While you weren't watching, skateboarding went and grew up

THE MAN BEHIND THE MAN BEHIND STREET LEAGUE SKATEBOARDING

It can stop you in your tracks, whether through a random board zipping alongthe sidewalk or stunned by the supreme athletic genius these kids have mastered.Skateboarding: from little wooden toys to a professional sport founded on a big-moneyleague. The mastermind behind this transformation is professional skateboarder RobDyrdek, founder of the Street League Skateboarding (SLS) professional competitionseries built from exclusive roster of skateboarding’s elite. With his finger on the pulseand his eye on the future, one man is ensuring that the vision of SLS is executed andadvanced; Brian Atlas, President of SLS and architect of tomorrow’s professionalskateboarding.

Nyjah Huston Wins 2014 Super Crown

NYJAH HUSTON WINS THE 2014 STREET LEAGUE SKATEBOARDING NIKE SB SUPER CROWN WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

o    The world’s eight best street skateboarders battled it out for the 2014 Street League Skateboarding Nike SB Super Crown World Championship at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey on Sunday, August 24.

o    It all came down to the final trick, with Nyjah Huston showing that he has what it takes to finally win a Super Crown World Championship.

o    Nyjah Huston makes history with a season sweep, remaining undefeated in 2014 Street League Skateboarding.

The 2014 Street League Skateboarding Nike SB Super Crown World Championship made history at the Prudential Center on Sunday as the Top Eight of the world’s elite street skateboarders battled for the coveted title of Champ, $200,000 first place prize and the handmade Nixon watch and ring set. In a season finale of the most incredible street skateboarding ever witnessed, Nyjah Huston emerged victorious as the undisputable and undefeated SLS Super Crown World Champion for 2014.

In descending order of Season Standings, the final eight going into the Championship were Nyjah Huston, Luan Oliveira, Tory Pudwill, Shane O’Neill, Paul Rodriguez, Chaz Ortiz, Matt Berger and Ishod Wair as New Jersey’s hometown favorite. Notable within the Championship contenders was Matt Berger, breaking onto the SLS scene at the beginning of the season during the SLS Monster Energy Pro Open that allowed three newcomers to earn their spot into Street League. From there the pressure was on for each of the 25 SLS Pros to give what it takes to be one of the Top Eight in the Super Crown – the contest that matters the most.

The increased energy and excitement at each event has been matched by the progressive difficulty of each custom-designed concrete skate plaza, crowned by this World Championship course that challenged the Pros to push it well beyond their comfort zone and into new levels of street skateboarding. To the crowd of the Prudential Center, the mismatching of oversized drops, gaps, banks and rails presented the obvious risk of serious injury, but to the eight SLS athletes that made the cut from the initial 25 it presented a serious opportunity for high-scoring tricks to give what it takes to become Champ.

As the Super Crown World Championship went live on FOX Sports 1, the Top Eight skating the Flow Section in which they each have two runs of 45 seconds to skate the entire course. With the lowest-scoring skater being eliminated from the contest, the pressure was on for consistent and creative skating. Highlights of the Flow Section included:

• Fan favorite Luan Oliveira came out strong and delivered two smooth runs, showing his skills on all obstacles of the course. His first run earned him an impressive score of 8.9 with a fast Kickflip off the bank and over the gap to Nose Manual on the upper ledge, followed later by a repeat with a Nollie Kickflip out.

• Master of tech Torey Pudwill stayed true to form with two strong runs filled with tricks more commonly seen in the Impact Section, including a Backside Tailslide on the bump to close-out rail, Nollie Backside Kickflip over the bump and Backside 360 Ollie down the Impact Section 3-Block.

The Impact Section followed, with each of the remaining seven SLS Pros throwing it down on the biggest features of the course. Highlights of the Impact Section included:

• Nyjah Huston started the evening’s 9 Club action with a flawless Caballerial Backside Noseblunt to Fakie from the bank to the upper ledge. Not to be left out, newcomer Matt Berger stepped up to earn his first-ever 9 Club trick with a Backside Tailslide up the gap to ledge with a Bigspin Kickflip out for 9.2.

• Keeping himself towards the top of the Leader Board, Ishod Wair played it safe with a solid Frontside Kickflip down the 3-block. Working hard for it but unsuccessfully in the end, Luan Oliveira made four attempts at a massive Fakie Kickflip down the Impact Section’s big three block, which saw him eliminated from the contest.

Each of the remaining six SLS Pros began going big moving into the final and decisive Control Section, including highlights such as:

• As the first time making it to the Control Section, Matt Berger earned his second 9 Club honor with a bold Frontside Tailslide on close-out rail, popping out over the end bringing him up the leaderboard. Hometown hero Ishod Wair impressed the crowd when he decided to Frontside Kickflip right over the close-out rail feature, earning himself a well deserved 9.1 and jump to the top of the leaderboard.

• Torey Pudwill quickly bumped Ishod back down with a perfect 9 Club Kickflip Backside Lipslide to Backside Tailslide on the upper ledge, putting him at the top of the leaderboard and set for the win. Then, for the final trick of the contest, Nyjah Huston pulled all the stops and blasted a Caballerial Kickflip over the garden gap and into the step-up, scoring just enough to bump Torey out of leading position and take the win for the 2014 SLS Nike SB Super Crown World Championship.

