The event, held at the state-of-the-art Cosm Los Angeles venue, represents a transformative moment in the three-decade history of action sports, transitioning the X Games from a series of independent competitions into a structured, year-round professional league. By introducing a franchise-based model, the MoonPay X Games League (XGL) aims to provide a consistent narrative for fans, stable platforms for athletes, and a modernized framework for sponsors and broadcast partners. The draft ceremony served as the official launchpad for this new era, establishing four cornerstone clubs that will represent global hubs of culture and sport: New York, Los Angeles, Tokyo, and São Paulo.
A New Era for Action Sports Roster Construction
The inaugural draft was characterized by a strategic focus on youth and proven championship pedigree. With more than 180 athletes opting into the draft pool, the four General Managers faced the complex task of building balanced rosters consisting of ten athletes each—split evenly between five men and five women. This gender-parity mandate is a significant step in professionalizing action sports, ensuring that the league’s debut season showcases the full depth of talent across skateboarding and BMX disciplines.
The draft kicked off with high anticipation as XC New York General Manager Steve Rodriguez, a legendary figure in the East Coast skating scene, utilized the first overall pick to select 16-year-old Australian skateboarding sensation Chloe Covell. Covell’s selection as the number one pick underscores the league’s emphasis on the next generation of talent. Despite her age, Covell has already established herself as a dominant force in street skating, and her move to the New York franchise signals the club’s intent to build a long-term powerhouse around a generational talent.
Following New York, XC Los Angeles General Manager Sharalee “Haze” Hazen prioritized local expertise and veteran experience by drafting Tom Schaar. A Southern California native and a 17-time X Games medalist, Schaar brings an unparalleled level of consistency and name recognition to the Los Angeles franchise. In the third slot, XC Tokyo General Manager Harumi Suzuki looked toward the future of park skating by selecting Arisa Trew. The 14-year-old Australian has recently made headlines for her record-setting performances, including being an eight-time X Games gold medalist, making her a cornerstone for the Japanese-based club.
Rounding out the first round, XC São Paulo General Manager and action sports icon Bob Burnquist chose Brazilian prodigy Gui Khury. At just 15 years old, Khury already holds the record for the most medals won by a teenager in X Games history, with 15 to his name. By securing Khury, the São Paulo franchise has anchored its roster with a national hero who embodies the high-flying, technical progression the league seeks to promote.
Technological Integration and the Evolution of Athlete Compensation
The MoonPay X Games League Draft was not merely a sporting event but also a showcase for the integration of financial technology into professional sports. Title partner MoonPay and league partner Exodus introduced a pioneering "crypto signing bonus" initiative, marking one of the first instances of digital asset compensation being systematically integrated into a professional sports draft.
Drafted athletes received their signing bonuses through the Exodus self-custody crypto wallet platform. This move reflects a broader trend of action sports aligning with Web3 and decentralized finance, catering to a younger, tech-savvy demographic that overlaps significantly with the X Games fanbase. The use of digital assets for compensation provides athletes with global portability and exposure to new financial markets, while simultaneously positioning the XGL as a forward-thinking entity in the competitive landscape of professional leagues.
Jeremy Bloom, a key figure in the league’s leadership, emphasized that this technological integration is part of a larger strategy to provide year-round engagement. "Tonight, we’ve taken the next step—creating teams, building rivalries, and launching a league that will connect fans with these athletes year-round," Bloom stated during the event. The shift toward a team-based model allows for more sophisticated marketing, merchandise opportunities, and a points-based championship race that maintains stakes throughout the calendar year, rather than peaking during a single weekend of competition.
Venue Innovation: The Role of Cosm Los Angeles
The choice of Cosm Los Angeles as the draft venue was a calculated move to highlight the league’s commitment to immersive fan experiences. Known for its massive wraparound LED dome and cinematic production capabilities, Cosm provided a high-tech backdrop that mirrored the "progressive" ethos of the X Games. The 500 invited guests, which included industry leaders, legendary athletes, and select fans, were treated to a production that blended live draft announcements with data-driven visuals and high-definition highlights.
This immersive environment is intended to be a hallmark of the XGL’s broadcast strategy. As the draft streamed live globally via the ESPN App, The Roku Sports Channel, YouTube, Kick, and Amazon’s X Games TV FAST Channel, the league utilized Cosm’s technology to create a "front-row" feel for digital viewers. This multi-platform distribution strategy ensures that the league can reach its core audience across various devices and regions, particularly in the four anchor cities of New York, Los Angeles, Tokyo, and São Paulo.
Contextualizing the League in the Global Sports Market
The formation of the MoonPay X Games League comes at a time when action sports are experiencing a resurgence in mainstream relevance, bolstered by their inclusion in the Olympic Games. Skateboarding and BMX have transitioned from subcultures to institutionalized sports with global infrastructure. The XGL seeks to capitalize on this momentum by providing a professional circuit that exists between the grassroots level and the quadrennial Olympic stage.
By establishing city-based clubs, the XGL is adopting a proven model from traditional sports like the NBA and NFL, which fosters regional loyalty and long-term fan "tribalism." Historically, action sports fans followed individual athletes; the XGL is betting that by grouping these athletes into teams, they can create deeper narratives and rivalries that sustain interest over a full season. The inclusion of five men and five women per team also positions the XGL as a leader in gender-equitable sports programming, a factor that is increasingly important to modern sponsors and broadcast networks.
The 2026 Inaugural Season Roadmap
The conclusion of the draft marks the beginning of an intensive preparation period for the four clubs. The inaugural MoonPay X Games League Summer Season is scheduled to begin on June 26 in Sacramento, California. This opening event will serve as the first opportunity for the newly formed rosters to compete as units, earning points that will contribute to a cumulative season total.
Following the Sacramento kickoff, the league will move to international soil for X Games Japan on July 4–5. This stop is expected to be a major showcase for XC Tokyo, as the Japanese market has become one of the most vibrant hubs for skateboarding in the world. The season will then reach its climax from July 24–26 inside the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans. The championship event in New Orleans will determine the first-ever MoonPay X Games League champion, with the winning club being the one that has amassed the highest point total across the three-event summer series.
Analysis of the Impact on Athlete Development
The move to a league format is expected to have a profound impact on the career trajectories of action sports athletes. Traditionally, professional skaters and BMX riders relied heavily on individual sponsorships and prize money from sporadic contests. The XGL’s team-based structure offers a more formalized employment model, potentially providing better access to coaching, medical staff, and travel logistics managed by the clubs.
Furthermore, the draft pool of over 180 athletes, ranging in age from 11 to 35, highlights the diversity of the talent pool. For younger athletes like Chloe Covell and Gui Khury, the league provides a platform to build a professional brand early in their careers under the guidance of experienced General Managers like Bob Burnquist and Steve Rodriguez. For veterans like Tom Schaar and Nyjah Huston, the league offers a new way to engage with their legacy while contributing to the growth of the sport’s infrastructure.
As the industry looks toward the Sacramento opener, the focus will shift from roster construction to team chemistry. The success of the MoonPay X Games League will ultimately depend on how these 40 athletes adapt to the pressure of team competition and whether the city-based rivalries resonate with a global audience. However, based on the energy and technological sophistication displayed at the Cosm Los Angeles draft, the X Games has successfully laid the groundwork for a significant evolution in the world of extreme sports.
