Cartel Management/Titans of Mavericks Files for Bankruptcy

Event status in question as more legal and financial troubles beset event organizers

By Marcus Sanders
  • Published:February 1, 2017
  • Views:3,687
Some folks may have wondered why the Titans of Mavericks event didn’t run last Thursday, a day that saw “good as it gets” conditions with solid 20-foot surf and some of the craziest rides seen since last February. Well, despite organizers claiming last Tuesday that conditions weren’t going to be up to standards, the real reason became clear yesterday: Cartel Management, the company that runs the event, filed for double bankruptcy.
This contest, by all accounts, has seen no shortage of drama since its inception — and since Cartel took over in 2014. It didn’t run the first year. The first real swell the following year, February 2016, was blacked out due to complications surrounding the Super Bowl. There was a battle for the event permit with the WSL, which Titans won, holding a five year permit. There was pressure from the Coastal Commission to include women this year, which happened.

And then the lawsuits: Back in October, they were sued by Body Glove. In November, Cartel (who represents Titans' founder Griffin Guess’s wife Marissa Miller) lost a million-dollar lawsuit against sunless tanning company Glissin. And last Friday, Cartel were sued by Red Bull Media House (who were contracted to provide live streaming of the contest,) for breach of contact. And now the double bankruptcy. Cartel also owes $280,000 to Fox Sports in another disputed claim, according to the bankruptcy filing. In all, 49 creditors were listed with liabilities of between $1 million and $10 million. 

Cartel issued a press release today, saying the bankruptcy filing was “intended to preserve value and accommodate an orderly going-concern sale of its business operations,” and goes on to say: “Since 2014, up to $3 million has gone into developing the brand and staging the annual event. The Chapter 11 filings by Titans of Mavericks and Cartel Management represent the culmination of a strategy designed to implement a sale of the assets and intellectual property of the companies to afford a buyer certain protections available only in bankruptcy. Titans of Mavericks intends for such a sale to ensure a smooth and swift transition of the business and operations. ‘The brand has seen explosive growth since its creation,’ said Griffin Guess, Titans of Mavericks founder. ‘The process will allow Titans of Mavericks to reach new heights in the right hands. It is time for a larger organization to gain from all of our hard work.'”

“New heights in the right hands?” Anyone? Anyone? 

We called WSL Big Wave Tour Commissioner Peter Mel. “We’ve always been interested in that event, and that hasn’t changed,” he said. “It was surprising; we want the best for all the competitors. They want to see an event happen and it’s sad it’s not going to happen.”

A San Mateo County Harbor commissioner, Sabrina Brennan, told NBC Bay Area she wasn't surprised by the bankruptcy filing and predicted "there will not be a contest this year."

"I'm disappointed, and a lot of other people in the surfing community, surfers and fans, will be as well," Brennan said. "This was the first year that Mavericks was going to feature a women's heat. That opportunity is gone for now. A lot of surfers, men and women, worked very hard to get ready for this contest. It's a real letdown to hear about these financial problems."

Mav's regular and event invitee Colin Dwyer adds: "It's a disappointment for sure, but not the end of the world. If anything, not having a contest cuts the crowd down. I'm definitely bummed we didn't get a contest -- mostly because on contest day it's six guys in the bowl instead of 60." 

Dwyer continues: "I'm sure there's people out there preparing their bid for the permit right now. My message to anyone that wants to run an event here would be: invite local surfers, involve the local community as much as possible, pick the best day of the winter, and get the best judges possible. All the glitz and glamour Hollywood-style fluff isn't necessary to the surfing community; we just want good waves and a place to drink beer and eat after. [Laughs.]"  



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Non local 02/02/2017 12:21 PM

Permits go to a non_profit organization. Local sponsors with money going to charity.

Tyler 02/02/2017 11:25 AM

Awesome! Next is the WSL

old california surfer 02/02/2017 08:23 AM

got to give hats off to the surfers that surf the big waves ,,,,,, im to old to understand what all the stuffs that the surfers deal with now a days ,,, back in the 1970 its was surfing ,,, and getting some ass ,,,

wkookmeyer 02/02/2017 06:26 AM   * PREMIUM MEMBER - Nickname

Men who Ride Mountains was less pretentious. No wonder they were an abysmal failure. Adios

Pablito 02/02/2017 05:58 AM

Surf contests are a bankrupt idea, so what do you expect? Big wave surfers are turning into such a bunch of posers with egos the size of Texas. If you want to ride big waves, go ride big waves. What does a contest have to do with anything?

Titanicfailure 02/02/2017 05:31 AM

TITANS- really? Stupid name and BTW anytime you cave to a group to bring in lower quality to satisfy them when it should be at the highest level possible is doomed from the start. Maybe you can get some "Hollywood types" to sponsor it,make a movie with only female actors- maybe Melissa Mcarthy,Reanna- that's it !

Buffalo 02/02/2017 05:30 AM

The notion that contests are not part of surfing is absurd. Ancient Hawaiian chiefs held surf contests where the winner would take the loser's lands, possessions or even their life. Go to any decent surf break with a crowd and you'll see a "de facto" contest in the water. I lived at Pillar Point from '89 - 2005 and watched the whole Mavs contest thing go down. I think the Mav crew did an excellent job, especially with logistics. They built an amazing event. But good sponsors ain't easy to find

RG 02/02/2017 05:22 AM

Hey Surfline, maybe you could work Marissa into the next edition of Social Absorption? Get some social relevance in there.

Eric Nelson 02/02/2017 04:50 AM   * PREMIUM MEMBER - Real Name

Mavericks strikes again!

frank 02/02/2017 04:46 AM

The wave deserves a platform to show the world how special of a location it truly is. Sabrina Brennan is a hot-head and her word means NOTHING, speaking from personal experience.

Bob Abooey 02/02/2017 04:38 AM   * PREMIUM MEMBER - Nickname

I guess this is to be expected when you 'whore out' something as core as big wave surfing... no loss to me or the rest of the 99.9% of the surfing world, just be done with it!

BLN 02/02/2017 04:07 AM   * PREMIUM MEMBER - Nickname

Good - glad this has happened. I don't surf Mavericks, never have, never will but i respect those that do. The clown circus in the water on every big swell looks stupid and dangerous. I could only think if i was a long time regular i would be sick to my stomach with it - and we have all these surf organizers and Titans bs to blame. Hope they don't come back.

Anonymous 02/02/2017 04:02 AM

corrupt capitalism comingling with condescending kooks...

damn 02/02/2017 03:48 AM

The whole thing is overhyped. Do a normal, locals included contest and the future will hold better times

noga 02/02/2017 03:38 AM

i co-sign with Booby Martin Sez.

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