Hip-Hop Legend Joined by Robinson Cano, Felix Hernandez, Dez Bryant and Jason Pierre-Paul in Episode 2 of FOX Sports 1 Series

 “Rapping is the Cousin to Athletics,” Says Snoop

 

Photos: http://www.foxflash.com/div.php/main/page?aID=2z2z2z39z15z6

Hip-hop legend Snoop Dogg takes his turn in Jordan’s barber chair in the latest episode of FOX Sports 1’s BACK OF THE SHOP. Snoop Dogg is joined by Seattle Mariners superstars Robinson Cano and Felix Hernandez, Dallas Cowboys receiver Dez Bryant and New York Giants defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul, and the five take on topics like rookie hazing, playing in All-Star Games, baseball’s unwritten rules, changes in the rap game and more. The episode premieres Tuesday, June 3 (8:30 PM ET) on FOX Sports 1.

In the episode, Cano mentions that he likes the format of MLB’s All-Star Game. “It’s good, because now everybody goes and plays hard. You’ve got something you can play for,” he says. “Now you want to go; now you want to win; now everybody has to play hard.”

In addition, Snoop talks about the business of rap, how it has changed, and why musicians and athletes get along so well. “I think the rap game is a business now,” he says. “I think it’s turned into a conglomerate to where now you’ve got young millionaires. You’ve got people who can take care of their families and do something the right way and constructive as opposed to when I came up where it was drugs and gang violence.”

BACK OF THE SHOP, a new reality series from FOX Sports Originals and Relativity Media, is an unfiltered look at conversations between some of today’s biggest names in sports and entertainment set in the back of Jordan Sport Barbershop, which sits a tape-measure home run away from Yankee Stadium. Among the stars taking their turn in Jordan’s chair are Red Sox slugger David Ortiz, recent MLB 500 home run club member Albert Pujols, NBA Hall of Famer Dominique Wilkins and many more yet to come.

QUOTES FROM BACK OF THE SHOP – EPISODE 2

On rookie hazing:

Jason Pierre-Paul: “Some things they made me do that I didn’t want to do, but you come and learn like, in order for you to get better you’ve just got to do it.”

Snoop Dogg: “You ain’t bigger than the system.”

Pierre-Paul: “Right.”

Dez Bryant: “The way I look at that is some guys do it just to be [expletive]. I paid $55,000 for a dinner, and it struck me the wrong way. I could’ve easily went off on every last one of them, but I didn’t. I kept myself together, and I wanted to change that. So you know what I did, went out there and did my thing. Now they’re allowing me to call the shots.”

Robinson Cano: “That’s the same thing in baseball. You’ve got a guy that says, you know what, you’re a rookie, bring me coffee, or you’re a rookie, you can’t sit here, stay over there. I don’t like that.

 

On playing in the Pro Bowl and All-Star Game:

Snoop Dogg: “Did you like the Pro Bowl this year, Dez?”

Dez Bryant: “It was cool. It was my first experience.”

Snoop Dogg: “So you don’t know what it’s like to play in the other one, when they were going like, half speed, nobody was hitting.”

Bryant: “No, when I played, they were trying to knock your head off.”

Snoop Dogg: “I saw somebody from the same team trying to bust his homie up.”

Bryant: “The Kansas City players, they were going at it.”

Snoop Dogg: “Your All-Star Game, is it for real?”

Robinson Cano: “Yes. Whoever wins, so [if the American League wins] let’s say, if we go to the World Series this year, we start at home. It’s good because now everybody goes and plays hard. You’ve got something you can play for. Before, guys would go to the All-Star Game and just, okay, that’s it, that’s good for me. Now you want to go; now you want to win; now everybody has to play hard.

Snoop Dogg: “I like that because you feel like the whole league is playing for the whole league now.”

On baseball’s unwritten rules:

Snoop Dogg: “You know what I don’t understand – in football and basketball, if we score a touchdown, we celebrate; if we slam dunk on somebody, we celebrate; when you hit a home run, if you all look at the pitcher, they feel like you all are going to start a fight.”

Robinson Cano: “They get mad.”

Snoop Dogg: “That ain’t cool to me.”

