Hey Dibi: Is Competitive Surfing All It's Cracked Up To Be?

Editor’s Note: Have a question for Dibi Fletcher? She’s definitely got answers. Or at least a perspective. Don’t hold back, shoot her a DM on Instagram and ask away. Here’s this week’s dispatch from the Matriarch of Radical…

Hey Dibi… I got a taste of the surf industry; sponsors, pressure, filming every session. How did something I used to be so fired up about now seem like a job? - Flat Lined
Hey Flat Lined… Your first glue might have been the word “industry” and I’m constantly amazed that most people don’t recognize it means the business of surfing. Taking money or goods from companies comes with responsibility, that’s where the job part kicks in and depending on the level of sponsorship more will be expected of you. If you want to keep surfing for the pure joy of it, that’s a choice you’re going to have to make now that you’ve had a taste of the business side.

Hey Dibi… I fell in love with surfing looking at the soulful images from surfing’s past. Now it feels commercial, crowded, and performative. Was I just naïve?  - Disillusioned Dreamer
Hey Disillusioned Dreamer… The old images give a glimpse of a world that no longer exists, but that’s not exclusive to surfing, it’s a fact of life. You’ll never be able to recreate the past and there’s so much to enjoy in the present that surfers from earlier decades could only dream of. Don’t miss today, wishing it was something different, it will be tomorrow before you know it. The average life expectancy for a US male is 76.5 years that’s 27,942 days; enjoy everyone like the gift they are.

Hey Dibi… My son wants to be the best. Not “have fun” actually win. He’s fiercely competitive and driven, but I’m afraid with the state of the industry there isn’t going to be the financial reward that he’s expecting. Is it wrong for him to want a big return? - Surf x Driven
Hey Surf x Driven… No, it’s honest. Some people are wired to compete. I agree that the financial reward from the industry doesn’t compare with some other sports and the career has a short shelf life, but if you look at it as a stepping stone on the road of bigger opportunities that you’re able to take advantage of from the global recognition the champion platform offers and he’s still young enough to have most of his adult working life ahead of him, sounds like he has the drive to make his dream come true.

Hey Dibi… I’ve surfed for decades and after all these years, I’m wondering what does it give you? - Surf Dazed
Hey Surf Dazed… Less than people think and more than they can explain. Some days it seems to give you nothing and others, it resets your entire head. If you need it to be profound every time, you’ll miss it. It’s not consistent, it’s sublime, that’s why it matters.

Hey Dibi… I’ve seen how the surf industry works. It’s all marketing and image. Kind of killed the stoke for me buying from the brands I grew up admiring. What changed? - Eyes Open
Hey Eyes Open… The industry isn’t surfing, it’s just what grew around it. If your Stoke depended on brands being authentic, it was somewhat innocent to begin with. The big brands who go public have fiduciary responsibility to their shareholders for increasing their quarterly earnings. The smaller brands need to make payroll and all the other expenses to keep the doors open. To package and sell a dream isn’t always so easy, as you seem to have experienced the oxymoron of the manufactured dream business. But if this makes you feel better buying a shirt or pair of trunks, do a little research and find out what companies give back to surfing in a way that aligns with what you care about.