LOS ANGELES — In a landmark evening that bridges nearly three decades of individual action sports history with a bold, team-oriented future, the inaugural MoonPay X Games League (XGL) Winter Draft convened industry leaders, iconic athletes, and more than 500 passionate fans inside the state-of-the-art Cosm Los Angeles. The high-profile event saw 40 of the world’s elite ski and snowboard competitors selected across five rounds by four newly established franchises: XC Golden State, XC New York, XC Park City, and XC Whistler.
The draft formally establishes the competitive rosters for the upcoming 2027 XGL Winter Season, fundamentally altering how winter action sports are consumed, structured, and contested globally. Setting the tone for the evening, four-time X Games medalist and freeskiing superstar Eileen Gu was selected first overall by her hometown franchise, XC Golden State. The comprehensive draft pool reflected a truly global sport, encompassing 40 athletes representing 14 countries. The selected competitors span a wide generational spectrum, from 14-year-old rising phenom Patti Zhou to veteran icons and 32-year-old multi-medallists Mark McMorris and Scotty James, ensuring a dynamic blend of youthful exuberance and seasoned championship pedigree for the league’s inaugural campaign.
A Chronological Leap: From Standalone Spectacles to a Global Season
For nearly thirty years, the Winter X Games existed primarily as an iconic, standalone annual showcase held in Aspen, Colorado. While these events generated unforgettable moments of individual athletic achievement, they lacked the longitudinal narrative arcs and high-stakes consequence frameworks inherent in traditional major league sports. The establishment of the MoonPay X Games League changes this paradigm entirely, building upon the foundational success of the XGL Summer Season to create a truly year-round, co-ed professional team ecosystem.
The 2027 XGL Winter Season schedule has been meticulously designed to test athletes across diverse terrain and international markets over a grueling three-stop circuit. Action commences from January 29–31, 2026, returning to the historic spiritual home of winter action sports at Buttermilk in Aspen, Colorado. The league then travels north for its second stop in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, from February 19–21, before culminating in a high-stakes championship finale in Ruka, Finland, from April 9–11.
At each stop, athletes will compete not merely for personal glory, but to accumulate crucial cumulative points for their respective X Games Clubs. Each franchise has been meticulously constructed to feature a balanced roster of 10 athletes—comprising five men and five women—ensuring equal representation and competitive parity across disciplines as teams fight for the ultimate prize: the MoonPay X Games League Winter Championship.
Draft Room Dynamics and Franchise Selections
The draft proceedings inside Cosm Los Angeles showcased the strategic visions of the league’s general managers as they constructed their 10-person rosters under the immersive glow of the venue’s massive wraparound LED dome.
The evening’s action kicked off when XC Golden State General Manager Jonny Moseley stepped to the podium to select Eileen Gu with the first overall pick. Gu’s selection immediately anchored the California-based franchise with a globally recognized superstar whose cultural reach extends far beyond the competitive halfpipe and slopestyle courses.
"I just wanted to say how excited and honored and grateful I am to be the first overall pick of the X Games League," Gu stated following her selection. "Thank you so much to XC Golden State. I’m really excited to make something super magical happen this season. So see you all at the first X Games League event in Aspen. I think this league is going to be so big for our industry, for our sport, and my dream of bringing freeskiing to more people will be realized one step at a time with you guys. So I’m really excited and let’s do this thing!"
Following the opening selection, XC New York General Manager Dave Sypniewski captured the second overall pick, securing legendary Canadian snowboard icon Mark McMorris. Known for his resilience, unmatched style, and record-setting medal count, McMorris brings instant veteran leadership to the Eastern seaboard franchise.
With the third overall pick, XC Park City General Manager Sharalee “Haze” Hazen—who also oversees the XC Los Angeles Summer club—opted for world-class Chinese snowboarder Yiming Su, infusing the Utah-based team with elite technical prowess. Rounding out the opening round, General Manager Ryan Stutt selected prominent skier Megan Oldham with the fourth overall pick, officially making her the first-ever draft choice in XC Whistler history.
Over the subsequent four rounds, general managers rounded out their rosters by selecting elite talent including Mia Brookes, Cocomo Murase, Red Gerard, and Scotty James, ensuring that every franchise boasts a deep, versatile lineup capable of contending across multiple disciplines.
Strategic Implications and Executive Perspectives
The transition from a decentralized series of independent competitions to a unified, team-based league structure addresses long-standing challenges within action sports, specifically regarding athlete compensation, career longevity, and year-round fan engagement. Backed by MSP Sports Capital—a global private equity firm founded by sports investment veterans Jeff Moorad and Jahm Najafi—X Games is positioning itself alongside major traditional sports leagues by introducing geographical identities and predictable, season-long narratives.
Jeremy Bloom, Chief Executive Officer of X Games, emphasized the psychological and structural shift the league introduces to the athletic community.
"For nearly 30 years, Winter X Games has created iconic individual moments," Bloom remarked during the event. "Tonight, we added something entirely new: consequences across a season. Four teams just drafted the best ski and snowboard athletes in the world, and now every result in Aspen, Canada and Finland will matter toward one championship. We’re taking a brand people have loved for decades and giving fans something they’ve never had before, teams to follow, a season to track and a championship to fight for. Tonight was the moment the MoonPay X Games League Winter Season became real."
From an economic perspective, the league model directly expands earning potential for athletes. Beyond traditional prize purses associated with individual podium finishes, XGL competitors benefit from the league’s overarching business model, which incorporates media rights distribution, commercial sponsorships, and team-level revenue streams. This financial stability allows elite snowboarders and skiers to dedicate themselves fully to year-round training and competition without the traditional financial volatility that has historically characterized action sports careers.
Broadcasting, Sponsorships, and Global Accessibility
To maximize fan engagement from day one, the MoonPay X Games League utilized a comprehensive multi-platform broadcasting strategy. The live draft event was accessible to a global audience, streamed via the ESPN App within the United States, and internationally through The Roku Sports Channel, YouTube, Kick, and the X Games TV FAST Channel on Amazon. Regular-season events will similarly benefit from extensive linear and digital distribution, including broadcasts on ABC, ESPN, ESPN+, Disney+, and various streaming networks.
The commercial viability of the newly formed league was underscored by an impressive roster of corporate partners. The draft was presented by league title partner MoonPay, with foundational support from Monster Energy. Additional corporate backing was provided by major brands including Stake, High Noon, Amazon, 805 Beer, VKTRY Protein, Kraken Rum, No Cap!, Minky Couture, Nixon, Kick, Fever, and Roku. The robust sponsorship ecosystem indicates strong corporate confidence in the team-based action sports model’s ability to capture desirable demographic segments.
Looking Ahead: The Road to Aspen
As the dust settles on the Cosm Los Angeles draft floor, attention shifts immediately to training camps and the impending season opener. Over the coming months, X Games leadership is expected to release further operational details, including specific competition disciplines, broadcast schedules, and immersive fan experiences planned for the stops in Aspen, Calgary, and Ruka.
By fusing the raw creativity, progression, and counter-culture roots of skiing and snowboarding with the structured excitement of professional franchise sports, the MoonPay X Games League has established a new benchmark for the future of action sports. As the athletes don their respective club jerseys and prepare for the starting gates in Colorado, the entire sports industry will be watching to see how this revolutionary winter campaign unfolds.
