The landscape of professional action sports continues its historic evolution as the MoonPay X Games League (XGL) finalizes the foundational architecture for its highly anticipated inaugural winter campaign. On August 13, 2026, league organizers officially unveiled the four elite general managers tasked with constructing competitive rosters for the XGL Winter Clubs, while simultaneously confirming X Games Club Whistler (XC Whistler) as the fourth and final franchise of the winter circuit.
Set to officially debut in January 2027, the winter league represents the natural progression of a bold strategic pivot toward a year-round, team-based, co-ed competitive format. Following the conclusion of a highly successful inaugural summer season that drew widespread domestic audiences, the expansion into skiing and snowboarding introduces a franchise-driven model designed to foster regional identity, elevate athlete compensation beyond traditional prize purses, and build sustained, season-long narratives for millions of global fans.
The leadership team charged with steering these four franchises through the historic first XGL Winter Draft—scheduled for September 16, 2026, at Cosm in Los Angeles—brings an unprecedented breadth of competitive pedigree, executive business acumen, and cultural authority from across the action sports ecosystem. Olympic gold medalist Jonny Moseley will take the helm of XC Golden State; industry executive Dave Sypniewski will direct XC New York, aided by winter sports pioneer and 11-time X Games medalist Barrett Christy Cummins as Special Advisor; athlete marketing strategist Sharalee “Haze” Hazen will lead XC Park City; and renowned Canadian media executive Ryan Stutt will guide the newly minted XC Whistler.
The Evolution of XGL: From Summer Success to Winter Expansion
The establishment of the XGL Winter Clubs arrives on the heels of a triumphant summer launch that shattered engagement benchmarks for the legacy brand. During its inaugural summer campaign, the league captured the attention of 18.3 million U.S. television viewers across ABC and ESPN platforms, marking a staggering 78.5 percent increase in viewership compared to the 2025 event cycle.
The dramatic conclusion of the summer season in New Orleans underscored the viability and high-stakes tension of the new team-based structure. In a photo-finish finale, XC New York secured the inaugural XGL summer championship by a razor-thin margin of just 10 points over XC Tokyo, finishing with a victorious total of 2,640 points to Tokyo’s 2,630.
Building upon this commercial and competitive momentum, league leadership recognized that transitioning the franchise model to snow sports required visionary stewards capable of bridging the gap between raw athletic talent and cohesive team chemistry.
“For the first time in X Games history, someone has to build a championship roster, not just produce a championship run,” said Jeremy Bloom, CEO of X Games. “That makes the GM role incredibly important. Jonny, Dave, Haze, and Ryan each bring deep credibility with athletes, real roots in these sports, and a different point of view on how to build a winning club. They now get to make the first roster decisions in X Games history that will impact an entire winter season.”
Meet the General Managers: Architects of the Winter Roster
Each appointed general manager brings a distinct background that reflects the multifaceted nature of modern freeskiing and snowboarding culture, blending elite athletic achievement with deep corporate and media experience.
XC Golden State: Jonny Moseley
Leading XC Golden State is Jonny Moseley, an Olympic champion, World Cup titlist, and foundational figure in the progression of modern freeskiing. Moseley’s innovative 360 mute grab—famously dubbed the "Telebridge" and later the "Moseley Mania"—at the 1998 Nagano Winter Olympics fundamentally altered the trajectory of competitive skiing, helping bridge the gap between traditional moguls and the burgeoning freeski revolution. He stands as the first skier to secure medals at both the Olympic Games and the X Games.
Beyond his competitive accolades, Moseley transitioned into one of the sport’s most trusted and recognizable broadcast analysts and media personalities. As the GM of XC Golden State, he returns to his geographic roots in Northern California and Lake Tahoe, where his storied career began.
“Growing up in Northern California, I saw firsthand how the Bay Area and Lake Tahoe helped shape skiing and snowboarding,” Moseley stated. “It’s where I learned to ski, where I competed, and where my passion for the sport began. To come back and lead XC Golden State is incredibly meaningful. We have an opportunity to create something that reflects the innovation, creativity, and competitive spirit of this region while chasing the first X Games League Winter Championship.”
XC New York: Dave Sypniewski and Barrett Christy Cummins
Taking charge of the defending organizational powerhouse, XC New York, is Dave Sypniewski, a seasoned action sports executive who has spent decades cultivating the commercial and structural foundations of snowboarding. Through extensive leadership roles with influential entities such as Thrasher Magazine, Burton Snowboards, and Boost Mobile, Sypniewski has successfully engineered athlete sponsorship pathways, executed large-scale marketing initiatives, and fortified the industry’s economic ecosystem.
Sypniewski will not operate in a vacuum; he is bolstered by the addition of Special Advisor Barrett Christy Cummins. A U.S. Olympian, 11-time X Games medalist, and inductee into the U.S. Ski & Snowboard Hall of Fame, Cummins provides invaluable competitive insight to ensure the franchise remains a perennial contender.