“I am stoked to win this one – it’s one of the best contests I have ever skated”, said Nyjah Huston, winner of the 2014 Super Crown World Championship. “The Cab Kickflip I had landed multiple times in practice and it was a trick that was already on my mind and I knew I could do it.”

Nyjah Huston not only won his first Super Crown World Championship, but swept the entire season to remain undefeated in 2014. Although leading the pack until the final trick, Torey Pudwill came in second place just ahead of New Jersey local Ishod Wair. Not only does Nyjan walk away with $200,000 – the biggest first place cash prize in the history of the sport – but most importantly the ultimate and honorable title of Street League Skateboarding Nike SB Super Crown World Champion.

If you missed the action, you can watch the re-air of the entire season starting with the SLS Monster Energy Pro Open on August 26th at 8:30am ET on FOX Sports 2. Go to www.streetleague.com for all tune-in information.

For more information visit www.streetleague.com. For all media inquiries contact VOCAL.  

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About Street League Skateboarding

Street League Skateboarding (SLS) is the first-ever professional league for street skateboarding. The SLS season features 25 of the world’s most exciting skateboarders competing in an easy-to-follow, ISX™ instant scoring format on one-of-a-kind concrete skate plazas, all for the largest prize purse in skateboarding history. Each arena stop of the 2014 SLS season will air live on FOX Sports 1 and FOX Sport Go with a live international webcast on Streetleague.com. For more information, visit www.streetleague.com and follow @streetleague 

About Nike SB

Nike SB is dedicated to serving skateboarders, delivering product innovation and creating new consumer experiences. Since 2001, Nike SB has supported a diverse team of inspirational pros and upcoming amateurs who continue to meet the demands of a constantly evolving sport. With influence in all corners of the world, Nike SB is uniquely suited to bring skateboarding to new audiences and grows the sport globally. Based at Nike headquarters in Beaverton, Oregon, Nike SB is obsessed with finding new ways to support the skateboarder by championing innovation and individuality. For more information, visit www.nikeinc.com and follow @NikeSB. 

About FOX Sports

FOX Sports is the umbrella entity representing 21st Century FOX’s wide array of multi-platform US-based sports assets. Built with brands capable of reaching more than 100 million viewers in a single weekend, FOX Sports includes ownership and interests in linear television networks, digital and mobile programming, broadband platforms, multiple web sites, joint-venture businesses and several licensing partnerships. FOX Sports includes the sports television arm of the FOX Broadcasting Company; FOX Sports 1; FOX Sports 2; FOX’s 22 regional sports networks, their affiliated regional web sites and FSN national programming; FOX Soccer Plus and FOX Soccer 2Go; FOX Deportes and FOX College Sports. In addition, FOX Sports also encompasses FOX Sports Digital, which includes FOXSports.com on MSN, FOX Sports GO, Whatifsports.com and Yardbarker.com. Also included in the Group are FOX’s interests in joint-venture businesses Big Ten Network, BTN 2Go and STATS, LLC, as well as licensing agreements that establish the FOX Sports Radio Network.

Street League, Newark

The Elite of Street Skateboarding Face Off for the Title of World Champion

• The 2014 SLS Nike SB Super Crown World Championship will see the world’s eight best street skaters battle for the title at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey

• Can Nyah Huston continue unbeaten in 2014, or will New Jersey’s Ishod Wair come through as the homegrown Champ?

• Finals air live on FOX Sports 1 on Sunday, August 24 at 9:00 PM ET

The Street League Skateboarding Nike SB Super Crown World Championship descends upon the Prudential Center in Newark on August 24, with the world’s top eight street skateboarders laying it on the line for the winner-takes-all conclusion of the 2014 SLS Nike SB World Tour. While this season has produced levels of skill and performance previously unseen in skateboarding, the $200,000 prize purse and coveted title of Champ will ensure that absolutely nothing is held back at the coming SLS Super Crown event.

The last remaining stop of the Season and final chance for the 26 SLS Pros to earn their much-needed Qualification Points for a spot at the 2014 SLS Nike SB Super Crown World Championship was held in Los Angeles. In front of a sold out Galen Center at USC, a high-octane contest climaxed in a showdown between just three skateboarders. Nineteen-year-old Nyjah Huston took home the $100,000 first place prize as well as the highest scoring trick of the contest, landing an enormous Backside Bigspin Kickflip on a borrowed skateboard. Close on his heels was Chicago’s Chaz Ortiz, continually turning up the pressure to secure second place and knocking 2013 Champ Chris Cole out of the Season. Torey Pudwill, well supported as a California local but always a crowd favorite, put on the strongest performance of his season and earned a well-deserved spot ahead of the pack in third place.

“This season has shown how exciting competitive street skateboarding really is, most especially with a rookie addition making his way to the Super Crown,” says Brian Atlas, President of Street League Skateboarding. “Please indicate required quote detail”.

The eight finalists for the Super Crown, in descending order of Qualification Points, are Nyjah Huston, Luan Oliveira, Torey Pudwill, Shane O’Neill, Paul Rodriguez, Chaz Ortiz, Matt Berger and Ishod Wair. While the safe money may be on Nyjah Huston, who despite a series of injuries has remained unbeaten throughout this year, all eight SLS Pros skating at the top of their game as legitimate contenders for the title of World Champion. Notable in the final cut is newcomer Matt Berger who broke heavily onto the SLS scene earlier this year with his impressive win at the SLS Monster Energy Pro Open that kicked off the 2014 Season; in a game-changing first for skateboarding, this contest allowed the best non-SLS Pros to compete for the opportunity to join the ranks of the world’s best in the SLS Nike SB World Tour. Despite his Season Standings putting him at the bottom of the finalist list, Ishod Wair is definitely one to watch in Newark; voted 2014 Skater of the Year, this New Jersey native will be sure to leverage his immense local support and lay it down to earn another 2014 career-crowning title as Champ.

