08/01/2012

Street League's top eight pros to battle for 2012 Championship title

Newark, NJ (August 1, 2012) - The Street League Skateboarding DC Pro Tour Fueled by Monster Energy (SLS) will cap off an amazing 2012 season with its winner-takes-all Championship. The historical event features the top eight Street League pros battling for $200,000 - the largest first place prize purse in skateboarding history, an all new 2012 Chevy Sonic, plus the highly coveted Nixon Championship watch and ring set. The Street League pros qualified into the Championship are as follows:
* Nyjah Huston
* Paul Rodriguez
* Sean Malto
* Chris Cole
* Chaz Ortiz
* Luan Oliveira
* Bastien Salabanzi
* Ryan Sheckler
2011 Street League Champion Sean Malto is back to defend his title against an all-star lineup including Paul Rodriguez, Nyjah Huston, Ryan Sheckler, Chaz Ortiz and Chris Cole. The eighteen-year-old Ortiz and the thirty-year-old Cole have multiple second place finishes between them, but each has yet to win a Street League contest. With an impressive second place finish earlier this season, European Selection winner Bastien Salabanzi is the lone Street League rookie to earn a spot in the final eight. Ryan Sheckler and Paul Rodriguez are veteran contest skaters and fan favorites, both coming off of incredible recent performances including P-Rod's first league win at Stop Three in Arizona last month. Come August 26th, it could be anyone's day to take the most elite title in professional street skateboarding.

Last year's final event left fans on the edge of their seats as Nyjah Huston was ultimately denied a season sweep by Sean Malto who put a stop to Huston's historical win streak. The seventeen-year-old Huston has yet to win a Street League championship since the league added the winner-take-all finale as the Championship instead of a season-long point system that was in place in its inaugural year.

''We've had an amazing year so far and there is no better way to end it than our winner-take-all Championship'' says Street League creator Rob Dyrdek. ''We know each one of these 8 pros has what it takes to win. On August 26th we'll see who can rise to the occasion when the stakes are highest to become Street League Champion. The stage is set for our best Street League ever.''

''Most of the guys that are usually in the top spots - Chris Cole, Malto, P Rod - will make it an incredible Championship,'' said winner of this season's first two stops Nyjah Huston. ''P Rod has been killing it lately. Got to look out for him. All those guys...This is pretty much the top of all the dudes in skateboarding and Street League, so it's going to be interesting.''

The 2012 season has been one for the history books, with record-breaking crowds for skateboarding, and undeniable excitement with each event ending with the top three skaters within one or two points of each other in the final attempt. Nyjah Huston and Paul Rodriguez are the only skaters to win Street League events this season, but the victories have not come easily. Bastien Salabanzi was a single trick away from winning in Kansas City, as was Chaz Ortiz in Ontario, and Chris Cole in Arizona who suffered the same fate after missing their final attempts.

Street League's $1.6 million purse is the largest in skateboarding history and almost double the combined winnings for all other skate contests. The SLS tour culminates in a winner-takes-all Championship in Newark, NJ at the Prudential Center on August 26. The SLS Championship will feature the Golden Ticket winners of the first three stops of the 2012 tour along with the remaining top six qualifiers who will compete for $200,000 as well as the title of Street League Champion. The Championship will air LIVE on ESPN2 on August 26 at 5pm ET. Check www.streetleague.com for the complete pre-show and Chevrolet Overdrive webcast schedule.

Street League Skateboarding is presented by DC Shoes and Monster Energy, with additional sponsorship by Chevrolet, Air Force Reserve, Superheat, X-Out, mophie, Zumiez, Nixon, Bill My Parents and California Skateparks.

Street League Skateboarding(tm)

Street League Skateboarding (SLS) is the premier professional skateboarding contest series worldwide. Founded by 20-year professional skateboarder and entrepreneur, Rob Dyrdek, Street League features 24 of the world's top street skateboarders competing exclusively for a groundbreaking $1.6 million prize purse in a nationwide tour. The series will be available live on ESPN2, ESPN3, Street League's official website, and distributed to over 198 countries via the ESPN family of channels. Driven by the need to enhance the experience of live professional street skateboarding, Street League utilizes the ISX(tm) instant-scoring format that makes every single trick count. More information is available at www.streetleague.com.

About Prudential Center

Prudential Center is home to the three-time Stanley Cup Champion and 2011-2012 Eastern Conference Champion New Jersey Devils, Seton Hall NCAA Division 1 Men's Basketball, the WNBA's New York Liberty, over 200 events a year including major concerts, the 2011 & 2012 NBA Draft and the 2013 NHL Draft. Opened in October 2007, the arena now welcomes over 2 million guests through its doors annually, ranking tenth overall in 2011, according to leading industry publication Venues Today. The Rock provides the ultimate live sports and entertainment experience for fans, featuring unique dining options and superior customer service in seven premium lounges. The Acela Club showcases a custom-made mahogany wine cabinet and unique seating overlooking the ice and court. Ice Lounge is furnished with an ice bar and features center bowl views. The exciting sports bar atmosphere is the centerpiece of Bud Light Goal Bar, also with center bowl views.

What's more, the fan experience begins outside Prudential Center in Championship Plaza, a brick paved fan message-driven courtyard that features a 22-foot tall, three-ton metal "Ironman" hockey player statue and live entertainment with block party atmosphere during FanFest celebrations before events. AmeriHealth Pavilion, is Prudential Center Center's second ice rink and is the official practice facility of the New Jersey Devils and home to Brick City Boxing, youth, high school and adult hockey programming and Hockey In Newark.

The Rock is located in downtown Newark just two blocks from Newark Penn Station, accessible via New Jersey Transit, PATH, Light Rail Service and Amtrak, while at the heart of cross-roads for five major highway access routes and 12 miles from midtown Manhattan. Prudential Center's charitable arm, DevilsCare, in partnership with the New Jersey Devils, was awarded the 2011 EPA's Environmental Quality Award for its Rock and Wrap It Up! Program.

Follow us on Twitter at @PruCenter or Like Prudential Center on Facebook!