The MoonPay X Games League (XGL) has officially confirmed the sale of its New York Summer and New York Winter franchises to UNA Sports Group (UNA) in a landmark eight-figure transaction. This acquisition marks a significant milestone in the evolution of action sports, as UNA becomes the first entity to hold dual-season ownership within the league. The deal effectively establishes a year-round professional action sports presence in the New York Tri-State area, signaling a shift from the X Games’ traditional nomadic event model toward a structured, city-based franchise system.
UNA Sports Group, a specialized investment firm focused on the acquisition and operational scaling of global professional sports platforms, led the acquisition with a focus on long-term value creation at the intersection of media, culture, and athletic competition. The firm is steered by a trio of seasoned executives: CEO and Managing Partner Del Wright, President David Rader, and Founder and Partner Andrew Thau. Thau, notably the former Chief Operating Officer of United Talent Agency (UTA), will assume the role of Governor for the New York X Games franchise. Under their stewardship, X Games Club New York will operate across both the Summer and Winter disciplines, integrating the brand into one of the world’s most lucrative and influential sports markets.
The Strategic Evolution of the MoonPay X Games League
The sale of the New York franchises is a cornerstone of the broader MoonPay X Games League strategy to professionalize action sports through a team-based architecture. To facilitate this transition and manage the influx of institutional capital, XGL has retained Moelis & Co. LLC as its exclusive financial advisor. The involvement of a top-tier global investment bank underscores the league’s ambitions to mirror the financial structures of established organizations like the NFL, NBA, and MLS.
The shift to a franchise model is intended to solve several historical challenges within the action sports industry, including inconsistent athlete compensation, fragmented fan engagement, and seasonal volatility for sponsors. By establishing permanent home markets, the XGL aims to create recurring revenue streams through local sponsorships, regional broadcasting rights, and year-round community activations. Jeremy Bloom, CEO of X Games and a former Olympic skier and NFL player, characterized the deal as a "starting line" for a new era of the brand. According to Bloom, the establishment of a permanent New York presence allows the X Games to move beyond being a biennial festival and become a staple of the regional sports calendar.
Detailed Timeline of the 2026 XGL Season
The inaugural MoonPay X Games League Summer Season is scheduled to follow a multi-city format, providing a structured narrative for fans to follow. The 2026 calendar is as follows:
- June 26, 2026: The season officially commences in Sacramento, California. This opening event will serve as the first major test for the newly formed rosters under the franchise model.
- Mid-July 2026: The league travels internationally to Chiba, Japan. This stop highlights the global nature of the XGL and its commitment to the massive action sports fanbases in the Asia-Pacific region.
- July 24–26, 2026: The Summer Season culminates in the XGL Championship in New Orleans, Louisiana. Hosted at the Caesars Superdome, the finale will see the top-performing teams compete for the title of the first-ever XGL Champion.
The competitive structure is built upon a cumulative scoring system. Teams will earn points throughout the season based on their athletes’ performances in various disciplines, including skateboarding and BMX. The franchise with the highest total score at the end of the New Orleans championship will be awarded a $500,000 team purse, providing a significant financial incentive for collective team success over individual accolades.
Roster Composition and Leadership
X Games Club New York has assembled a roster that blends veteran dominance with elite youth talent, positioning the franchise as a formidable contender for the inaugural title. The team is captained by Nyjah Huston, widely regarded as the most successful contest street skateboarder in history. Huston’s involvement provides the franchise with immediate brand equity and a proven track record of podium finishes.
Complementing Huston is Chloe Covell, the 14-year-old Australian skateboarding prodigy who was selected as the first overall pick in the inaugural MoonPay X Games League Summer Draft. Covell’s inclusion highlights the league’s focus on the next generation of athletes who have grown up in the era of skateboarding’s Olympic inclusion. The roster is further bolstered by:
- Hannah Roberts: A multi-time world champion and Olympic silver medalist in BMX Freestyle, Roberts brings American dominance in the cycling disciplines.
- Logan Martin: An Australian BMX icon and Olympic gold medalist, Martin provides the team with a high-ceiling scoring threat in park events.
The operational side of the club will be managed by General Manager Steve Rodriguez. A fixture in the New York City skateboarding scene and the founder of 5Boro Skateboards, Rodriguez brings decades of local expertise and industry knowledge. His role will be pivotal in bridging the gap between the corporate ownership of UNA Sports Group and the grassroots action sports community in the Tri-State area.
Market Analysis and Economic Implications
The New York market represents a high-stakes entry point for the XGL. As the media capital of the world, New York offers unparalleled opportunities for broadcast partnerships and high-value corporate sponsorships. By securing both the Summer and Winter franchises, UNA Sports Group is betting on the "dual-threat" nature of action sports, which allows for continuous marketing cycles.
Historically, action sports have struggled with a "California-centric" bias. By planting a flag in New York, the XGL is attempting to diversify the geographic footprint of the sport. Industry analysts suggest that an eight-figure deal for a burgeoning league indicates high investor confidence in the "lifestyle sports" category, which continues to see growth among Gen Z and Millennial demographics—groups that are increasingly moving away from traditional stick-and-ball sports.
The commitment to bringing Summer and Winter events to New York State in the coming years is expected to generate significant economic impact. Host cities typically see surges in tourism, hospitality, and local retail during X Games events. Furthermore, the "steady cadence" of athlete appearances and community events promised by UNA and XGL leadership suggests a move toward the "stadium-adjacent" development models seen in other professional sports, where franchises invest in local infrastructure like public skateparks and training facilities.
Official Responses and Industry Reaction
In a joint statement, the leadership of UNA Sports Group emphasized that their investment is predicated on the structural shift of the league. "The shift to a team-based model creates a strong platform for growth, fan engagement, and long-term value," the statement read. "This investment aligns with our strategy to combine capital and expertise to scale premier sports properties with global reach."
The reaction from the broader action sports community has been largely positive, though tempered by a wait-and-see approach regarding the league’s ability to maintain the "core" culture of skateboarding and BMX. The appointment of Steve Rodriguez as GM is seen as a strategic move to alleviate these concerns, ensuring that the franchise remains authentic to its New York roots.
Jeremy Bloom’s vision for the league involves further expansion, with Moelis & Co. currently evaluating several other potential ownership groups. "Additional franchise sales are expected in the coming months," Bloom noted, suggesting that the New York deal is the first of several major market announcements.
Broader Context: Action Sports in the Post-Olympic Era
The professionalization of the X Games via the XGL model comes at a time when action sports are experiencing a global renaissance, largely driven by their inclusion in the Olympic Games (Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024). The Olympics provided a massive platform for athletes like Huston, Roberts, and Martin, but the quadrennial nature of the Olympics leaves a gap in the professional narrative.
The XGL seeks to fill this void by providing a consistent, high-production-value league that operates annually. By introducing the city-based model, the XGL is leveraging local tribalism—a powerful force in sports marketing—to build fanbases that are loyal to a "team" rather than just individual athletes. This move is expected to stabilize athlete incomes through team salaries and bonuses, reducing the reliance on individual endorsement deals which can be precarious.
As the 2026 season approaches, the focus will shift to how UNA Sports Group integrates the New York franchise into the city’s crowded sports landscape. With the Yankees, Mets, Knicks, and Rangers as competition, X Games Club New York will need to leverage its unique position as a cultural and lifestyle brand to capture the attention of the Tri-State region. The success of this eight-figure gamble will likely serve as the blueprint for the future of professional action sports worldwide.
