Fox Sports to pump up World Surfing League coverage in 2022

Fox Sports Australia and the World Surfing League (WSL) announced on Wednesday morning that they will continue their partnership in 2022, with the broadcasting network preparing to bulk up its promotion of professional surfing.

In a bid to capitalise on the growing popularity of surfing as a spectator sport, Fox Sports is set to embark on a major cross-sports promotion campaign that will give the WSL and its competitions more airtime than ever before.

High-rating shows such as The Back Page will look to integrate the WSL into their regular coverage. The network is also preparing a 2022 WSL Championship Tour Preview Show to coincide with the launch of the new season at Pipeline, Hawaii, on January 29.

Along with the live events and hour-long wraps for each tour stop, Fox will broadcast both Australian Challenger Series events live, with international Challenger Series events to be aired when scheduling permits.

“WSL is thrilled to continue our strong and successful relationship with Fox Sports here in Australia,” said the General Manager of WSL Asia Pacific, Andrew Stark.

“With the introduction of the Rip Curl WSL Finals, 2021 was one of the most watched seasons in WSL history. With the resumption of a full season schedule along with the return of fan favourite events in Tahiti, Indonesia and Hawaii, 2022 is set to be the biggest season in the league’s history.

“Having Fox Sports partner with WSL once again is so exciting and to see our agreement continue to expand says a lot about the strength of our partnership.”

When the season launches in late January, Fox will provide a week-long pop-up channel takeover in the lead up to the new season. Fox Sports is committed to providing over 1,100 hours of WSL content throughout the 2022 season, more than any other season in their 13-year partnership.

All events that won’t fit the Fox Sports schedule will be broadcast live and on-demand on Kayo.

“We’re proud to continue our long-term partnership with the World Surf League which will ensure our 2.4 million subscriber base has access to watch the best surfing action in the world,” said Foxtel’s Head of Content Acquisitions – Sport, Adam Howarth.

“Being able to showcase more hours than ever before on our platform reinforces our commitment to the sports and its passionate fanbase.”

The 2022 World Surfing League season will include 10 regular-season events in seven countries, with the campaign kicking off at the world-famous Pipeline. The event will see the first ever joint men’s and women’s event at the legendary break.