The finals of the SLS Nike SB Super Crown World Championship in Newark will air live on FOX Sports 1 on August 24 at 9:00 PM ET.

Live coverage including the pre-show, as well as practice and prelims, will be webcast on www.streetleague.com, www.foxsports.com, and the FOX Sports GO app on August 24.

Following its inaugural season with presenting partner Nike SB, Street League continues to elevate competitive skateboarding and grow its audience. A new partnership with FOX Sports 1 expands Street League’s live television coverage throughout the United States.

SLS NIKE SB SUPER CROWN WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

Sunday, August 24:            Prudential Center | Newark

FOX Sports 1 Telecast:      Sunday, Aug. 24 (9:00PM ET–10:30PM ET)

The SLS Nike SB World Tour airs on FOX Sports 1 and FOX Sports GO, in addition to the official live webcast on www.streetleague.com. 

For more visit information visit www.streetleague.com. For all media inquiries contact VOCAL. .

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About Street League Skateboarding

Street League Skateboarding (SLS) is the first-ever professional league for street skateboarding. The SLS season features 25 of the world’s most exciting skateboarders competing in an easy-to-follow, ISX instant scoring format on one-of-a-kind concrete skate plazas, all for the largest prize purse in skateboarding history. Each arena stop of the 2014 SLS season will air live on FOX Sports 1 and FOX Sport Go with a live international webcast on Streetleague.com.

For more information, visit www.streetleague.com and follow @streetleague 

About Nike SB

Nike SB is dedicated to serving skateboarders, delivering product innovation and creating new consumer experiences. Since 2001, Nike SB has supported a diverse team of inspirational pros and upcoming amateurs who continue to meet the demands of a constantly evolving sport. With influence in all corners of the world, Nike SB is uniquely suited to bring skateboarding to new audiences and grows the sport globally. Based at Nike headquarters in Beaverton, Oregon, Nike SB is obsessed with finding new ways to support the skateboarder by championing innovation and individuality.

For more information, visit www.nikeinc.com and follow @NikeSB. 

About FOX Sports

FOX Sports is the umbrella entity representing 21st Century FOX’s wide array of multi-platform US-based sports assets. Built with brands capable of reaching more than 100 million viewers in a single weekend, FOX Sports includes ownership and interests in linear television networks, digital and mobile programming, broadband platforms, multiple web sites, joint-venture businesses and several licensing partnerships. FOX Sports includes the sports television arm of the FOX Broadcasting Company; FOX Sports 1; FOX Sports 2; FOX’s 22 regional sports networks, their affiliated regional web sites and FSN national programming; FOX Soccer Plus and FOX Soccer 2Go; FOX Deportes and FOX College Sports. In addition, FOX Sports also encompasses FOX Sports Digital, which includes FOXSports.com on MSN, FOX Sports GO, Whatifsports.com and Yardbarker.com. Also included in the Group are FOX’s interests in joint-venture businesses Big Ten Network, BTN 2Go and STATS, LLC, as well as licensing agreements that establish the FOX Sports Radio Network.

Nyjah Huston Wins 2014 SLS Los Angeles Stop

NYJAH HUSTON WINS 2014 STREET LEAGUE SKATEBOARDING: LOS ANGELES           IN FRONT OF SOLD OUT ARENA

o   For his third win this season, Nyjah Huston takes the prize just ahead of Chaz Ortiz and Torey Pudwill to continue unbeaten in 2014

o   Custom concrete skatepark inside the sold out Galen Center at USC hosts most elite skateboard contest in Los Angeles history

o   Final eight Competitors determined for the $200,000 SLS Nike SB Super Crown World Championship in August, excluding reigning Champ Chris Cole

Returning to Los Angeles as the only professional competition series in street skateboarding, the 2014 SLS Nike SB World Tour on Sunday delivered to a sold out arena the highest level of competitive street skating the city has ever witnessed. With this stop determining the roster for the SLS Nike SB Super Crown World Championship, the world’s most elite skateboarders spared nothing to up their Season Standings and be one of the final eight Top Qualifiers heading to Newark this August. 

The 2014 Street League Skateboarding season started strong with its first arena stop in Chicago, presenting a completely new course design that shook things up for the League competitors. Devoid of any stairs or handrails – obstacles that normally see the highest scoring tricks – the skaters were challenged to get creative and go big on the generous arrangement of banks, gaps and ledges. An injured wrist couldn’t stop young Nyjah Huston from taking the win, just a few points ahead of Nike SB pros Luan Oliveira and Shane O'Neill. With such an amazingly high standard of skating in Chicago from all League competitors, there was no safe bet for the SLS Nike SB World Tour event in Los Angeles – not even during the final minutes.

Beginning with the qualification Prelims to cut the list to just eight finalists, the competitors clearly demonstrated why they are the world’s best street skateboarders. Highlights of the Prelims included:

·      The rookies that joined the Tour this season held their ground against the SLS pros. Matt Berger hovered at the top of the leader board with moves such as his solid Bigspin Frontside Boardslide and Bennet Grind on the round rails. Skating strong but not making the Finals, Felipe Gustavo broke out a technical Kickflip Crooked Grind up the long hubba for a well-deserved 8.0.

