Street League Skateboarding and
Skatepark of Tampa Create a Multi-Level Qualifying System; Events To Be
Webcasted on Streetleague.com
LOS ANGELES, CA (February 17, 2015) — Street League Skateboarding (SLS) has announced a long-term partnership with Skatepark of Tampa (SPoT), supporting Tampa Pro and Tampa Am competitions – historically skateboarding’s most respected and long-lasting international annual contests in professional and amateur skateboarding.
As a result of the partnership, SLS will be the exclusive platform for live streaming of Tampa Pro, Tampa Am, and will also be collaborating with SPoT in introducing an evolved version of the Damn Am Series as an elite qualifier of amateur skateboarding contests starting this year. These contests will be integral pieces to a newly formed global qualification system leading into the SLS Nike SB World Tour and the SLS Nike SB Super Crown World Championship. With SLS and SPoT connecting these events, a true impactful feeder system is being integrated into both amateur and elite professional competitive skateboarding for the first-time ever.
Skatepark of Tampa (SPoT) has consistently been an unrivaled destination for skateboarding since its opening in 1993, as both a breeding ground of innovative and up-and-coming talent and the host of the two most defining skateboard contests for both amateur and professional skateboarders embraced by the broader skateboarding community.
Many of today’s skateboarding greats have claimed the podium at SPoT events, including a list of SLS Pros such as Paul Rodriguez, Luan Oliveira, Torey Pudwill, Trevor Colden, Bastien Salabanzi, and the reigning SLS Nike SB Super Crown World Champion, Nyjah Huston. With today’s announcement, the SPoT legacy will be stronger than ever with their reach now extended to a larger global audience through a true partnership with SLS, who will be hosting the Tampa Pro international webcast on StreetLeague.com.
As a result of the SLS / SPoT partnership, the opportunity now exists for the two highest finishing non-SLS Pros of the Tampa Pro contest to join the League to compete in the 2015 SLS Nike SB World Tour. This new structure officially transitions Tampa Pro into becoming the 2015 SLS North American Qualifier, in addition to the second annual SLS Pro Open allowing for the introduction of even more new talent into the elite SLS athlete roster.
The original run format of Tampa Pro will be preserved, but the stakes have grown, as skaters of all backgrounds will compete for a total prize purse of $75,000 as well the opportunity to receive a coveted “Golden Ticket” to automatically progress to the 2015 SLS Nike SB Super Crown World Championships for the overall winner. In addition, Tampa Pro will serve as a way for the current roster of SLS Pros to gain extra championship qualification points to qualify into the same event.
Similarly to Tampa Pro, Tampa Am and the newly renovated Damn Am Series will also now become feeders into the SLS system, giving the best Am skateboarders an opportunity to catapult their careers. For the first time in Street League history, Tampa Am will serve as the first opportunity for an amateur skateboarder to move on to the SLS Pro Open to compete against a pool of hopeful Pro skateboarders vying for a spot in the SLS Nike SB World Tour. The amateur that is awarded the title ‘Damn Am of the Year’ at the end of the Series will also earn a place in the SLS Pro Open the following year.
“SLS and SPoT are elite in their own way, so the alignment will allow both of us to excel, but with the help of each others strengths,” says founder and owner of SPoT, Brian Schaefer. “Specifically it will allow us to elevate our existing events, just as they are, to another platform and larger audience. It’s not only going to be great for our events, but for the entire skateboarding world.”
“There are no other events in skateboarding with as much history and legacy as Skatepark of Tampa events,” says Brian Atlas, President of SLS. “Not only are these prized events going to be hosted on Streetleague.com, but Tampa Pro will also be the perfect event to determine the next two pros that qualify into SLS for 2015 and which skateboarders qualify into the SLS Pro Open via Tampa Am,” Atlas continued. “More than ever, young skateboarders need a defined group of events that are both connected and elevated due to how fragmented and undefined this category of skateboarding is, and this partnership achieves that.”
“It’s sick that any kid now has a chance to come up through Tampa Am and possibly make his way into Street League,” says Nike SB athlete and newest SLS Pro, Trevor Colden. “With there being a ‘light at the end of the tunnel’, it will push kids to try harder and we’ll be able to see some amazing skateboarding.”
“I’ve been skating in Skatepark of Tampa owned contests since I was young and I can say first hand that I understand how winning Tampa Am in 2005 helped move my professional career forward,” says the 2014 SLS Super Crown World Champion, Nyjah Huston. “And Tampa Pro has always been one of those historic contests I wanted to win and was able to pull thru in 2014. Having new ways to qualify into SLS changes the game in a good way for skateboarding and creates a way for kids to truly aim high.”
This year’s Tampa Pro is set to initiate the 2015 SLS Nike SB World Tour on March 20-22 with the live international webcast exclusively on www.streetleague.com. The full 2015 SLS Nike SB World Tour dates, locations, and telecast schedule on FOX Sports 1 will be announced live on the March 22nd during the Tampa Pro webcast.
For more visit information visit www.streetleague.com. For all media inquiries contact Sarah Bronilla at VOCAL: sarah@VOCALnyc.com
Street League Skateboarding (SLS) is the first-ever professional league for street skateboarding. SLS features 25 of the world’s most exciting skateboarders competing in an easy-to-follow, ISXTM 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 2015 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 Skatepark of Tampa
Founded in 1993, Skatepark of Tampa (SPoT) is the longest running, private indoor skatepark in the world. SPoT is also a leading online retailer and full service production company specializing in the management of core skateboard events. Famous for hosting the annual Tampa Pro and Tampa Am, SPoT has taken that success around the globe via the Damn Am, the premier amateur contest series in the world.
Visit SPoTTampa.com for more information and follow @SPoTTampa –’93 ‘Til Infinity
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 professional skaters 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 nike.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 Sports Regional Networks, their affiliated regional web sites and national programming; FOX Soccer Plus; FOX Deportes and FOX College Sports. In addition, FOX Sports also encompasses FOX Sports Digital, which includes FOXSports.com, FOX Sports GO, Whatifsports.com and Yardbarker.com. Also included in the Group are FOX’s interests in joint-venture businesses Big Ten Network and BTN 2Go, as well as a licensing agreement that establish the FOX Sports Radio Network.
Source Street League Skateboarding by press release ( © Text and picture )
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