional events ... is our biggest challenge in this region. We are definitely starting to correct now and this is where the endemic brands, our local foundations and government can have an incredible affect." It is the first time in its 40-year history that professional surfing has a physical presence in Hawaii, considered to be sport’s birthplace. The new office, located at North Shore Marketplace in Haleiwa on Oahu, will have a staff of about 10 full-time employees, led by Wilmott. In addition, the WSL is hiring more than 400 local contractors and vendors over Hawaii's winter surfing season. “We just have to be here,” Wilmott said. “A lot of people think we are only here for the winter season, but this is a 365-day, year-round operation.”
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Jodi Wilmott
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MORE THAN SURFING: The sport of surfing has undergone a large transformation since ZoSea Media took over of the Association of Surfing Professionals, which was subsequently renamed WSL, in '12. The Hawaii-Tahiti region hosts three top-tier Championship Series events: the Pipe Masters -- part of the Triple Crown of Surfing -- and Maui Women's Pro in Hawaii; and the Pro Tahiti. A number of lower-tier and youth competitions also take place in the region, for a total of 18 events. The new office, however, will not only be in charge of event logistics and execution, but also devotes a large portion of its resources toward community, culture and youth programs. Those initiatives will make up about 40% of the work, Wilmott told SBD Global during a recent visit to the office. The 1,900-square foot HQ will also be the home of the Hawaii Youth Surfing Development Organization, a non-profit that uses surfing as a tool to drive career opportunities.