·      Despite an injury, Ishod Wair showed why he was voted Skater of the Year, breaking out the first of the high-scoring 9 Club tricks with an impressive Feeble Grind on the round flat rail above the quarter pipe, popping back into the transitions strong and confident for a 9.4.

·      Defending his title, 2013 Street League Super Crown World Champion Chris Cole skated especially strong in the Flow Section, scoring an 8.1 through an impressive run punctuated by a Frontside Bluntslide down the hubba and his signature Backside 360 Ollie off the drive to the flat. Nonetheless, Cole was bumped out of the Finals by Paul Rodriguez’s last Prelim trick: an ultra-clean Backside Tailslide down the gap to hubba.

·      With the fastest feet in the business and a running average of 7.7 in the Flow Section, Luan Oliveira scored an impressive 8.8 with a run highlighted by a lofty Backside Disaster on the quarterpipe before a huge Frontside Flip over the hubba down to the flat.

·      Although not making the Finals, Bastien Salabanzi was working the crowd as usual, giving them his signature Backside Double Kickflip off the bank to flat even after the his time was up. Austyn Gillette was also denied a place in the Finals but made his mark with a high-speed stylish Kickflip over the sidewalk for 8.4 on the board.

Televised live on FOX Sports 1, the Finals of the 2014 SLS Los Angeles stop included Chaz Ortiz, Shane O’Neill, Tory Pudwill, Ryan Decenzo, Luan Oliveira, Nyjah Huston, Matt Berger and Paul Rodriguez. Topping the highlights of the Finals:

·      The first of the three sections, the Flow Section, saw almost all of the first runs scoring above 8. Notable was Shane O’Neill’s flawless 8.7 run highlighted by an effortless 360 Shuvit up the Euro gap, Blunt to fakie on the quarterpipe to set up for a Switch Bigspin back gown the gap. Torey Pudwill came out strong with a back-to-back run of combos and long slides, maxing out the up-down rail with a smooth Crooked Grind pop-over and an effortless Backside Tailslide to fakie down the entire long hubba.

·      Taking the high score of 8.8 in the Impact Section was Torey Pudwill’s textbook Backside Tailslide Backside Kickflip out through the length of the 21-foot hubba. Also claiming top points for this section were Nyjah Huston with a strong 360 Flip over the gap to 50-50 down the hubba, and Shane O’Neill making it look easy with a Nollie Flip Crooked Grind down long hubba.

·      As the last of the three sections, the Control Section is the decider of the contest and where the real magic happens. Luan Oliveira pulled off two 8.9 tricks, first with a huge Kickflip over the manual pad to get the crowd on their feet, then a Kickflip Manual transfer to Nose Manual on the descending sidewalk to Nollie Flip out. Chaz Ortiz kept the pressure on with tech combos such as a punchy Backside Tailslide Backside Kickflip out up the long hubba, a clean Crooked Grind Nollie Heelflip back down, and an impressive Salad Grind to Kickflip out on the round rail. Chaz’s strong Los Angeles finish was just enough to knock 2013 Champ Chris Cole out of contention, earning his own spot into the 2014 Super Crown. With an injured wrist and calf, Nyjah Huston continued to dominate, breaking his kingpin on a massive attempted Backside Bigspin Kickflip over the sidewalk, after which he landed it on a borrowed board for the high-scoring trick and 9 Club honor at 9.2. The crowd was enamored as Nyjah stage dove into the stands, celebrating with fans.

From a SLS season of epic skateboarding, the final eight have been decided for the Super Crown World Championships: Nyjah Huston, Luan Oliveira, Torey Pudwill, Shane O’Neill, Paul Rodriguez, Chaz Ortiz, Matt Berger and Ishod Wair.

“The stage is now set for the Super Crown Championship right on the heels of Nyjah taking another win,” says Brian Atlas, President of Street League Skateboarding. “Now it is time to see if Nyjah can pull off a win at the event that matters the most.”

Congratulations to SLS Nike SB World Tour: Los Angeles champion Nyjah Huston. Although he continues unbeaten for the season, the final eight skateboarders at the Super Crown World will up the ante even further for the $200,000 prize purse and coveted title of SLS Champ. With the refined selection of the top SLS Pros, the 2014 SLS Nike SB Super Crown World Championship is certain to be an epic conclusion to the most exciting Season of Street League Skateboarding in history. Will the New Jersey native and hometown hero, Ishod Wair, seek redemption against Nyjah for his marginal win at the Monster Energy Pro Open? Or maybe the real question is, can Nyjah Huston be beat in 2014?

REMAINING SLS EVENT DATES AND VENUES:

August 24:    SLS Nike SB Super Crown World Championship | Prudential Center | Newark

The SLS Nike SB World Tour airs on FOX Sports 1 and FOX Sports GO, in addition to the official live webcast on www.streetleague.com. 

FOX SPORTS 1 TELECAST SCHEDULE:

·      SLS Super Crown World Championship: LIVE: Sunday, August 24 (9:00PM ET – 10:30PM ET)

For more visit information visit www.streetleague.com. For all media inquiries contact VOCAL.  