“The X Games League creates a whole new way to think about team building in action sports,” Sypniewski remarked. “Success won’t come from one superstar. It’ll come from putting together a club with the right mix of talent, versatility, and competitive mindset. I’m excited to build a team that can contend from the draft through the final event of the season and hopefully continue XC New York’s championship success.”
XC Park City: Sharalee “Haze” Hazen
Sharalee “Haze” Hazen steps into the GM role for XC Park City following a distinguished tenure as General Manager of XC Los Angeles during the XGL inaugural summer season. Hazen is widely recognized as a premier athlete-marketing specialist and experiential strategist dedicated to cultivating athlete-first platforms and culturally resonant sports initiatives. Notably, she co-created The Uninvited Invitational, a groundbreaking event designed to expand competitive and creative horizons for female snowboarders.
Hazen’s comprehensive expertise in athlete advocacy, strategic brand development, and league operations positions XC Park City to establish a robust, community-centric identity ahead of the January 2027 puck drop—or, in this case, first descent.
“Action sports have always been about pushing boundaries, building community, and creating opportunities for athletes to thrive,” Hazen said. “The X Games League takes that to another level by giving athletes, fans, and clubs a shared journey throughout the season. Our goal is to create an environment where athletes feel supported, authentic stories emerge naturally, and XC Park City becomes a team people connect with on and off the snow.”
XC Whistler: Ryan Stutt
Rounding out the executive lineup is Canadian action sports media pioneer Ryan Stutt, who assumes leadership of the newly confirmed XC Whistler franchise. For over two decades, Stutt has documented, influenced, and elevated Canadian winter sports culture. As the founder of premier media outlets Forecast Ski and King Snow, he has served as a chronicler of elite snowboarding and skiing progression. Most recently, Stutt produced and co-directed the acclaimed documentary Our Kind of Chaos, which explored the legacy of the legendary Whistler-based Whiskey snowboard film series.
Stutt’s appointment ties XC Whistler directly to the spiritual and cultural epicenter of Canadian snowboarding and skiing, ensuring the club’s ethos respects the region’s heritage while aggressively pursuing high-performance excellence.
“Whistler represents the pinnacle of ski and snowboard culture,” Stutt noted. “The expectation here is excellence, and that’s exactly how we’ll approach the X Games League. We’re committed to creating a culture that attracts elite athletes, embraces progression, and competes for championships while honoring the legacy that makes Whistler special.”
The Road to Aspen: The XGL Winter Draft
With leadership established across all four winter franchises, attention immediately pivots to the critical operational milestone of the offseason: the XGL Winter Draft.
Scheduled for September 16, 2026, the draft will take place at Cosm in Los Angeles, offering an immersive, cutting-edge viewing experience for passionate fans. During the event, Moseley, Sypniewski, Hazen, and Stutt will hand-select 10-athlete rosters, curating balanced squads composed of the premier men’s and women’s skiers and snowboarders from across the globe.
Organizers have opened ticket sales for the public, offering a limited allocation of Superfan passes for spectators wishing to witness the historical franchise-building process live. Tickets and further event details are available via the official X Games portal at xgames.com/draft26.
Following the draft, the selected rosters will undergo months of training and strategic preparation leading up to the official inauguration of the XGL Winter Season in January 2027. The season will kick off in Aspen, Colorado—the historic spiritual home of winter X Games competition—before moving through subsequent tour stops and dates yet to be announced by league officials.
Structural Implications and the Future of Action Sports
The rollout of the XGL Winter League marks a fundamental paradigm shift for an industry historically anchored in single-elimination, independent events. By transitioning toward a structured, team-oriented, co-ed franchise model, X Games—backed by private equity firm MSP Sports Capital—is addressing long-standing economic vulnerabilities within professional action sports.
Under the traditional model, athletes relied heavily on individual event finishes, volatile sponsorship deals, and brand-specific video parts to sustain their professional careers. The XGL structure introduces a dual-revenue and compensation framework, guaranteeing athletes base salaries, performance bonuses tied to team standings, and deep integration into collective merchandising and broadcast rights pools. This financial stability allows competitors to focus entirely on progression and longevity rather than immediate injury-risk mitigation.
Furthermore, the integration of regional club identities—Golden State, New York, Park City, and Whistler—creates geographic touchpoints that allow mainstream sports fans to forge tribal allegiances similar to those found in legacy stick-and-ball leagues or motorsports series like Formula 1.
As owned and operated assets of MSP Sports Capital, whose foundational partners Jeff Moorad and Jahm Najafi bring decades of operational experience spanning Major League Baseball, the National Basketball Association, the National Football League, and international motorsport enterprises, XGL is positioned for sustained commercial viability.
With the general manager positions filled, the final winter franchise secured, and the inaugural draft rapidly approaching, the MoonPay X Games League is poised to redefine the competitive winter sports landscape, turning individual moments of adrenaline-fueled brilliance into a cohesive, highly engaging year-round championship spectacle.
