A new partnership between the World Surf League (WSL) and Sports Entertainment Network’s Rainmaker brand will see the company produce two Challenger Series Evens in Australia for live broadcast.

Utilising Rainmaker’s production studios, the Boost Mobile Gold Coast Pro at Snapper Rocks in Queensland from 7-15 May and the Sydney Surf Pro Challenger Series at Manly Main Beach in NSW from 17-24 May broadcasts will be integrated across SEN’s radio, digital and print platforms.

The upcoming events will receive content and promotional support from SEN, despite Fox Sports and Channel Seven holding the official broadcast rights for the series throughout 2022.

As part of the deal, SEN’s sports marketing vertical, Ballpark, will provide assistance to the WSL with commercial partnership strategy.

WSL APAC general manager, Andrew Stark, said: “We are excited to enter into a strategic partnership with SEN for our upcoming Australian Challenger Series events.”

“SEN has such a broad-based offering to rights holders in Australia and we look forward to working with them closely to deliver a fantastic broadcast product for our fans and partners, promoting the events and importantly working with the WSL to secure exciting new partnerships,” Stark said.

Rainmaker CEO, Richard Simkiss, said the brand is excited to begin coverage of surfing events in Australia.

“We’re very excited to see Rainmaker expand its live sports coverage into surfing, working with such an innovative global sport organisation in the WSL,” Simkiss said.

“The World Surf League have really built their own platform and made their sport as popular as it is today, and we’re very proud to help amplify this further.

“We’re super thrilled to add such a global sport as a multi-layered national partnership.

“With live event production and content opportunities we can’t wait to promote surfing and the WSL across our audiences nationally,” he said.