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About Street League Skateboarding

Street League Skateboarding (SLS) is the first-ever professional league for street skateboarding. The SLS season features 25 of the world’s most exciting skateboarders competing in an easy-to-follow, ISX™ instant scoring format on one-of-a-kind concrete skate plazas, all for the largest prize purse in skateboarding history. Each arena stop of the 2014 SLS season will air live on FOX Sports 1 and FOX Sports GO with a live international webcast on Streetleague.com.

For more information, visit www.streetleague.com and follow @streetleague 

About Nike SB

Nike SB is dedicated to serving skateboarders, delivering product innovation and creating new consumer experiences. Since 2001, Nike SB has supported a diverse team of inspirational pros and upcoming amateurs who continue to meet the demands of a constantly evolving sport. With influence in all corners of the world, Nike SB is uniquely suited to bring skateboarding to new audiences and grows the sport globally. Based at Nike headquarters in Beaverton, Oregon, Nike SB is obsessed with finding new ways to support the skateboarder by championing innovation and individuality.

For more information, visit www.nikeinc.com and follow @NikeSB. 

About FOX Sports

FOX Sports is the umbrella entity representing 21st Century FOX’s wide array of multi-platform US-based sports assets. Built with brands capable of reaching more than 100 million viewers in a single weekend, FOX Sports includes ownership and interests in linear television networks, digital and mobile programming, broadband platforms, multiple web sites, joint-venture businesses and several licensing partnerships. FOX Sports includes the sports television arm of the FOX Broadcasting Company; FOX Sports 1; FOX Sports 2; FOX’s 22 regional sports networks, their affiliated regional web sites and FSN national programming; FOX Soccer Plus and FOX Soccer 2Go; FOX Deportes and FOX College Sports. In addition, FOX Sports also encompasses FOX Sports Digital, which includes FOXSports.com on MSN, FOX Sports GO, Whatifsports.com and Yardbarker.com. Also included in the Group are FOX’s interests in joint-venture businesses Big Ten Network, BTN 2Go and STATS, LLC, as well as licensing agreements that establish the FOX Sports Radio Network.

Street League Skateboarding Foundation

STREET LEAGUE SKATEBOARDING CREATES A NON-PROFIT FOUNDATION TO EMPOWER THE SKATERS OF THE WORLD

 Street League Skateboarding Foundation To Unveil Their First Skate Plaza In South Los Angeles

In the spirit of giving back, the Street League Skateboarding Foundation (SLSF) has been established to increase skateboarding participation through the development of community skate plazas. On Thursday July 24 at 5pm, Street League will host a ribbon cutting ceremony, alongside the mayor of Los Angeles to celebrate the first SLSF skate plaza opening in South Los Angeles, California.

This year, in partnership with The California Endowment (TCE), the Foundation is enriching the skateboarding community with four unique skate plazas throughout skateboarding’s birthplace of California. Grants from TCE will fund the entire design of each plaza by the illustrious California Skateparks, as well as contributing to half of the construction costs. This week the SLSF will host the grand opening of their first skate plaza in South Los Angeles, bringing a professional-level skatepark to a neighborhood otherwise void of legal skateboarding opportunity; thus relieving local skaters of the all-too-familiar dilemma of not having a city-sanctioned facility that meets their needs.

Founded by the premier skateboarding competition platform Street League Skateboarding (SLS), the SLSF was established as a means to further contribute to the global skateboarding community through the development of quality skateboarding facilities. SLS emerged in 2010 as the first professional league for skateboarding and offering the largest prize purse in the history of the sport. The Foundation utilizes a portion of the funds generated by the competition’s success to bring SLS-quality skate plazas to communities in need. Since it’s inception in 2013, the foundation has raised over $6.1 million to fund a planned fifteen skate plazas around the United States.

Each plaza will be inspired by previous SLS course designs, scaled down to accommodate the range of skill levels within the skate community. Much like training facilities in any other sport, SLS skate plazas will provide aspiring skaters with an avenue to train and compete on courses similar to those that their favorite pros compete in, making the transition from novice to amateur, and onto professional as seamless as possible. Each plaza will become the hub of regional competitions that follow the same rules and use the same unique Street League Skateboarding ISX scoring format to ensure continuity through the progress into the professional arena.

“Skateboarding is not a crime”, the sport’s unofficial slogan since the 1980’s, began as a sticker and t-shirt campaign to highlight the public backlash against the initial growth of street skateboarding. Still today, young skaters worldwide are forced out of their favorite local skate spots, facing fines and even incarceration while the system does little to address the fact that the number of sanctioned skateparks in America is incommensurate with today’s massive skateboarding population. With more Americans skating than playing hockey, tennis, or even baseball, why doesn’t every town have a quality skatepark? Street League Skateboarding Foundation is working to solve this critical issue for today’s youth.

For more visit information visit www.streetleague.com/foundation.

Join The Street League

Street League Foundation Brings Top-Tier Facilities to Masses

From the immense success of the Street League Skateboarding professional competition series comes the Street League Foundation, building skateparks and futures for the skateboard community. On Thursday, July 24, the first of their community skate facilities is opening in South Los Angeles, California.

“Skateboarding is not a crime”, the sport’s unofficial slogan since the 1980’s, began as a sticker and t-shirt campaign to highlight the public backlash against the initial growth of street skateboarding. Still today, young skaters worldwide are forced out of their favorite local skate spots, facing fines and even incarceration while the system does little to address the fact that the number of sanctioned skateparks in America is incommensurate with today’s massive skateboarding population. With more Americans skating than playing hockey, tennis, or even baseball, why doesn’t every town have a quality skatepark? Street League Foundation was created to address and solve this critical issue.

