“For, like, under $50k you could do a decent
livestream…”
Vans has had difficulty taking a right step as
the North Shore’s ’24 – ’25 winter season continues to roll along.
The troubles began over three weeks ago when the distressed cobbler
released its invite list for the once prestigious Pipe Masters
event. The most important wave in all of surfing used to crown
champions but since the World Surf League shuffled its calendar,
has been relegated to a specialty event for Vans-sponsored
surfers.
As such, Jamie O’Brien was left out of the draw, provoking
immediate ire from Oahu locals who recognize the carrot-topped
regular foot as one of the greatest Banzai wranglers ever. The
usually quiet Josh Moniz, voicing the frustration of many, went
directly after the afflicted cordwainer, openly
declaring, “It’s shocking to see how, in such a short
time, Vans has nearly ruined what it means to be a Pipeline Master.
The way this event has been handled in recent years, since Vans
bought the rights to it, feels disrespectful to one of the most
iconic waves and events in the history of surfing—right here at OUR
home in Hawaii.”
Vans, attempting to fix the matter, told O’Brien he was left off
because he was too old at which point the 41-year-old went out,
bagged the most ferocious waves of a swell event and mocked the
befuddled crispin by posting footage directly to Instagram.
Realizing error, O’Brien was quickly
included, Vans employees likely wiping brows, hoping
the trouble to be in the rearview.
It was not.
Yesterday, opening day, featured fresh outrage as there was no
professional livestream.
One entertainment industry insider, livid, reached out
explaining, “For, like, under $50k you could do a decent
livestream, shitty but ok. Maybe quite a bit less. If a tree
falls….and how far the Pipe Masters has fallen.”
Scathing.
It is odd that the plagued soler would maintain its license for
the Pipe Masters and yet refuse to bathe in any sort of marketing
glow. Chris Cote, for example, in booth wearing checkered slip-ons
speaking glowingly.
Extremely odd.
Here, anyhow, is a highlight package from day one hosted by
Lupita Nyong’o ex Selema Masakela who “devastatingly
extinguished” the couple’s love through deception.
Enjoy.
