WSL fans won't be forced onto Facebook
Last night the World Surfing League's exclusive Facebook deal came into effect. No longer would the webcast include two streams: one on Facebook and a seperate one for the WSL, but only a single stream to be played on Facebook Live.
Leading up to the changeover the WSL emphasised that this would not leave viewers stranded; the Facebook stream would be embeddable so surfing fans under 13, who can't legally use Facebook, or those without an FB account could watch the surfing.
That all went awry for Day 1 of the J'Bay Open.
Five minutes into the embedded webcast the screen went black. A tap of the refresh button announced "something had gone wrong" and that viewers should head over to Facebook to continue viewing. The black screen remained all night.
Meanwhile, over at Facebook the WSL were also having problems with an outage that saw abusive comments descend the screen and a stream of red-faced emojis rise up it.
The webcast outage only lasted 15 minutes, yet the FB stream was unable to be embedded, not even in the WSL's own website, for the entire day. Were the WSL doubling back on their own promise to make the stream able to be embedded?
Apparently not.
The WSL's Communications Manager Chloe Kojima assured Swellnet that it was a technical hitch caued by teething issues, and once fixed it would be able to be watched by everyone, irespective of age or FB membership.
"The lack of embed ability on the live Facebook feed is a temporary issue," said Kojima. "Our teams are actively working to resolve this as soon as possible."
No time was given for the fix. Nor whether third party sites such as Swellnet would be able to embed the stream.
Comments
No Heat Analyser too ! I couldn't find it but I'm a grey nomad
Nup, it's not there, and it's another thing they also said would stay.
I've no idea if this is part of the "technical glitch" and will return or if it's gone for good. I guess we'll find out tonight. If it's not there after Day 2 then sayonara.
Add to that the complete inability for the content to be cast to a TV.
Result = me and my 2 lads crowded around a 3 inch phone screen. Never a problem in the last few years on the old system.
As the masses stated last night #bringbacktheapp
Worked for me. Android phone/ WSL app/ Chromecast in TV
Stu, any comment on the viewer numbers on the stream last night?
Previously topped out at about 1200-1400 concurrent viewers but last night was up around 11,000 when Gary was watching. An order of magnitude difference.
With all the manscaping in the world and favourable angles, Gary's never been able to make things look 10x bigger in between his events.
Gary would like to know the secret to the WSL's measurement techniques.
I think the 11,000 viewers was just for the english non US stream. I tried to log into the US stream but didnt have VPN on so had no luck.
Did anyone log in to each stream to check the numbers?
There was also a good youtube stream working.
You would be surprises how small the actual viewing numbers are.
I really don't think the youth are into pro surfing.......
Thanks Gary,
My facey is hurting from laughing too much. Keep em coming. !
So how did that 'glitch' affect the youtube link that was working whilst the FB 'glitch' was happening then all of a sudden the youtube link went down? Total BS, FB flexing their muscle and syphoning all viewers via their site. I bet the lawyers on both sides are working feverishly in the background.
What was the deal with that Youtube stream? It is illegal in some way. I felt pleased with the fact i was doing my little bit in boycotting WSL. I think im done with it all :( this really hasnt been the year
The YouTube stream was accessed via the World Surf League's YouTube account (it was just unlisted). So, it wasn't an illegal feed at all - they own the content, and arranged for its distribution channels. The WSL had full control over it at all times.
What its mean if ‘unlisted’, this is the avenue for people without facebook or the >13yo? I dont have FB as was livid.
I presume this link was for other clients - perhaps TV stations receiving a clean feed (i.e. without emojis, comments, advertisements etc).
We've done that for some of our live event webcasts in the past - international TV stations have requested clean feeds, and we've used YouTube as the distribution platform as it's free and can be achieved through a standard internet connection (rather than tens of thousands of dollars for a dedicated satellite up/downlink).
So FB stepped in and pulled rank on WSL?
besides the glitch being inplace I have the wsl app on Apple TV to stream the events was this meant to be working ?
Any idea if the scorecard will come back? Pretty mediocre that they'd stream it without it.
Not a big fan of having to stream through FB, beforehand it was much more conspicuous to stream it in the background while I'm at the office...
Total fuck up. I had recently deleted the Facebook app from my phone in an attempt to get away from Facebook, I don't think I'll be installing it again. Total disregard for fans and viewers
Foxtell was awesome....just sayin
It was.... used to record the whole thing and then just fast forward all the boring bits
I still can't watch it either on Facebook or any other means. I've been watching all the surfing contests since they emerged on the internet but now can't see any of it.
Im still having trouble logging on, not great with tech, no intention on getting on fb, looks like I will find out who wins via swellnet homepage, be sure to keep me updated boys.
Collectivism is ruining everything it seems.
Don't let anyone force you to join clubs and global cults just to access stuff you can live without. Freedom is a treasure to be valued and your personal information to be kept as safe as possible from big brother. I'm pretty bummed I cant watch great JBay as its my fav. but I'll go down and look and the wild sea for free, maybe cast a line and think of the big picture. Then go and pay cash instead of eftpos for some dinner with some friends. Turn on the free to air telly or read a good book...anything where Im not being constantly monitored by a wicked system that will soon try their banking hardest to implant me for my "security" reasons.