Cano: “I agree with you on that one.”

Snoop Dogg: “Can you all ever say something? Can you all, as the players, be like, that’s an old-ass rule from the 1950s and the ‘60s that don’t apply to us. We like to celebrate.”

Felix Hernandez: “I’m a pitcher, and I will tell you this – I don’t get mad. If they hit a homer, next at-bat, I try to strike him out, same thing.”

Snoop Dogg: “But as a pitcher, you’ve got to understand, if a [expletive] hits a home run off you, he should be entitled to celebrate and be like ah-ha. Because when you strike the [expletive] out, you go boom and do all that. Why can’t he do that?”

Hernandez: “Yeah, that’s why I don’t get pissed.”

Snoop Dogg: “But, you see, you’re the young generation. It’s probably the old guys. I’m going to fight for that rule for you. I’m going to talk to Bud Selig, because there should be celebration after a home run. You should be able to look at the pitcher, look at the crowd, fix your outfit and trot around the bases.”

 

On how the rap game has changed:

Snoop Dogg: “I think the rap game is a business now. I think it’s turned into a conglomerate to where now you’ve got young millionaires. You’ve got young people who can take care of their families and do something the right way and constructive as opposed to when I came up where it was drugs and gang violence. The rap game cleared that away, and that’s not cool no more. Rapping is cool, sports are cool. Rapping is the cousin to athletics because athletes want to be musicians and musicians want to be athletes.”

 

On locker room culture:

Snoop Dogg: “Is it hard getting everybody to get that dog mentality in the NFL locker room knowing that money’s involved, as opposed to when you were a kid, when you played, everybody just naturally wanted to win?”

Dez Bryant: “Everybody’s mind is different. Everybody’s got a different way of expressing themselves to the game. Like me, I love the game. I don’t even think about the money until it’s time. A lot of guys aren’t like that. All they care about is the check that will keep them moving.  Like I tell a lot of guys in that locker room, [expletive] the talent – confidence and effort, that’s all you really need. You’ve got to believe.”

Snoop Dogg: “I needed to hear that because I’ve got of kids that follow you or follow football, and they need to know that. So you believe in yourself and you put forth that effort…”

Robinson Cano: “I don’t want to say names, but I’ve played with guys that have been like, you know what, I don’t want to play today. They come in and I don’t feel good or I don’t want to come in. You need to have respect for your teammates. If you don’t want to play, just go home.”

Snoop Dogg: “In the rap world, you all give us some money, we want some more of it. And we try to go get more of it. And we try to do more to get more of it, because that’s our mentality. Our mentality is like that; we’re about that. That’s why we love sports so much, because we feel like you’ve got the same attitude and the same mentality that we’ve got. Just because you’ve got it doesn’t mean you’re content with it. You all want more.”

###

No. 1 News-Breaker and Authoritative NBA Voice to Contribute On Flagship FOX Sports 1 Programming

Los Angeles — FOX Sports announced the addition of the industry’s preeminent NBA insider, welcoming Adrian Wojnarowski to the FOX Sports 1 on-air lineup. The announcement was made today by Michael Hughes, Executive Producer, FOX Sports Live.

Wojnarowski (war-ja-NOW-skee) contributes immediately on Fox Sports 1’s flagship nightly highlight, news and opinion program FOX SPORTS LIVE, and also makes regular appearances on AMERICA’S PREGAME. He is slated to make his debut appearance on FOX SPORTS LIVE, Thursday, May 22 (show airs at 11:00 p.m. ET).

“We think it is awesome that Adrian is joining FOX Sports 1,” Hughes said. “He is one of the most credible and well-respected reporters covering the NBA, and we feel like adding someone with his contacts, experience and insight will be a definite plus for the audiences of our signature news shows.”

As the NBA columnist for Yahoo Sports since 2007, Wojnarowski has established himself as the landscape’s No. 1 NBA insider. His news breaks, insider information and award-winning columns will continue to appear on the Yahoo web platform.

Prior to his current tenure at Yahoo!, Wojnarowski spent 1997-2007 as a newspaper columnist for The Record in northern New Jersey. In 2006, his book, The Miracle of St. Anthony: A Season with Coach Bob Hurley and Basketball’s Most Improbable Dynasty, earned critical acclaim and landed on the New York Times’ best-seller list.

