The recent debut of the X Games League kicked off a new chapter for action sports, introducing a team-based model format in which athletes are drafted into regionally based teams. After months of anticipation, the X Games League held its first-ever event in Sacramento, California, on June 26-28, and it drew quite an impressive audience.
Over 12 million people tuned into the Sacramento X Games League event—a 21% increase compared to previous summer X Games broadcasts, according to Deadline Hollywood. The league also saw a swell of digital engagement, with X Games YouTube views up 88% year-over-year. The event was just as popular in-person, setting a post-pandemic attendance record of roughly 20,000 people per day and 60,000 throughout the weekend.
“The launch of the MoonPay X Games League exceeded every expectation,” X Games CEO Jeremy Bloom said in his Deadline Hollywood interview. “Sacramento showed up in a massive way, our athletes delivered historic progression, and fans immediately connected with the new club format. This is exactly why we built the league: to raise the stakes, create deeper fan connection, and give the world’s best action sports athletes a bigger platform.”
The three-day event featured the world’s best skateboarders, BMX riders, and motocross riders competing across four clubs: XC Tokyo, XC São Paolo, XC Los Angeles, and XC New York. The X Games League also wrapped up its second event in Chiba, Japan, on July 5, with XC Tokyo currently sitting atop the standings.
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The X Games League has been working hard to make sure its events can be viewed by everyone around the world. Both the Sacramento and Chiba events were live-streamed on Roku TV, Kick, and YouTube. Additional coverage from both events will air on ABC and ESPN on July 10-12.
“Sacramento proved there is real demand for this next chapter of X Games,” Bloom added.
Headed for Winter
The X Games League has one more summer event before it shifts its focus to the winter games. The League’s success in Sacramento could be a promising sign for skiing and snowboarding with its inaugural season approaching.
If viewership continues to increase into the winter X Games League season, competing skiers and snowboarders could benefit. Larger audiences make the event more attractive to sponsors, which in turn could open up commercial opportunities for skiers and snowboarders. It could also potentially lead to greater investment in winter action sports.
While the event’s viewership numbers are encouraging, it is still too early to determine if they will carry into the winter games or carry at all. The inaugural event benefited from the hype surrounding its launch, and whether that momentum carries into the winter is yet to be seen.
Even so, the strong debut of the X Games League gives it an early idea of how the league may be received by its fans. With one more summer event before the league transitions to its winter focus, all eyes will be on whether it can carry the momentum into skiing and snowboarding.
The Moonpay X Games League winter season kicks off with its draft, scheduled for September 16, 2026, in Los Angeles.
