If X marks the sport, the Maloofs are betting big money on skateboarding's growing attraction.
This week, the Kings owners announced their latest foray into alternative sports with the Maloof Money Cup, the world's richest skateboarders-only competition. To be held July 11-13 at the Orange County Fair, the Cup will offer $450,000 in prize money.
"I wanted this to be different from the X Games," Joe Maloof told TransWorld Skateboarding magazine in making the announcement. "I wanted to attract the best talent with the largest purse ever.... This is going to be the best of the best at one place. So, if we're going to attract the best, we better pay like we mean it."
Skateboarding ranks among the favorite events of fans at ESPN's Summer X Games and the Dew Action Sports Tour. The sport - basically, surfing on land -- has its roots in Orange County, so the Costa Mesa fairgrounds during the fair's opening week became a natural combination, according to organizers. Among the most popular county fairs in the Western states, the three-week fair attracted nearly 1.1 million visitors last year.
The Maloof Money Cup already has instant street cred: It's been sanctioned as the national championship by World Cup Skateboarding. While the pro skateboarders compete for the Cup purse, amateurs also will get their shot at United States Amateur Skateboarding Championship and youth skateboarding camps, to be held concurrently with the Cup events. In addition, scores of action sports retailers will be part of a 40,000-square-foot expo.
For more details, see www.maloofmoneycup.com or www.ocfair.com.
Call The Bee's Debbie Arrington, (916) 326-5514.