Founded by the premier skateboarding competition series Street League Skateboarding (SLS), the Street League Foundation was established as a means to further contribute to the global skateboarding community through the development of quality skateparks. SLS emerged in 2010 as the first professional league for skateboarding, offering the largest prize purse in the history of the sport. Street League Foundation utilizes a portion of the funds generated by the competition’s success to bring SLS-quality skate plazas to communities in need. Since it’s inception in 2013, the foundation has raised over $6.1 million to fund fifteen skate plazas around the United States.

This year, the foundation aims to enrich the skateboarding community in California, its birthplace, developing four skate plazas in over the next year in partnership with The California Endowment (TCE). Grants from TCE will fund the entire design of each plaza by the illustrious California Skateparks, as well as contributing to half of the construction costs.

Each plaza will be inspired by previous SLS course designs, but scaled down to account for the range of skill levels within the skate community. Much like training facilities in any other sport, Street League skate plazas will provide aspiring skaters with an avenue to train and compete in plazas similar to those that their favorite pros compete in, making the transition from novice to amateur, and onto professional, as seamless as possible. Each plaza will become the location for regional competitions that follow the same rules and use the same unique Street League Skateboarding ISX scoring format to ensure continuity through the progress into the professional arena.

Next week the SLF will host the grand opening of a Street League plaza in South Los Angeles. As one of the four areas initially targeted for this year’s mission, this first Street League plaza brings a professional-level skatepark to a neighborhood otherwise void of legal skateboarding opportunity; thus relieving local skaters of the all-too-familiar dilemma of not having a city-sanctioned facility that meets all of their needs. With ample funding and design plans from the most experienced skatepark contractors in the world, the South Los Angeles Community Skatepark is certain to please skaters of all skills and styles. 

For all media inquiries contact VOCAL.  

SLS Nike SB World Tour Lands in Los Angeles

• The second 2014 SLS Nike SB World Tour stop takes place in Los Angeles with its first-ever arena event in skateboarding’s hometown

• This Los Angeles event determines the final eight skateboarders for 2014 SLS Nike SB Super Crown World Championship

• Finals air live on FOX Sports 1 and FOX Sports GO on Sunday, July 27 at 8:00 PM ET

The 2014 SLS Nike SB World Tour makes the first-ever arena stop in Los Angeles on July 27 at the Galen Center at USC, featuring the world’s greatest skateboarders. As the second stop of the tour, current points leader and past tour champion Nyjah Huston looks to hold off some of the biggest names in the game including 2013 SLS Super Crown World Champion Chris Cole, Australian tech wizard Shane O’Neill, Brazilian Powerhouse Luan Oliveira and Southern California favorites Paul Rodriguez and Ryan Sheckler, in his quest for the $100,000 first-place prize and express “Golden Ticket” straight to finals the 2014 SLS Nike SB Super Crown World Championship in August.

While Huston won the last stop, the margin of victory was razor thin with both Oliveira and O’Neill skating amazingly in Chicago and falling just a few points and essentially one trick short of the prize. Other challengers could emerge as well. Although 2013 Champ Cole hasn’t seen a win this season, he always has the potential to recreate his mind-blowing performance that earned the title last year. His main rival for last year’s title, Rodriguez, has been gaining momentum through this season and could easily use his hometown edge to prevail in Los Angeles. Adding further intrigue for both fans and competitors alike are the three rookie wildcards who have joined the Tour from the season-opening SLS Monster Energy Pro Open. As is so common in skateboarding, it is the unknown young gun like Matt Berger, Davis Torgerson and Trevor Colden, who break onto the scene and can pull off the unbelievable upset.

Added pressure is on all 24 competitors as this is the last stop to qualify for the $200,000 SLS Nike SB Super Crown World Championship in August. With Huston already securing a win this season, seven spots remain for the rest of the field to fight over.

"This year's tour is picking up incredible energy heading into Los Angeles,” says Brian Atlas, President of Street League Skateboarding. "Not only did we see the last event in Chicago come down to the final trick with Shane and Luan battling Nyjah at the highest level, we saw the new blood from the Pro Open skate at an elite level as well. All in all, everyone will be busting out their best tricks at this stop because it’s the final chance to qualify for the Super Crown World Championship. It should be one of our best events yet."

As the only competitive platform for professional skateboarding in Los Angeles, the SLS Nike SB World Tour will completely transform the USC’s Galen Center with a custom built, one-of-a-kind concrete skate plaza. Constructed by California Skateparks, Street League’s innovative courses are a skateboarder’s dream complete with creative transitions, challenging ramps, and unforgiving steel handrails. To win, the world’s most elite skateboarders not only have to conquer these challenging obstacles, but also continually one-up their competitors with trick difficulty, consistency and style. It is this unique format and the clarity of the ISX scoring system that continues to draw unprecedented appreciation of skateboarding from both the skate and broader communities alike.

REMAINING SLS EVENT DATES AND VENUES:

·      July 27:                SLS Nike SB World Tour: Stop 2 | Galen Center at USC | Los Angeles

·      August 24:          SLS Super Crown World Championship | Prudential Center | Newark

The SLS Nike SB World Tour airs on FOX Sports 1 and FOX Sports GO, in addition to the official live webcast on www.streetleague.com.

