Here’s what the WSL’s Chris Mauro wrote about Kelly’s pool at the time of unveiling:

“What's so incredible about this wave? In a word: everything. Its power, shape, and face quality. Slater is repeatedly setting up shop in its hollow tube, and staying put for extended periods of time. The rides are 45 seconds long. The ramifications of this reveal are immeasurable at this point, but certainly will change the face of surfing as we know it. Much more to come on this...stay tuned.”

Speaking of the WSL; It isn’t difficult to join the dots here. The WSL’s transition into the superpower it is today has been because of the funds from ZoSea, the company who acquired the ASP back in 2013 before rebranding it to the WSL. You’ll recognise a few of the top names from ZoSea: Paul Speaker and Terry Hardy, backed by billionaire Dirk Ziff. Terry is also the director of the Kelly Slater Wave Company. And, Kelly's manager (as well as John Florence's). It all makes sense —> just follow the ca$h trail.

Anyhow, surely an “elite level” wave has a place on the elite tour? When asked by Stab to confirm or deny whether Kelly’s tech will appear on the WCT schedule, the WSL’s ever-charming Dave Prodan said:

“The WSL Commissioner's Office continues to work closely with all emerging wave pool technologies to determine what, if any, level of engagement is appropriate. That said, we are excited about the potential these technologies represent.”