From the barrel to the box: “I sure don’t get that pitted with a headset on…” Photos: Wave: Tupat / Box: TWC
“I bet it would be easier to teach a sports commentator to surf than to teach a surfer to be a sports commentator,” longtime action sports television director Jeff Manhart once cracked to Dave Stanfield after watching a guest surfer embarrass himself in the broadcasting booth of a major event.
Over the last several years, no shortage of former and current professional surfers have validated Manhart’s claim while attempting to provide color commentary or expert analysis for brand-sponsored ASP events. Regardless of recurrent subpar guest pros, in a sport, culture, and industry where credibility is widely demonstrated by how well an individual rides waves—‘no shred, no cred’—we’ve come to expect capable, proven, and recognizable professional surfer personalities in the commentary booth.
Shea Lopez is one of a handful of former professional surfers who turns Manhart’s comment on its head. Lopez, 39, made his broadcasting debut at the 2010 Rip Curl Search event in Puerto Rico after two decades of professional competition, over half of that among the ‘CT elite.
How much broadcast experience did the Indian Rocks, Florida native have before stepping into the booth? “None,” explains Lopez, who has since gone on to call consecutive years of the East Coast Surfing Championships, Vans Pier Classic, Nike Lowers Pro, and both the Haleiwa and Sunset Triple Crown events. Lopez admits, “I was honored to be in that position at the time, [but] I couldn’t understand why someone with no experience or training was given such a responsibility. After a few years of on-the-job training, I just now am beginning to feel comfortable with such a responsibility.” When asked about the broadcasting background of the pros on staff for major events, Lopez was “unaware of any announcers receiving any formal training to better prepare themselves for their position [on] the production team.”
What Lopez lacked in formal preparation at his first events, he made up for with his competitive background: “everything I do in broadcasting is made infinitely easier due to the knowledge I gained during a lifetime of competing and surfing alongside the world’s best,” he says. While a lot of surfers who show up in the booth share this affinity for the sport, he acknowledges that professional surfing ability doesn’t necessarily prepare athletes to appear on television, even for interviews or guest appearances. The elder Lopez looks back at his interactions with the media while competing and strives to make things easier for the current crop of riders: “I personally make a point to prep any athletes coming to the booth about specific topics or difficulties we may experience during their time wearing a headset.” This, he hopes, ensures that “all aspects [of surf broadcasting] will become more professional as competition [viewership] increases.”
While a lifetime surrounded by surfing has helped Lopez to transition into his broadcast duties, developing that comfort level has come from more than just showing up to events and talking surfing. Since calling the event that saw Kelly Slater win his tenth WCT title and the unfortunate passing of Andy Irons, Lopez has honed his abilities as a commentator through the same strategy that catapulted him from the Gulf Coast onto the ‘CT: by being a consummate student of the game.
“I listen to constructive criticism,” says Lopez, “and I work on ways to become conscious of changes that will help my growth.” Just like watching film in his competition days, it’s not uncommon for Lopez to check out his delivery after an event, and of course, he’s got proven broadcast talent in his corner to point him in the right direction. “Peter Mel has been very helpful as I work on becoming more professional and natural with my delivery. And of course, working alongside Dave Stanfield showed me the level of commitment expected from the broadcast team.”
Additionally, Lopez credits following mainstream sports for his growth as a commentator, joking that he’s “ingested enough mainstream sports and the commercial marketing that goes along with them to make me sick to my stomach.” The upside to being a sports junkie? “Growing up competing while following all major sports, I was able to amass an extensive database of broadcasting styles to draw from.” As for who informs his approach from outside the surfing world, “Charles Barkley always keeps me interested,” Lopez laughs.
Being a fan of diverse professional sports from NASCAR to fishing to basketball, Lopez recognizes the importance of appealing to a wide audience. “My responsibility as a broadcaster is to inform and entertain,” he says. “Before I go on, I like to scan information on the surfers in the upcoming heat to fill my head with a few facts pertinent to the dialogue of the heat to keep it interesting to the viewer.” Beyond finding the story line, Lopez also aims to keep the sport accessible to the general public by “making it so that all members of the audience are able to decipher my jargon.”
