The World Surf League has agreed a content and commercial partnership with music publishing and media brand Rolling Stone.
The partnership will see Rolling Stone showcase the elite athletes competing on the WSL Championship Tour, the series that crowns the men’s and women’s world surf champions each year.
Rolling Stone will devote significant editorial backing to the project, including features and photos essays in the magazine as well as video and digital content. Athletes featured in the partnership include Stephanie Gilmore, John John Florence, Coco Ho, Lakey Peterson, Tatiana Weston-Webb and Conner Coffin.
The first piece of content, ‘My First Time with Coco Ho,’ has already been released. My First Time involves Rolling Stone quizzing artists, actors and celebrities on the ‘firsts’ throughout their careers and lives. New content will be released each week on RollingStone.com and WorldSurfLeague.com.
“The athleticism, drama, and adventure of pro surfing is a perfect fit for Rolling Stone readers, who count on us for the most cutting-edge cultural content in the world,” Rolling Stone president Gus Wenner said.
“Rolling Stone is thrilled to partner with the World Surf League on a slate of joint initiatives that celebrate the world’s best surfers and the Championship Tour as music is such a critical part of surfing and life on the tour.”
The partnership will also include Rolling Stone’s sponsorship of the music stage, as well as a special edition co-branded apparel collection with Rolling Stone and Outerknown, at the upcoming Freshwater Pro event.
A crucial stop on the WSL Championship Tour, the event takes place at the Surf Ranch in Lemoore, California, from September 19-21.