Wojnarowski is a 1991 graduate of St. Bonaventure University with a B.A. in mass communication, and a native of Bristol, Conn.

– FOX SPORTS –

B.R.C. 2014: BEST RANGER Puts Focus on Army Endurance Competition

GOLDEN BOY LIVE! Gets “Jim Ross Treatment” for Title Fight at Fort Bliss

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZG0-MbW1fUc&

Photos: http://tinyurl.com/mbn66p5

New York – Memorial Day is a solemn occasion, a time set aside to reflect and give thanks for those men and women in uniform who have made the ultimate sacrifice in service to our nation.  It is also day used to recognize and appreciate those serving in our military today, and it is the spirit of their bravery, dedication and sacrifice that FOX Sports 1 presents a pair of military-themed specials on Memorial Day evening, B.R.C. 2014: BEST RANGER and a GOLDEN BOY LIVE! title fight.

While many of us are aware of, but don’t truly understand, the training, both physical and mental, learned by our soldiers, FOX Sports 1 provides a peek into a world only seen by a few in a one-hour special titled B.R.C. 2014: BEST RANGER, airing Monday, May 26 (8:00 PM ET).  The one-hour jaw-dropping documentary helps cap off FOX Sports 1’s “10 Days of Thunder,” and serves as a prelude to Golden Boy Live! boxing, live from Fort Bliss in El Paso.

For the first time in history, FOX Sports 1 cameras deliver an all-access program chronicling the U.S. Military’s Best Ranger Competition, one of the most intense endurance events ever seen.  Shot over a three-day period and stretching into nearly 60 hours of competition, Soldiers are put through never-before-seen obstacles and extreme tests of mental and physical strength. Beginning with 50 teams made up of two men each, B.R.C. 2014: BEST RANGER, awards the greatest duo once all is said and done.

“This special shows exactly why the US Army Rangers lead the way. It’s a true testament to how tough and well trained they are,” said FOX Sports 1 Originals VP, Michael Bloom.  “Fifty teams, three days, one winner. I’ve never seen anything like it. It’s been a great honor to bring their story to FOX Sports 1.”

In one of many tests, the Rangers must complete the “stress shoot,” an environment very similar to what Soldiers face regularly in combat.  Immediately following a four-mile buddy run, Soldiers must drag a 150-pound dummy across multiple ranges designed to test shooting skills.  The “stress shoot” features the M9 Pistol and M4 Rifle.  Targets vary from two meters to 50 meters with Rangers given only five minutes to complete the course.

“Every year, when I watch these men go across the finish line, as an old Soldier, I know we’re in good hands,” said Army Retired, Lieutenant General David E. Grange.  “I feel good about my Army. It’s better than it ever was. If my son had to go to war today and his commander was a Ranger, I’d go to bed at night and rest easy.”

Immediately following B.R.C. 2014: BEST RANGER, FOXSports.com contributor and WWE Hall of Famer Jim Ross makes his FOX Sports 1 announcing debut in the network’s exclusive presentation of Golden Boy Live! boxing (9:00 PM ET).  As a longtime WWE play-by-play announcer and evidenced in his sensational ringside commentary, Ross is a WWE icon, having called the sports greatest matches and events.  Ross’ popularity within the WWE circuit and legendary calls in the ring were often edited on plays from other sports, which became known as “getting the Jim Ross Treatment.”  Ross works alongside color commentator Dave Bontempo and reporter Jessica Rosales to call the action from Fort Bliss.

Headlining this night of fights is Nicaragua’s Rene “Gemelo” Alvarado who defends his WBC Silver Featherweight Title against perennial contender and Texas native, Rocky Juarez.  This much anticipated title fight is expected to be thrilling, however, the Memorial Day bouts on FOX Sports 1 are highlighted by PFC Alex Love, who is part of the U.S. Army World Class Athlete Program (WCAP), as she takes on Sulem Urbina in a four round flyweight match.  The Army’s World Class Athlete Program (WCAP) trains and promotes nationally and internationally ranked Soldiers vying for a chance to represent the United States at the Olympics and Paralympic Games.  Love was the 2012 U.S. Nationals boxing champion in the light flyweight division. This night of fights airs on both FOX Sports 1 and FOX Deportes.

