X Games unveils a new action sports format with year-round and team-based competitions

According to an announcement on Tuesday, June 13, X Games will transition to a global team-based format in 2026.

The shift is a change from the current events model, which includes two domestic events every year – a winter competition focused on snow sports and a summer league with skateboarding, BMX and motocross. The competition will be modeled after Formula 1 and will feature teams of athletes from multiple action sports disciplines who will compete for individual and team points to earn both individual and team prizes.

The competition will continue to present seasonal sports from the summer and winter disciplines. Each competition will initially consist of four global events and four teams, but the X Games plan to eventually expand the program.

According to ESPN it is the competition schedules will include signature events from X Games, as well as strategic partnerships with existing competitions.

X Games hopes the team format will provide athletes with stability that is often lacking in most action sports circles. The competition provides athletes with an annual income, benefits and additional commercial opportunities.

Teams have yet to be selected, but these will ultimately be formed through an industry-wide draft in which athletes are nominated. Athletes not selected to be on a team remain eligible as alternate athletes.

Svea Irving of Winter Park and Lawrenceburg, Nick Goepper of Indiana are among the professional winter sports athletes who posted their first reactions to the news.

Goepper posted this on his Instagram story that X Games is “innovating and bringing fresh ideas to the table,” while Irving chimed in on her own Instagram Story, saying, “This is huge.”

This story comes from SummitDaily.com