Word on the street

Street skateboarding is going big league. Rob Dyrdek, the street skater turned MTV star, is launching his Street League Skateboarding on Saturday at Jobing.com Arena in Glendale, Ariz., the first of three contests that will pay a total of $1.2 million in prize money. The winner at each stop earns $150,000, the biggest prize in skateboarding. “That’s a great opportunity to shoot for,” said Paul Rodriguez, one of the world’s top 24 skateboarders who’ve signed on. “It would be nice to come across that once or twice.” Other top skaters competing will be Chris Cole (in photo), Ryan Sheckler, Nyjah Huston, Torey Pudwill, Eric Koston and Mike Mo Capaldi.

– Associated Press