— FOX SPORTS 1 —

“The Pecos League” Follows the Struggles and Triumphs of Baseball Players Chasing a Dream

Latest Entry from FOX Sports Originals Debuts Tuesday, May 13 at 9:30 PM ET on FOX Sports 1

:30 Promo: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G8ZoVBByy6A

Extended Promo 1:http://youtu.be/x8GbsPRsvdk

Extended Promo 2:http://youtu.be/MGmTFxSTC6E

 

The Pecos League: Last Chance for Some, Only Chance for Others

Every kid in America dreams of playing in the Major Leagues, but few ever dreamed of playing in The Pecos League.

The Pecos League is made up of eight gritty and proud independent professional baseball teams stretching across New Mexico, Colorado, and West Texas.

Far removed from the glamorous life of Major League Baseball, Pecos League players are given a jersey, a hat, and $50 a week to help them keep their dreams alive of playing professional baseball.

These athletes play for the love of the game and because they know it could be their only chance to be noticed by a scout.

“The Pecos League” Debuts on FOX Sports 1 on May 13 at 9:30 PM ET

FOX Sports Originals gives viewers a front row seat to the wild, tough, and rewarding life in the lowest level of professional baseball with “The Pecos League.”  Theseries will air for six consecutive Tuesdays starting May 13 at 9:30 PM ET on FOX Sports 1.

Cameras follow second-year franchise the Trinidad Triggers as the team plays 70 games in 72 days in its quest for a Pecos League championship.

In addition to getting to know the players, viewers meet their Harvard-educated manager and a collection of colorful and loyal locals who provide an interesting peek at life in tiny towns across the rugged and burnt baseball landscape of the Southwest.

What the Producers are Saying

“Anyone who has ever chased a dream can relate to “The Pecos League” and the sacrifices these players are making.  In one of the most unlikely towns in the country, these ball players refuse to give up on their goal of someday playing in the Majors. It’s all here – the best parts of sports: friendship, fun, achievement, and pure love of the game.” – Michael Bloom, Senior Vice President, Original Programming, FOX Sports

““The Pecos League” is like “Field of Dreams” meets “Jackass”, but 100% original.  Viewers get an unfiltered look at life on the fringes of professional baseball, as these Major League hopefuls play for their last chance at glory.” – Rasha Drachkovitch, President of 44 Blue Productions

“The Pecos League” is co-produced by 44 Blue Productions, producers of the hit reality series “Wahlburgers,” and FOX Sports Originals, with executive producers Rasha Drachkovitch and Andrew Fried, co-executive producer John Henion, and supervising producer Michael Schenker.

What the Players and Manager are Saying

“It’s such a hard sport to climb the ladder in.  There’s so many guys that get unnoticed.  It’s so easy to fall through the cracks.  But how are you going to know if you don’t go after it?  There’s always a chance.  It’s a small chance, so I plan on going until the wheels absolutely fall off.” – Trinidad Triggers outfielder Sam DiMatteo

“This is kind of the last shot for everyone who wants to play pro ball. Even though we make $50 a week, we don’t do it for that.  We do it because this game is amazing and we love each other.” – Trinidad Triggers pitcher Tony Smith

“It can be very grueling.  We’re going to play 70 games in 72 days.  I see what sacrifices players make and you’d be surprised how much, even at this level, they want to win.” – Trinidad Triggers manager JD Droddy

“If the MLB is the Big Show, the Pecos League is the Sh*t Show.  You can put up great stats and still wind up getting traded for a bucket of balls.” – Trinidad Triggers pitcher John Sullivan

“The Pecos League” Schedule on FOX Sports 1

 

Date                                        Time              

Tuesday, May 13                    9:30 PM ET

Tuesday, May 20                    9:30 PM ET

Tuesday, May 27                    9:30 PM ET

Tuesday, June 3                     9:30 PM ET

Tuesday, June 10                   9:30 PM ET

Tuesday, June 17                   9:30 PM ET

 

 

About FOX Sports Originals

FOX Sports Originals gives viewers an all-access look at life off the field and uncovers some of the most fascinating stories in sports.  FOX Sports Originals’ Emmy Award-nominated BEING: documentary series sets the tone for FOX Sports 1 original programming with a number of high-profile, unprecedented, all-access projects, including BEING: MARIANO RIVERA, BEING: MIKE TYSON, BEING: LIVERPOOL and BEING: THE FINEST.