FOX SPORTS 1 TELECAST SCHEDULE:

·      SLS Los Angeles: LIVE: Sunday, July 27 (8:00 PM ET – 9:30 PM ET)

·      SLS Super Crown World Championship: LIVE: Sunday, Aug. 24 (9:00 PM ET – 10:30 PM ET)

The Finals of the SLS Nike SB World Tour in Los Angeles air live on FOX Sports 1 and FOX Sports GO on July 27 at 8:00 PM ET.

Live coverage of the pre-show, practice and prelims will be webcast on www.streetleague.com, www.foxsports.com, and the FOX Sports GO app on July 27.

Following its inaugural season with presenting partner Nike SB, Street League Skateboarding continues to elevate competitive skateboarding and grow its audience. A new partnership with FOX Sports 1 this season expands Street League Skateboarding’s live television coverage throughout the United States and abroad.

For more visit information visit www.streetleague.com. For all media inquiries contact VOCAL  or John Stouffer at FOX Sports: john.stouffer@FOX.com.

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About Street League Skateboarding

Street League Skateboarding (SLS) is the first-ever professional league for street skateboarding. The SLS season features 25 of the world’s most exciting skateboarders competing in an easy-to-follow, ISX™ instant scoring format on one-of-a-kind concrete skate plazas, all for the largest prize purse in skateboarding history. Each arena stop of the 2014 SLS season will air live on FOX Sports 1 and FOX Sports GO with a live international webcast on Streetleague.com.

For more information, visit www.streetleague.com and follow @streetleague 

About Nike SB

Nike SB is dedicated to serving skateboarders, delivering product innovation and creating new consumer experiences. Since 2001, Nike SB has supported a diverse team of inspirational pros and upcoming amateurs who continue to meet the demands of a constantly evolving sport. With influence in all corners of the world, Nike SB is uniquely suited to bring skateboarding to new audiences and grows the sport globally. Based at Nike headquarters in Beaverton, Oregon, Nike SB is obsessed with finding new ways to support the skateboarder by championing innovation and individuality.

For more information, visit www.nikeinc.com and follow @NikeSB. 

About FOX Sports

FOX Sports is the umbrella entity representing 21st Century FOX’s wide array of multi-platform US-based sports assets. Built with brands capable of reaching more than 100 million viewers in a single weekend, FOX Sports includes ownership and interests in linear television networks, digital and mobile programming, broadband platforms, multiple web sites, joint-venture businesses and several licensing partnerships. FOX Sports includes the sports television arm of the FOX Broadcasting Company; FOX Sports 1; FOX Sports 2; FOX’s 22 regional sports networks, their affiliated regional web sites and FSN national programming; FOX Soccer Plus and FOX Soccer 2Go; FOX Deportes and FOX College Sports. In addition, FOX Sports also encompasses FOX Sports Digital, which includes FOXSports.com on MSN, FOX Sports GO, Whatifsports.com and Yardbarker.com. Also included in the Group are FOX’s interests in joint-venture businesses Big Ten Network, BTN 2Go and STATS, LLC, as well as licensing agreements that establish the FOX Sports Radio Network.

Nyjah Huston Wins 2014 Street League Skateboarding: Chicago

• Nyjah Huston edges out a charging Luan Oliveira for his second consecutive Street League win—Nyjah is unbeaten in 2014

• Custom concrete skatepark inside UIC Pavilion hosts largest skateboard contest in Chicago history

• Huston takes home $100,000 prize and a Golden Ticket to the $200,000 SLS Nike SB Super Crown World Championship in August

History was made on Sunday as the 2014 SLS Nike SB World Tour visited Chicago for the very first time. Street League Skateboarding delivered on the fans requests as 25 of the world’s best pro skaters descended on the Midwest’s street skateboarding capitol to put on a jaw-dropping show. It all went down inside the UIC Pavilion, which was transformed, into a one-of-a-kind, custom skate plaza complete with huge sculpture-like concrete transitions and high-risk big gaps to ledges that forced even the most seasoned SLS pros out of their comfort zone.

The 2014 Street League Skateboarding series kicked off in May with the SLS Monster Energy Pro Open, a new qualification event at Nike SB’s private, state-of-the-art Sixth & Mill Skatepark in Downtown Los Angeles. Through that event, Matt Berger, Davis Torgerson, and Trevor Colden moved up to the elite ranks of the 2014 SLS Nike SB World Tour, with Felipe Gustavo and Alec Majerus being added to the SLS pro alternate list.  With SLS pros Sean Malto and Dylan Rieder not competing in Chicago, Gustavo and Majerus both made their debuts along side the veteran SLS Pros at the first arena stop of the 2014 season.

The contest began with the qualification Prelims, cutting the field to just eight skaters for the Final. Among 25 of the world’s best, highlights included:

·      The rookies making their presence felt. Matt Berger made his first official Final with creative moves like a Frontside Hurricane on the gap to hubba, as well as an Ollie to Wallride 180 out. For his part, Felipe Gustavo set-off the high-scoring 9 Club tricks early, with a flawless 360 Flip to Crooked Grind on the ledge.

·      Pressure was at an all-time high for Chicago native Chaz Ortiz, an internationally known skater who still maintains his roots in the Midwestern metropolis where he has a private skatepark and training facility. Despite his smooth lines and a monster Fakie Flip down the big two steps, his scores weren’t enough to carry him to the Final. Defending 2013 Street League Super Crown World Champion Chris Cole also suffered an off day, and was eliminated in the Prelims.