Great comment Optimist. I can live without it also. Whatever. Some reading for you.
https://www.amazon.com/Falsification-History-Our-Distorted-Reality/dp/1…
https://www.amazon.com/Ancient-Knowledge-Mr-George-Curtis/dp/1506127789…
There is a sniffle of hope we may be freed from the usury prison here Optimist.
https://www.collective-evolution.com/2018/07/03/major-disclosures-comin…
the optimist just said it all . hay , for the last 2 years ive watched wsl by streaming , on desk top when i can . yeah a bit of freezing and loading crap going on , but this facebook shit is something else , talk about going backwards in the worst way they could go . fucking facebook come on , what a jock . why ? the corps went to control us and pin you down with utter control , shearing info , e,mails , adds , ect , just look at your e mails these days , and im new to the tec age . what well it be like in 5 more years ? think wsl has fully sold there sole to the matex devil ,
Crowd has spoken. Maybe a small win.
https://www.worldsurfleague.com/posts/335242/update-the-facebook-transit…
Facebook is crap so I don't have it. However, my wife does so I used her login details to get it to stream to my apple TV on the big screen. I hate to say it, but it is easily the best quality, most stable broadcast I have ever had to watch this stuff. WSL can still get fucked for forcing us to watch their product through a third party though.
Hey BD, I don't have FB either so missed round 2 last night. According to the update they will be now showing live stream on their website. No doubt due to negative feedback and public pressure.
We're hoping that also means we can run it on Swellnet. The WSL have us an unofficial thumbs up, we'll see if it's honoured.
I'd rather pay a swellnet subscription and watch it through you guys than go through the absolute crap I've had to go through with little success with Facebook.
It seems FB is losing it's shine. Never had it and never wanted it and I especially resent being forced into something I don't want, need and certainly don't trust.
I don't think i'm alone in my stance either judging by the comments floating around.
If we are forced to creat a FB account then you can do it without giving away any of your private info or ID.
You can creat a “shelf” FB Account without your mobile number or without your email address. See link below.... Good Hunting.
Create a Facebook Account without Phone Number and Email Address
https://www.gadgetcouncil.com/create-facebook-account/
Still no feed on the WSL site, despite the promises.
works on wsl website. Simply chose language (rest of world - English) and off we go!
When I select that, it goes straight to facebook. I also have to revoke my previous comments about stream quality. Tonight it is utter shit - a big pixelated blob that you can't watch even if you squint real hard. Decided to send WSL an email asking them directly how I can watch it without facebook account. Interesting to see if they even bother replying.
You been watching it on our stream BD?
https://www.swellnet.com/form-guide/2018/corona-open-j-bay
If the website stream worked from the start, not many traditional watches would have started using the Facebook stream even if they already had Facebook.
I reckon it might have been deliberate.
Facebook is full of so much bullshit that the WSL is choking on it now and trying to force feed it to us. The WSL can go root it self, they suck totally. From screwing up years of tradition with the North Shore Hawaii events, to jamming up themselves with crap surf in Bali while the other side of the island was going off, to getting bad luck karma on them at Ulu's small wave surf and the list goes on and on.
Yes Mango WSL is going backwards very fast and all of a sudden. Bye bye. Seeya. Moto.
https://wwos.nine.com.au/2018/07/04/16/55/wsl-surfing-event-at-jeffreys…
Facebook is Communist by nature anyway.
Thank god I found this post - I thought I was the only one sitting at home seething that I haven’t been able to watch this event. There’s no way I’m watching it through Facebook. The website just said error or something so I assumed it was because I wasn’t logged in - hopefully they get the live feed back up with the heat analyser and scores or that just taken a huge step backwards.
I’ve just sent an email to Corona attn their marketing dept. I hope WSL gets tipped a new one - they should have to refund a large portion of ad dollars right? I’m a beer drinker and I haven’t seen a single Corona ad this contest ( not that I’m complaining about that).
WSL is alienating its core base - lifelong surfers - in search of a mass market of non-surfers who have no interest in surfing... um, whose strategy is this? It makes no sense.
Make your core market happy and make money out of that core. I’d be happy to pay for the content rather than watch thru FB. I pay $120 a year to watch football - I’d pay the same to watch the surfing. 1 million committed surfers a year at $120 a subscription... Would they make a profit out of $120 million + sponsorship etc?
Jbay is one of my favourite events but I haven’t been able to watch a minute of it.
It feels like the WSL is really losing relevance, and their sponsors lost plenty of eyeballs this event...
Totally agree
They need to take a leaf out of your book Swellnet. I reckon you’d do a better job of the business management and strategy, not to mention quality content tailored to your core market.
How many $120 a year subscribers do you estimate they could get (if they got back on track and focussed on their core)?
How much extra would they make from sponsorships etc? Viewer numbers might go down if it’s a subscriber model so sponsorship dollars might go down...
And how much would it cost to run the tour??
Ps I’ll be watching through your site tomorrow - stoked!
Heres a simple idea, if its about budget and the WSL cannot afford to run expensive servers, why don't they indeed have a subscription based online view, I love to have it for free but hey it sucks like this, anyways they could send a Tshirt, Beanie, Hoody or what ever they like to get panters on board yes no maybe ???????? Oh yeh Giddyup
Pay to pick your own camera maybe?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1100&v=SBCXyN6hYtM
I'm very surprised they haven't implemented that technology yet. Relatively easy to do (if you have the dev budget) and only requires a shit-tonne of bandwidth (again, $$ which they're not short of). Would be a great 'interactive' way to watch the events - next level stuff IMO.
They could do tiered subscription/payment levels too, season/event/day. Something like the NBA/UFC do. I'd pay to pick my angle at the events I like with good forecasts. Imagine the data they could pull on all the most popular aspects of viewership. Pick your own commentator would help too.
Haven't been able to watch it at all on my home desktop computer and watching on the phone is hopeless as all the comments go half way across the screen and emoji's up the other side.
Facebook is simply a really bad idea, better off giving it a miss.
this will go down as one of the biggest sports telecast screw ups of the era
Pissed me off trying to watch this live was a lot easier before.
Loved this tour for many years and have tuned in live on nearly all, if facebook is the only way I will have to settle with Swellnet articles.
You should be able to watch it here:
https://www.swellnet.com/form-guide/2018/corona-open-j-bay