 

About 44 Blue Productions

44 Blue Productions is an award-winning producer of non-fiction, reality, lifestyle and action-adventure programming, whose series have aired on more than a dozen domestic television networks and in more than 120 countries worldwide. Founded by Rasha and Stephanie Drachkovitch, 44 Blue’s impressive slate of groundbreaking series includes A&E’s hit Wahlburgers; the upcoming Pecos League on FOX Sports; MSNBC’S critically acclaimed Lockup and its spinoff series Lockup: Raw, Lockup: World Tour and Life After Lockup; Animal Planet’s Pit Bulls & Parolees; Style’s Emmy-nominated Split Ends, Spike’s Deadliest Warrior and OWN’s Gracie Award-winning Married to the Army: Alaska. 44 Blue’s current slate includes projects with high-profile talent including Mark Wahlberg, Donnie Wahlberg, Dick Wolf, Rob Lowe, Duane “The Rock” Johnson, Whoopi Goldberg and others.

— FOX SPORTS –

New Series Prepares Fans for The Night’s Top Sports Events

Premieres Monday, April 7; Mike Hill Hosts

New York – Sports fans!  You have questions?  AMERICA’S PREGAME has answers!

Hosted by Mike Hill, AMERICA’S PREGAME is a new hour-long program on FOX Sports 1 originating from the Fox Network Center in Los Angeles that every weeknight answers the questions sports fans have about the most compelling stories, games and events from across the country.  The announcement of the show’s addition to the FOX Sports 1 schedule was made today by Scott Ackerson, FOX Sports 1’s Executive Vice President, News.  AMERICA’S PREGAME airs Monday to Friday from 6:00-7:00 PM ET and premieres on Monday, April 7.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bD_p_7X2PuM

“AMERICA’S PREGAME puts fans first more so than any show of its kind,” said Ackerson.  “We’ll discuss in detail the night’s most compelling games, whether it’s a traditional rivalry or a battle for first place, using our roster of broadcasters and reporters throughout the country for live interviews, regardless of which network is carrying it.  Fans just want to know what’s hot that night and where to watch it.  Fans have questions; AMERICA’S PREGAME has answers.”

Designed to be a fun and fast-paced look ahead, AMERICA’S PREGAME answers for fans: Who is playing?  What’s at stake? Where can I watch it?  When is it on?  Why should I watch it? In short, it sets up the evening’s viewing with a dash of news and analysis when needed.

Using the power of FOX Sports’ recently expanded national assets and those of FOX Sports Regional Networks’ industry-leading 22 owned-and-operated channels, AMERICA’S PREGAME takes viewers wherever stories are brewing or big games are happening.  Always fan-first, AMERICA’S PREGAME highlights the action from game sites across the nation, and viewers learn what’s important and why they should watch, no matter what network is televising it.

A versatile sportscaster, Air Force veteran Mike Hill (@itsmikehill) joined FOX Sports in August, just prior to the launch of FOX Sports 1, and has taken on multiple roles before taking on this assignment.  He’s served as an anchor on FOX SPORTS LIVE, FOX Sports 1’s flagship news, opinion and highlights program, and hosted FOX FOOTBALL DAILY.

— FOX SPORTS –

Iconic New York Sports Talk Radio Host Brings

Unique Insights to National Television

New York – Mike Francesa, a true icon of sports talk radio in America, is coming to FOX Sports.

FOX Sports and CBS RADIO’s WFAN-AM/FM, the most listened to sports radio station in the nation, have reached a multi-year, multi-media agreement that brings Francesa’s wildly successful radio show to the nation’s newest sports networks, FOX Sports 1 and FOX Sports 2, live from coast-to-coast.  The announcement was made today by David Nathanson, General Manager & Chief Operating Officer, FOX Sports 1 and FOX Sports 2.