·      Brazilian Luan Oliveira shocked the crowd when he decided that instead of skating the flat ledge, he would up the ante by going right over the entire obstacle. He Kickflipped and Backside Kickflipped the ledge at high speed; the latter earned him a score of 9.5.

As the Final went live on FOX Sports 1, the eight skaters remaining included Luan Oliveira, Paul Rodriguez, Tommy Sandoval, Nyjah Huston, Torey Pudwill, Shane O'Neill, Matt Berger, and French fan favorite Bastien Salabanzi. Highlights of the Final included:

·      In the first of the three sections, the Flow Section, Nyjah Huston showed why he’s Street League’s top dog, putting on a consistency clinic and delivering fluid lines punctuated by tech moves like a Backside 180 Nosegrind to Revert on the ledge along the stairs. Luan Oliveira also showed he was ready for his first SLS win, speeding around the course with powerful pop. Paul Rodriguez went to his strong suit, showing off an array of technical tricks, including a huge Switch 360 Flip to finish his run.

·      As the skaters began going big in the Impact Section, Shane O’Neill set the crowd on fire with an unbelievable Switch 360 Double Flip down the big two steps, scoring a near-perfect 9.8 and surging to the top of the leaderboard. Nyjah coolly responded with a Caballerial Kickflip in the same place to keep himself in the race. Meanwhile, Bastien Salabanzi launched a wicked Half-Cab Double-Flip off the big two that earned him a 9.3, and eliminated SLS rookie Matt Berger from the contest.

·      In the final and decisive Control Section, the win was on the line and the skaters began turning up the heat. First to attack, Shane O’Neill dropped a dizzying Nollie Bigger Spin down the big two for a 9.1 and control of the leaderboard. Then, the crowd exploded as Luan Oliveira upped the ante on the skateboarding world with a high-speed Switch Backside Flip over the ledge he’d kickflipped earlier, for a well-deserved 9.5 once again. But in the end neither Luan nor Shane could put it all together as consistently as Nyjah. The skateboarding prodigy put up big scores all day, sealing his win with tricks like his massive Nollie Backside Heelflip across the wedge gap in the Control Section.

Congratulations to SLS Nike SB World Tour: Chicago champion Nyjah Huston. In addition to the trophy and $100,000 first place check, Nyjah holds a ‘golden ticket’ to the $200,000 Super Crown World Championships in August. With one more event before the SLS Nike SB Super Crown World Championship, is 2014 the year that Nyjah sweeps the season?

Highlights and complete coverage of the SLS Nike SB World Tour: Chicago can be viewed on www.streetleague.com, www.foxsports.com, and the FOX Sports GO.

2014 SLS UPCOMING EVENT DATES AND VENUES:

·      July 27: SLS Nike SB World Tour: Stop 2 | Galen Center at USC | Los Angeles

·      August 24: SLS Nike SB Super Crown World Championship | Prudential Center | Newark

The SLS Nike SB World Tour airs on FOX Sports 1 and FOX Sports GO, in addition to the official live webcast on www.streetleague.com. 

2014 FOX SPORTS 1 TELECASTS:        

·      SLS Los Angeles: LIVE: Sunday, July 27 (8:00 PM ET – 9:30 PM ET)

·      SLS Super Crown World Championship: LIVE: Sunday, Aug. 24 (9:00 PM ET – 10:30 PM ET)

For more visit information visit www.streetleague.com. For all media inquiries contact VOCAL.  

###

About Street League Skateboarding

Street League Skateboarding (SLS) is the first-ever professional league for street skateboarding. The SLS season features 25 of the world’s most exciting skateboarders competing in an easy-to-follow, ISX™ instant scoring format on one-of-a-kind concrete skate plazas, all for the largest prize purse in skateboarding history. Each arena stop of the 2014 SLS season will air live on FOX Sports 1 and FOX Sport Go with a live international webcast on Streetleague.com.

For more information, visit www.streetleague.com and follow @streetleague

About Nike SB

Nike SB is dedicated to serving skateboarders, delivering product innovation and creating new consumer experiences. Since 2001, Nike SB has supported a diverse team of inspirational pros and upcoming amateurs who continue to meet the demands of a constantly evolving sport. With influence in all corners of the world, Nike SB is uniquely suited to bring skateboarding to new audiences and grows the sport globally. Based at Nike headquarters in Beaverton, Oregon, Nike SB is obsessed with finding new ways to support the skateboarder by championing innovation and individuality.

For more information, visit www.nikeinc.com and follow @NikeSB. 

About FOX Sports

FOX Sports is the umbrella entity representing 21st Century FOX’s wide array of multi-platform US-based sports assets. Built with brands capable of reaching more than 100 million viewers in a single weekend, FOX Sports includes ownership and interests in linear television networks, digital and mobile programming, broadband platforms, multiple web sites, joint-venture businesses and several licensing partnerships. FOX Sports includes the sports television arm of the FOX Broadcasting Company; FOX Sports 1; FOX Sports 2; FOX’s 22 regional sports networks, their affiliated regional web sites and FSN national programming; FOX Soccer Plus and FOX Soccer 2Go; FOX Deportes and FOX College Sports. In addition, FOX Sports also encompasses FOX Sports Digital, which includes FOXSports.com on MSN, FOX Sports GO, Whatifsports.com and Yardbarker.com. Also included in the Group are FOX’s interests in joint-venture businesses Big Ten Network, BTN 2Go and STATS, LLC, as well as licensing agreements that establish the FOX Sports Radio Network.