Big airs and drink tickets: The future of surfing
Surf parks are an opportunity for athletes that redefine our sport
Surf parks are one of the biggest accelerators of change in surf culture today. They’re bringing tons of new people into the sport who previously wouldn’t have been able to ride waves because they live too far from a surfable break. With about 35-45% of surfers today having less than three years of experience, there’s a lot of fresh energy in the lineup! As the accessibility of surfing increases, so does the diversity of its participants, creating new opportunities for both athletes and investors. Surf park contests, in particular, are poised to become a major commercial success, potentially surpassing traditional ocean competitions in popularity and profitability. Let’s drop in and explore why surf park contests are a significant business opportunity that could redefine the future of surfing.
Catalyst for Change
The rise of surf parks unlocks new avenues to surfing despite the barriers that have historically prevented certain demographics for partaking in the sport. In the U.S., beach access has never been equal. For example, racially restrictive deeds dating to the 1900s only allowed beachside land use by “persons of the White Race who are of the Christian religion”. Another example is California’s seizure of Black-owned beach properties in the 1920s, which were only returned to the heirs of the original land owners in 2021. These unjust laws an practices made it difficult or impossible for Black people to live near the coast. Add to that the high cost of real estate near beaches, and surfing became an expensive, exclusive, white sport.
Now that we can build wave pools inland, some of the barriers to surfing are coming down. It’s no coincidence that the rapid development of surf parks is happening alongside a significant increase in participation from Black, Asian, Latinx, and Indigenous communities. These groups now make up 40% of the surfing population, which is a huge shift from just a few years ago.
With more people surfing more often, especially in controlled environments like surf parks, we’re likely to see a surge in surfing talent. This is going to be supercharged by the growth of surf park contests, which are already drawing impressive numbers of both surfers and spectators.
Rise of the Park
There’s a strong case to be made that surf park contests could soon outshine traditional ocean competitions in popularity and commercial viability. Think about it—most ocean contests are free for spectators, and entry fees for competitors are usually pretty low. In theory, this should attract more spectators, which should draw in more sponsors, leading to bigger prizes and more interest from top athletes. But this cycle isn’t really working out. Part of the reason is that the sponsors aren’t always brands that the audience wants to spend money on. Major surfing brands like Billabong, Quiksilver, and Rip Curl, which experienced significant growth in the 1980s and 1990s, have since struggled to stay profitable due to increased competition and changing fashion trends.
Let’s face it, surfing isn’t the most popular sport out there—yet.
But surf parks are changing that.
For a lot of people, surf parks might actually be a more appealing attraction than the ocean (shocking but true). In these controlled, accessible environments, everything you need—entertainment, food, relaxation—is at your fingertips. This means more people are likely to show up for a contest at a surf park than at a beach. And because the commercial viability of surf parks is already proven, contest organizers can make money not just from sponsors but also from park operators.
Untapped Potential
The surf park industry is booming. There are over 40 wave pools worldwide, with almost 50 in active development. Visitors to these parks are spending about $275 per day on average. This includes everything from surf sessions and rentals to lodging and food, which highlights just how commercially viable surf parks are.
We’re not exactly sure when surf park contests will take off in a big way, but it feels like it’s just around the corner. The next decade is shaping up to be incredibly exciting for both surf athletes and investors. So, if you’re looking for the next big thing in surfing, you might want to keep an eye on those inland waves.
To find out about upcoming surf park contests, check out the surf park database we’ve been building called Surf Park DB.