By Neal Shaffer

This weekend, Oriole Park at Camden Yards will play host to a sporting event unlike anything seen before in Baltimore. Some of the finest athletes in the world will assemble for an intense, four-day competition with $2.5 million in eventual prize money on the line. Events will be televised on NBC Sports and the USA Network.

And it has nothing to do with football or baseball.

Bucky Lasek won the 2006 Dew Cup as the top Skateboard Vert rider . (Courtesy of AST Dew Tour)

It’s the Panasonic Open, first leg of the five-stop AST Dew Tour, a summer-long series showcasing athletes in the field known as “action sports” (sometimes called “extreme sports”). In the case of the Dew Tour, that means freestyle motocross (FMX), bicycle motocross (BMX) and skateboarding. The BMX events are broken into separate disciplines of dirt and vert (ramp) riding, while skateboarding is separated into park (also known as street) riding and vert riding. 

The genre also encompasses sports such as surfing and snowboarding, although these aren’t part of the Dew Tour.

It’s a major event for Camden Yards and Baltimore as a whole. More than 700 people travel with the production, and setup takes more than 10 days. Much like they did with the recent NCAA lacrosse finals, the Camden Yards Sports and Entertainment Commission members have kicked into high gear in preparation for what they hope will be an enthusiastically received, family-friendly event.

They will get a boost to that effort in the form of Bucky Lasek, defending two-time Dew Tour vert skating champion. A professional skateboarder since the early ’90s, Lasek is widely regarded as one of the top riders around. 

He’s also a proud Dundalk native who openly embraces his roots, often wearing an Orioles cap during photo shoots and appearances. Lasek’s skill on the ramp and his hometown connection both figure to boost attendance. 

The Dew Tour, though, would be a big deal even without Lasek’s Baltimore’s connection.

Action sports have quietly become a prominent influence on American popular culture. While a baseball cap or a basketball jersey may be easier to recognize, action sports products are no less ubiquitous. Brand names like Etnies, Vans, Emerica, and DC Shoes all trace their roots to action sports and remain major players in sponsorship and merchandising. Retail establishments like Hollister and PacSun exist mainly for the sake of fashion, but many of their products relate either directly or indirectly to the action sports culture. 

Even footwear giant Nike, known for its relationships with athletes like Michael Jordan and LeBron James, has gotten in on the action. In addition to producing a line of skateboard shoes, Nike fields a team of highly respected riders, including likely Panasonic Open participant Paul Rodriguez.

A proud Dundalk native, Lasek often wearing an Orioles cap during photo shoots and appearances. (Courtesy of AST Dew Tour)

Beyond fashion and the events themselves, the influence of action sports extends to other aspects of pop culture. Some of today’s most respected visual artists and designers work in or around action sports. In 2005, Baltimore’s Contemporary Museum hosted a traveling show called Beautiful Losers: Contemporary Art and Street Culture, featuring many works with a connection to the action sports world. One of the featured artists in that show, Neil Blender, is a former pro skateboarder. 

Oscar-nominated filmmaker Spike Jonze cut his teeth in skateboarding and remains a co-owner of Girl Skateboards.

The Dew Tour’s newfound presence in Baltimore all goes back to Bucky Lasek. Even though he currently resides in California, Lasek lobbied Dew Tour officials to bring their show to his hometown. He finally found success in late March when the Baltimore stop was officially announced, beating out last year’s host city of Louisville. 

Why make the effort? 

“I think Baltimore has a lot of culture, a lot of roots,” Lasek said. “I think the Dew Tour and Baltimore need something like this, to kind of give something to the kids. What better place to do it than Baltimore?”

To help make the point, Lasek traveled here in May for a charity event at the Charm City Skatepark on O’Donnell Street. The appearance was part of AST Drops In, a series of initiatives designed to give back to Dew Tour host cities. Fourteen kids from the Salvation Army Franklin Square Boys and Girls Club got a chance to strap on pads and take basic lessons from Lasek, followed by the opportunity to hang out and share pizza and sodas.

If the kids’ faces were any kind of indicator, the event was a success. Their sense of joy was obvious, and Lasek, a father of two, was at ease with them. Both with the participants and in conversation, it’s clear that he’s passionate about what he does and how he can use his success to give back to the community.

“I’m sure the kids are stoked to see me, knowing I’m from Baltimore and that I make it back here all the time,” he said.

Lasek is not alone in his approach to using action sports as a platform for outreach and fan interaction. Perhaps because of their roots in outsider communities, action sports athletes and events are known as fan-friendly and refreshingly free of the celebrity trappings that follow most major athletes.

“I believe we carry a different kind of image with us,” Lasek said. “We are athletes, but we don’t consider ourselves athletes on the same page as a baseball player. We’re more approachable, we have a better fan appreciation. We’re not tainted by the money.”

The riders’ dedication to their fans and community is topped only by their dedication to the sport. At 35, Lasek still skates with maximum effort, regardless of the obstacles.

“I think people are amazed that I’ll go skate with a torn ACL or a messed-up meniscus, where a football player or a baseball player will sit back and collect his million-dollar checks,” he said.

Despite increased media exposure and the chance to make a decent living, action sports athletes haven’t yet lost sight of the how and the why.

Lasek does admit, though, that his future in competitive skating depends on his body. Recognizing this, he already has the next stage of his life mapped out. He’s currently searching for opportunities in the field of auto racing and hopes eventually to compete on one of the NASCAR circuits.

In the meantime, fans attending the Panasonic Open can expect a good show from the hometown boy. 

“Consistency and tech tricks, and a really good show because … knowing the people here, I know they’d be really bummed if I didn’t win,” said Lasek. “That’s a lot of pressure, but it is a five-stop tour … so hopefully they understand that, too.”

Fans can likewise expect a lot from the event itself. Besides a sprawling mix of four competition courses -- park skating, BMX and skate vert, BMX dirt and FMX -- the event will feature an open-air festival with games, activities and a variety of other diversions.

Main sponsor Panasonic will offer a “High Def Experience” area with a 103-inch plasma screen television featuring computer animation and event footage. Even more impressive is the camera loan program, which allows spectators to borrow a digital camera for the day, take all the pictures they want, and then keep the memory card after returning the camera.

Other activities include athlete autograph sessions, a video game lounge, an airbrush tattoo parlor and various tests of strength and athletic skill. On Friday night, rock band
Saliva provides a break from the action.

In other words, there’s going to be something for nearly everyone. Baltimore gets to play host to a nationally televised event that showcases the city in a way that the Orioles haven’t been able to in some time. And it’s a chance to get up close and personal with a group of athletes at the top of their game. They’re not Alex Rodriguez and Tom Brady, but it may not be as far off as it might seem. Action sports, and skateboarding in particular, have traditionally faced an uphill battle for acceptance. But as Lasek points out, “When the Dew Tour came around, it kind of re-stated the fact that this is for real, this is something that’s growing.” 

This weekend Baltimore fans will get their first chance to help it along.