New Charity Initiative - Dirt Rider Magazine

AST DEW TOUR ANNOUNCES "AST DROPS IN"New Charity Initiative to be Executed in All 5 Host CitiesNEW YORK - May 21, 2007 - The AST Dew Tour, the world's premier season-long action sports tour, today announced the creation of a new national charity initiative, AST Drops In.In each AST Dew Tour host city, AST Drops In will work with local charities to introduce disadvantaged children to action sports, providing donations of equipment and funds to incorporate action sports into their daily activities. Through a relationship with Charity Folks, a leading online marketplace for nonprofit fundraising, the AST Dew Tour will auction off memorabilia and experiential items from Dew Tour athletes and partners. All proceeds from the online auction will benefit the host city's selected children's charities."We hope that by investing in children's participation in action sports through AST Drops In, we'll be not only giving back to the communities that host the Dew Tour, but also to the action sports industry as a whole," said Wade Martin, president and general manager of the AST Dew Tour.The first-ever AST Drops In auction will begin today, Monday, May 21, and will benefit Baltimore's Salvation Army Franklin Square Boys & Girls Club. Fans can log on to www.astdewtour.com to bid on rare action sports collectibles ranging from two-time Dew Cup champion Ryan Sheckler's autographed skateboard, which he will be using in competition at the Panasonic Open, to goggles worn by FMX competitor Mike Mason. Fans can also bid on one-of-a-kind, experiential items, such as a personal FMX pit tour and track walk that includes four Action Zone passes (VIP reserved seating at Finals) and exclusive AST Dew Tour merchandise. All memorabilia auctions for the Panasonic Open will close on Monday, June 25 and bidding for all Panasonic Open experiential items will close by Wednesday, June 20.A number of the AST Dew Tour sponsors will also support AST Drops In through a variety of ways. Right Guard, event title sponsor of Cleveland's Right Guard Open in July, will donate $5 for every Mohawk and $1 for every "faux-hawk" their barber shaves into fans' hair at the Right Guard Xtreme Xperience in the Tour's Festival Village, up to a $10,000 donation over the course of the 2007 season. Mongoose will provide meet-n-greet opportunities with Mongoose team athletes, signed memorabilia, and various action sports equipment at each AST Dew Tour event. Ogio will provide product and signed athlete memorabilia from their large roster of team riders while Freshpark will provide one ramp and one rail to the local children's charity in each Dew Tour host city. TransWorld will also contribute magazine subscriptions to TransWorld Skateboarding, TransWorld Motocross, and Ride BMX in each market. Additional sponsor involvement will be announced just prior to the first stop of the 2007 season."I'm excited to be a part of AST Drops In and contribute to the online charity auction," said Sheckler. "I encourage everybody to log onto the auction and help introduce more kids to action sports."wo-time Dew Cup champion in Skateboard Vert, Bucky Lasek today will help kick off AST Drops In with a skate clinic for children from The Salvation Army Franklin Square Boys & Girls Club at Baltimore's Charm City Skatepark.The complete 2007 AST Dew Tour schedule is as follows:Event Date LocationPanasonic Open June 21-24 Baltimore, Md.--Camden Yards Sports ComplexRight Guard Open July 19-22 Cleveland, Ohio--North Coast HarborVans Invitational Aug. 16-19 Portland, Ore.--Rose QuarterToyota Challenge Sept. 20-23 Salt Lake City, Utah--Energy Solutions ArenaPlayStation Pro Oct. 18-21 Orlando, Fla.--Amway ArenaEntering its third year, the AST Dew Tour is the most watched and attended action sports property in the world. Attendance for the 2006 AST Dew Tour totaled nearly 250,000 and an average of 38 million viewers tuned in via NBC and USA each year. The top athletes in the world will take part in this year's Tour, all competing for the highly-coveted Dew Cup which will be awarded in Orlando at season's end to champions in each of the six disciplines. The 2006 Dew Cup winners include Nate Adams (Freestyle Motocross), Jamie Bestwick (BMX Vert), Anthony Napolitan (BMX Dirt), Daniel Dhers (BMX Park), Lasek (Skateboard Vert) and Sheckler (Skateboard Park).AST Drops In
The AST (Action Sports Tour) was created in 2007 to function as the umbrella brand of the organization; the Dew Tour is the AST's premier professional property. The AST's national charity initiative, AST Drops In, was also established in 2007 to introduce disadvantaged children to action sports. The AST and its partners donate funds and equipment while professional Dew Tour athletes donate their time to teach educational clinics. Owned by NBC Universal and Live Nation, the AST Dew Tour, the world's premier season-long action sports tour, debuted in June 2005 and consists of five major, multi-sport events with a cumulative points system, a $2.5 million competitive purse - the largest in action sports - and an additional $1 million bonus pool based upon year-end standings. NBC and USA Network combine for exclusive AST Dew Tour coverage with the largest combined network and cable commitment in action sports. The AST Dew Tour is distributed in over 230 million homes worldwide and in over 100 countries. The Tour features skateboarding (park and vert), BMX (park, vert, and dirt) and freestyle motocross, and at season's end, the Tour awards champions in the six disciplines with the Dew Cup. Key lifestyle elements at each Tour event include the festival village with video gaming and interactive events, as well as live cutting edge music. The AST Dew Tour returns all of its founding partners including Mountain Dew (tour title sponsor); and Panasonic, Right Guard Xtreme, Vans, Toyota and PlayStation (event title sponsors). Associate partners include Ball Park, MasterCard, Mongoose, Slim Jim and Verizon Wireless. More information can be found at www.astdewtour.com.NBC Universal
NBC Universal is one of the world's leading media and entertainment companies in the development, production, and marketing of entertainment, news, and information to a global audience. Formed in May 2004 through the combining of NBC and Vivendi Universal Entertainment, NBC Universal owns and operates the No. 1 television network, the fastest-growing Spanish-language network, a valuable portfolio of news and entertainment networks, a premier motion picture company, significant television production operations, a leading television stations group, and world-renowned theme parks. NBC Universal is 80%-owned by General Electric, with 20% controlled by Vivendi Universal.Live Nation
Live Nation is the world's leading live music company, annually connecting more than 67 million fans with their favorite performers at over 33,000 events. We are the largest producer of live concerts in the world, the second-largest venue management company and have a rapidly growing online presence. Live Nation creates superior experiences for artists and fans, regularly producing tours for the biggest superstars in the business, including The Rolling Stones, Barbra Streisand, Madonna, U2 and Coldplay. Globally, we own, operate and/or have booking rights for more than 170 venues, including House of Blues-branded music venues and prestigious locations such as San Francisco's Fillmore Auditorium, Nikon at Jones Beach in New York and London's Hammersmith Apollo and Wembley Arena. Live Nation's websites collectively are the second most popular entertainment event websites in the United States, according to Nielsen//NetRatings. Headquartered in Los Angeles, California, Live Nation is listed on the New York Stock Exchange, trading under the symbol "LYV." For more information regarding concerts near you, Live Nation and its businesses, please visit our website at www.LiveNation.com.