Alright everything is going pretty good this year. I won my third straight Money Cup, and Joe Maloof has just handed me my third $100,000 1st place check. Now off to Street League.
That may have been so, as far competitive skateboarding goes, until Tuesday August 13 arrived. That was the day Maloof announced he is offering up a $1 million bonus to the first skateboarder who can win four straight Maloof Money Cups.
Now that had to have thrown a wrench into Cole's year, which had been simply rolling up until that point. There's no way around it. That was a strategically played chess move by Maloof to win back Cole, who had signed an excusive deal with skateboarding legend, Rob Dyrdek, and his new contest venture, Street League Skateboarding, a contract that would prevent Cole from competing in the next Maloof Money Cup.
"I don't know how everyone will react to it, but I believe it's one of the biggest opportunities in skateboarding history," said Maloof. If he decides to skate, OK, no problem, someone will start a new streak. Basically, somebody's going to win it."
On August 8, Cole won his third straight Maloof Money Cup, and it has to be four in a row to get the $1 million. In the new Maloof Money Cup Platinum Circuit that debuts next year there will be 5 stops, including one in South Africa. In other words, someone will have to win four of five if Cole chooses not to compete in the next offering. Plus, the field behind him in the last three Money Cups hasn't been the steadiest of groups, with Nyjah Huston being the only multiple top three finisher.
"It's crazy. I'm just so curious--is that a singular ploy to get Chris Cole?" Dydrek said in an official release.
Dydrek is the star of the MTV reality television show, Rob Dyrdek's Fantasy Factory, set at his warehouse in LA, which can be summed up as a man-boy heaven full of dirt bikes, race cars, foam pits, a zip line, you name it. He's also a savvy businessman who owns Dydrek Enterprises, which dabbles in all sorts of business opportunities. On this venture though, he seems to have riled a few industry tycoons when he started signing exclusive contracts with skateboarders, ones that wouldn't allow them to do other contests. Thus, making him the direct competition of the Money Cup and the money making machine that is Joe, Gavin and George Maloof.
The Las Vegas based trio has a few fantasy factories of their own including the Palms Hotel and Casino in Vegas and the Sacramento Kings. Not to mention the capital to throw a $1 million bonus out there like it's nothing.
Street League kicks off on August 28 in Glendale, AZ. It is offering over $1 million in the three contests that will take place this year, but that's a purse; total prize money from first to last. Chris Cole could skate one contest next year and win $1,100,000. One hundred thousand dollars for first place and the million dollar bonus, and it will be a contest format he has proven to be unstoppable in. Although, he has skated a mock Street League contest and won that too.
Dyrdek is a skateboarder, has been for life, and as of right now has Cole under contract. Will he stay, or try to breach it? Cole is a loyal guy, a family man who's been with the same sponsors for years. Will he stay with Street League because he feels it's the next big thing in skateboarding, and because Dyrdek is from the same world as him? This is the only contest this year that will put him up against the five best competitive skateboarders (besides himself) in the world: Paul Rodriguez, Nyjah Huston, Torey Pudwill, Sean Malto and Ryan Sheckler.
Although, a million dollars is a lot of money, and as far as his Maloof career goes, it could be the easiest $million made next year. This weekend in Glendale, AZ should be interesting; skateboarding can't wait.
