Founded by pro skateboarder Rob Dyrdek in 2010, Street League Skateboarding (SLS) was created to foster growth, popularity, and acceptance of street skateboarding worldwide. Since then, SLS has evolved to become a platform that serves to excite the skateboarding community, educate both the avid and casual fans, and empower communities through its very own SLS Foundation.
In 2015, SLS announced a long-term partnership with Skatepark of Tampa (SPoT) to create a premium global qualification system that spans from amateur events to the SLS Nike SB Super Crown World Championship. The SPoT partnership officially transitions Tampa Pro into becoming the SLS North American Qualifier that gives one non-SLS Pro the opportunity to become part of the current SLS roster and compete in the World Tour. Tampa Pro serves as a way for current SLS Pros to gain extra championship qualification points to qualify to the World Championship.
Also in 2015, the SLS Pro Open in Barcelona, Spain debuted as the first-ever global, independent program on the SLS calendar. The Pro Open is the second SLS qualification event and the two highest placing non-SLS Pros will earn full status as SLS Pros. Like Tampa Pro, current SLS Pros earn points to qualify to the World Championship.
In 2016, SLS introduced a new gateway program with SLS Picks. SLS Picks were added for Pros that may not skate contests but deliver incredible video parts and raw street skateboarding. SLS Picks have multiple ways to become a SLS Pro – win Tampa Pro, an SLS event or stack up enough points in the season to solidify a spot in SLS. The first year of SLS Picks was a success and three of the four 2016 SLS Picks, Chris Joslin, Miles Silvas, and Kyle Walker, acquired enough season points to earn full SLS Pro status for 2017. The SLS Picks program in 2018 is stronger then ever with an epic cast featuring Jamie Foy, Zion Wright, Mark Suciu, Taylor Kirby, Milton Martienz, and Elijah Berle.
As the premier competitive series in skateboarding, the SLS World Tour elevates street skateboarding and showcases an international roster of skating’s elite pros as they compete in an easy to-follow, instant scoring format.
At each indoor SLS event, arenas are transformed into custom concrete skate plazas, challenging the pros to be innovative and take the progression of skateboarding to new highs as they compete for the largest purse in skateboarding.
SLS offers a range of options for fans around the world to tune in and watch skateboarding’s most prestigious competition series, the SLS World Tour. SLS will be available live via ETN, the only digital OTT network with authenticity at its core, featuring original skateboarding shows and live events. Fans worldwide can access the live stream through the ETN app for iOS & Android, as well as on desktops through ETNlive.com. Within North America, ESPN2 runs complete finals coverage of each event, including a dedicated show featuring the Women’s Division of the World Championship. For those that missed the action, a highlight special will be aired as part of the World of X Games on ABC the weekend following each event.
