X Games is entering a new era to reach the next generation of extreme sports fans.
The action sports competition today revealed a sweeping rebrand, including a new logo, identity, and aesthetic designed to reflect its global ambitions and rebellious spirit.
Driving the transformation is the new X Games League (XGL), a team-based league set to debut in summer 2026.
Led by former WNBA executive Annie Lokesh, the XGL will include both summer and winter editions, plus additional events worldwide to create a 12-month competitive calendar.
The rebrand, created by agency WKNDHRS, centers athletes. The league is offering bigger prizes and storytelling aimed at turning competitors into household names. It also introduced a new AI-powered judging system to offer real-time, transparent scoring.
More than 150 athletes have declared for the XGL summer draft so far.
The move helps X Games position itself in the rapidly growing sports betting and fantasy sports market, worth an estimated $30 billion. In 2024, sports betting generated $13.7 billion in revenue, while fantasy sports is projected to hit $16.2 billion by 2030, according to the American Gaming Association and Grand View Research.
Both sectors are also big draws for younger audiences under age 35.
With its festival atmosphere and focus on fan experience, X Games has become as much a cultural as a sporting phenomenon, a meeting point for sports, music, fashion, and community. That is reflected in growth across X Games’ social platforms, with YouTube subscribers doubling to two million over the past five years, part of a total reach of over 16 million across various channels.
ESPN founded the games in 1995 as a showcase for action sports like motocross, BMX biking, and skateboarding, before the media company sold its majority stake to MSP Sports Capital in 2022. The competition became famous for featuring stars like Tony Hawk and Shaun White.
“X Games has always been where outsiders became icons and impossible became possible,” chief executive Jeremy Bloom said in a statement. “We’re staying true to that DNA—pushing limits, celebrating individuality, and challenging the status quo—but we’re also reimagining what’s next. This is more than a rebrand. This is the future of sports.”