THE MIKE FRANCESA SHOW begins weekday telecasts Monday, March 24 on FOX Sports 1 (1:00-4:00 PM ET) and FOX Sports 2 (4:00-6:00 PM ET), continuing to originate from WFAN’s lower Manhattan studios and broadcast locally at 66AM and 101.9FM.  The show is also streamed live via FOX Sports GO through participating video providers.

“We are thrilled to add Mike Francesa to our FOX Sports family of channels,” said Nathanson. “Mike is without question one of the most popular sports personalities in New York and has maintained a significant national reputation through his syndicated NFL show and his WFAN program, which was previously simulcast on YES.  He’s knowledgeable and opinionated with an ability to attract top-name guests who appeal to sports fans everywhere.  This is a fantastic addition to FOX Sports 1 and FOX Sports 2.”

“I’m thrilled to be teaming with FOX Sports – a brand that continues to expand across the entire sports landscape,” said Francesa.  “The combination of WFAN with FOX Sports 1 and FOX Sports 2 will prove to be a powerful partnership.”

Added Don Bouloukos, Senior Vice President and Market Manager, CBS RADIO New York: “Mike is the gold standard of sports radio hosts with a loyal following second to none. This move gives him a platform to grow his audience and provides WFAN with another venue to reach passionate sports fans nationwide.”

Francesa has for more than 25 years been the on-air cornerstone of WFAN, the nation’s first all-sports talk radio station launched in July 1987.  Since 2008, Francesa has hosted his own afternoon show, Mike’s On, on WFAN.  From 1989 to 2008, he had a critically acclaimed on-air partnership with Chris “Mad Dog” Russo, who together co-hosted the Mike and the Mad Dog Show.  In 2000 the Francesa/Russo duo became the first sports-talk hosts ever to win the Marconi Award for Major Market Personality of the Year, an award Francesa received as an individual in 2012, placing him on a very select list of multiple Marconi winners, and the first sports radio host to ever earn radio’s biggest honor more than once.  Both Talkers Magazine and Radio Ink recognized Francesa as the No. 1 sports talk host in the country, and Talkers ranked him the 35th most important radio talk show host of all time.

The St. John’s University graduate resides on Long Island with his wife, Roe, and their three children, Jack, Emily and Harrison.

— FOX SPORTS/CBS RADIO —

Ricky Carmichael-Designed Course Among Biggest Tests Riders Face All Season

Charlotte, N.C. — Supercross riders roll into Daytona International Speedway this weekend for a turn on Ricky Carmichael’s 5,000-ton dirt and sand monster of a playground, and according to FOX Sports 1 host Ralph Sheheen: “Some guys are chomping at the bit … and some guys are waking every morning in a cold sweat.”

Live coverage of Daytona Supercross by Honda begins Saturday, March 8 (7:30PM ET) on FOX Sports 1, with Sheheen joined in the booth by Hall-of-Fame rider Jeff Emig and five-time Daytona Supercross winner Carmichael, the designer of the 40-jump Daytona circuit. Jenny Taft reports from the pits.

“This is the most unique track we race on all year,” Sheheen said. “RC does a very good job with his design and he adds a few new tweaks and twists every year, so I’m excited to see what he has come up with for this weekend.

“They talk about racers who get up for certain races, or for certain tracks or for certain conditions,” Sheheen added. “Daytona is one of those tracks that will be playing mind games with riders all week.”

FOX Sports uses 16 cameras to bring fans Supercross action from Daytona, including the XMO Super Slo-Mo and an RF camera traveling along the famed superspeedway’s frontstretch apron at speeds up to 50 mph aboard a Polaris Quad.

Heading into the series’ 10^th race of the season, three-time defending champ Ryan Villopoto sits atop the points standings, but this ultra-competitive season already has seen five different winners in the first nine races, with four former champions (Villopoto, Chad Reed, James Stewart and Ryan Dungey) and a rookie (Ken Roczen) all taking turns atop the podium.

