If you were flipping through the channels Sunday afternoon searching for FOX NFL Sunday, you probably did a double take when you found professional skateboarding.
No, you were not seeing things. And yes, a professional skateboarding league – Street League Skateboarding (SLS) to be exact – is a real thing.
So real that the skaters compete for the largest prize purse in skating history – more than $1 million.
SLS is the brainchild of Rob Dyrdek, former professional skateboarder turned entrepreneur. In 2008, he approached fellow skateboarder, Brian Atlas, to write the SLS business plan while he was studying at USC’s business school.
“I wrote the business plan for Street League with Rob's ideas. We worked on what that vision could be and launched it together,” said Atlas, who serves as the president of COO of SLS.
“It took an extreme amount of dedication and hard work. We just kept driving through it and not giving up.”
From B-School to big business, SLS has captured the attention of notable professional sports investors and sponsors.
In 2014, Causeway Media Partners, which includes owners of the Boston Celtics and San Francisco 49ers, purchased a noncontrolling stake of SLS. Additionally, Sports Business Journal reported that the deal included a $5 million the maximum level of investment, and values the league at $10 million to $12 million.
When asked about SLS accomplishments over the last five years, Atlas pointed to the 2013 title sponsorship deal with Nike as a highlight: “Nike coming on board and helping to elevate the brand and educating us in how we can become a more premium sports property; I just learned personally so much from watching their creative process.”
With a social fanbase above 3.5 million, SLS is capturing the world-wide attention while further legitimizing professional skateboarding. The 2015 Nike SB Super Crown winners were Brazilians Leticia Bufoni and Kelvin Hoefler. Bufoni won the first-ever women's division and took home the $30,000 prize, plus an $11,000 custom Nixon watch. Hoefler was the first rookie to win the men's championship and earned the $200,000 prize. Ahead of the 2015 SLS World Championship, Atlas dropped in on what he envisions for SLS.
On SLS television and digital viewership
“Television will always be important, especially as people discover SLS. With our growth in FS1 and what they're doing and with the big FOX exposure and highlighting our content on traditional cable that's massive to the platform. However, our fans are really on their mobile phones; they are on their computers taking in content. Our digital viewership has just grown so much in the past couple years and has exceeded the domestic television audience. That is just really part and parcel to what's happening with media as a whole.
On the addition of a women's division
“For us it is just a natural progression of building what we're building for the sport. We stand for growing skateboarding and growing participation increasing the interest in skateboarding. Women's skateboarding is just underserved by the industry, underserved by events, underserved by the brand. And we believe that it is a natural thing where, men and women alike can have just as much fun skateboarding and be inspired by it the same exact way. It is just a matter of shining a spotlight on that.”
On the gap in prize money for men and women competitors
“It is a valid question. SLS is still a startup. We have business realities. We have to grow from an area that we can afford. Eventually, as we add more attention to this area and grow it and [gain] sponsorship support, fan support, [we] can hopefully help it grow organically. But we are just under business realities and we hope to devote more resources over time, but that is what we're up against.”
On the future of professional skateboarding
“Japan and the IOC just announced the five likely categories of sport being added to the Tokyo 2020 games and skateboarding was on that list. We've been working very closely with the International Skateboarding Federation and preparing the sport for such a giant leap, with such a big stage. On our side, what we've been creating is this whole qualifying system, so skaters have an aspirational path and learn what it takes to become a street professional. We will be connected to a pathway around getting to the Olympics.”
On competing against the major professional sports leagues
“We have a loyal, almost addicted audience. We do not look at those properties as direct competitors. We look at serving our fan as the number one goal and make sure skate fans and SLS fans are increasingly happy with what we do every year.”
For more on Street League Skateboarding click here. The women's division will be featured in a one-hour television special on October 18 at 4 p.m. ET on FS1.
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