You, Yes YOU, Can Now Buy A Ticket To Ride The Kelly Pool – Nick Carroll
Wilko's face after hearing the price of stuffing his backside into one of these tubes. Photo: WSL/Rowland
NINE THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED US DOLLARS.
You can surf the Surf Ranch! Yep, you read that right.
So tickets are now on sale for the WSL’s Founders’ Cup event — the teams contest planned for early May at the WSL Surf Ranch in Lemoore, California.
Naturally, I am interested in the finances of this organisation. Since pretty much the whole future of professional surfing rides on them. So I went looking for ticket prices — as you can too.
And my God.
Did you know that aside from the cheap seat daily price of $99.00 and the $80 Grom Admission (children 10 and under one day only), and the VIP whole event ticket including food etc for $499.00, you can buy an actual ticket to RIDE THE PLACE.
For $9500.00.
It’s called The Surf Ranch Experience package, and here it is:
“After an entire weekend of watching perfect waves, you’ll get your chance to join the very short list of people who have surfed Kelly’s creation. The Surf Ranch Experience provides a one hour session on Monday, May 7. You’ll feel like the pros you just spent a weekend watching, with a personalized locker, coaching, and professional photography and videography from both land and water. The experience includes full VIP treatment throughout the event complete with VIP seating, lounge access, free food and beverage, premium gift bag, parking pass, and Tachi Palace hotel room for Friday, Saturday, and Sunday nights.”
Plus introductory dinner! Plus concert afterparty!
Nine thousand five hundred dollars plus $288.80 booking fee.
Now for a number of reasons (see story coming later this week), the days of the world tour haemorrhaging cash may be coming to an end. After over four years of eye watering expenditure, it may even be on the edge of breaking even. That is as long as you separate it from where the investment’s now going — into the pool (and soon to be pools).
But this is next level. If the WSL can sell out premium attendance packages at a pool event for what amounts to US$10,000, their crazy dreams might not be so crazy after all.
So what price does this put on a Ranch wave? Look away while I do the sums. Tachi Palace three nights at $200 a night = $600. VIP weekend at $499.00. Total: $1100. Subtract total from package: leaves $8400.
$8400 for a one hour surf at the Pool. In my experience, an hour in the Pool will get you four waves: two rights and two lefts.
That’s $2100 a wave.
I think the Pipeline Posse ought to get together and start selling Experiences At Banzai.
See for yourself and buy tickets right here.
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