Villopoto, already with three career wins at Daytona, is comfortable on the course that requires nearly 500 man-hours and 270 truckloads of dirt to construct, but the FOX Sports 1 crew also has an eye on Stewart and his on-again, off-again season.

“James has been exceptionally fast all year,” Emig said. “It’s mind boggling how he can be so good and so fast all day, and not have it translate into more wins this season.”

Said Sheheen: “(Stewart) is one of the riders chomping at the bit … he is looking at Daytona as a race he should win.”

Saturday’s race is the first as part of a recently announced five-year deal with Daytona International Speedway. For more information on Carmichael’s Daytona track design, please visit http://www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com/Articles/2014/02/Construction-Underway-on-Ricky-Carmichael-Signature-Design-Course.aspx.

To follow Supercross on FOX Sports all season long, follow @RalphSheheen @Emig47 @RickyCarmichael @JennyTaft @JeremyMcGrath @Kdub_14 and #SXonFOX.

FOX Sports 1 inks three-year deal to broadcast world’s premier skateboard contest series

LOS ANGELES – FOX Sports 1 and Street League Skateboarding (SLS) are proud to announce a new multi-year partnership that includes live broadcasts of the world’s premier skateboarding contest series on FOX Sports 1 and global distribution through the FOX family of networks. Street League, founded by 20-year professional skateboarder, entrepreneur and TV personality Rob Dyrdek in 2010, features only the sport’s elite and biggest stars as they compete in an easy-to-follow contest format for street skateboarding. The 2014 SLS World Tour includes nationwide stops with dates and locations to be announced soon.

“I’m thrilled to bring Street League to FOX Sports,” says SLS Founder Rob Dyrdek. “Not only am I a fan of what they are doing with other key properties on the FOX Sports 1 network, but to have a media partner that truly believes in skateboarding as a stand-alone sport poised for long-term growth means the world to our business and the ability to grow the Street League audience globally.”

“Rob is a force of nature,” says Michael Bloom, SVP, Original Programming at FOX Sports. “His dedication to growing the sport is clearly evident in Street League. He delivers exciting contests, events and television that captivate both core skateboarders and casual viewers from beginning to end. Thanks to the innovative, easy-to-follow format and instant scoring, these contests and this programming delivers great athletic performances and thrilling finishes that have become instant classics — whether you skateboard or not. We’re excited to be partners with Rob and Street League Skateboarding and have them featured on Fox Sports 1.”

“I’m psyched on this new partnership with FOX Sports 1,” says Chris Cole, 2013 SLS Champion. “Not only is it an awesome opportunity for Street League and all the pros, but it brings the best skateboard series to a new network with a huge platform. FOX Sports believes in the long-term growth for the sport and that is our biggest goal. It’s a win for everyone involved.”

The 2014 SLS Pro Tour features the 22 most prolific street skaters in the world including 2013 Champion Chris Cole, 2010 and 2012 Champion Nyjah Huston, 2011 Champion Sean Malto, as

well as other notable superstars like Ryan Sheckler and Paul Rodriguez. These pros battle it out for the most respected title in skateboarding and the largest prize purse in the sport, in world-renowned arenas transformed into custom concrete skate plazas. Each course is a unique masterpiece designed to challenge the world’s top skateboarders and showcase the continuous progression of the sport.

The winners of the first two events receive a guaranteed “Golden Ticket” spot in the Super Crown World Championship. Taking place in August 2014, the Super Crown is by far the most elite skate competition in the world: only eight pros qualify for the final event of the series, and only one can claim the title of 2014 Super Crown World Champion. The title includes a Game-7-style, winner-takes-all format for the biggest prize in skateboarding history: $200,000 and a custom gold-and-diamond championship watch and ring set. Broadcasting exclusively on FOX Sports 1 and FOX Sports GO, each event’s Final features eight finalists in 90-minutes of live programming, with international webcasts of the event streaming live on Streetleague.com

About Street League Skateboarding

Street League Skateboarding (SLS) is the first-ever professional league for street skateboarding. The SLS season features 22 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 stop of the 2014 SLS season will air live on FOX Sports 1 with a live international webcast on Streetleague.com. For more information, visit www.streetleague.com and follow @streetleague.