The landscape of professional action sports has reached a significant milestone with the announcement that the MoonPay X Games League (XGL) has finalized the sale of its New York-based franchises. In an eight-figure transaction, UNA Sports Group (UNA) has acquired both the New York Summer and New York Winter teams, marking the first time in the history of the league that a single entity has secured ownership of two X Games League Clubs simultaneously. This acquisition signals a strategic pivot for the X Games brand, moving away from a traditional event-based model toward a permanent, city-based franchise structure designed to foster long-term fan loyalty and commercial stability in one of the world’s most influential sports markets.
UNA Sports Group is an investment firm specialized in the acquisition and management of premier professional sports franchises and media platforms. The firm focuses on high-growth assets situated at the intersection of athletics, entertainment, and cultural trends. The leadership team at UNA brings a wealth of experience from the highest levels of sports operations and corporate finance. The firm is led by CEO and Managing Partner Del Wright, President David Rader, and Founder and Partner Andrew Thau. Notably, Thau, the former Chief Operating Officer of United Talent Agency (UTA), will take on the role of Governor for the New York X Games franchise. Under this leadership, UNA intends to integrate X Games Club New York into the fabric of the Tri-State region’s sports culture, operating year-round across both the summer and winter seasons.
A Structural Evolution in Action Sports
The sale of the New York franchises is a cornerstone of the MoonPay X Games League’s broader strategy to modernize the action sports industry. Historically, the X Games operated as a series of invitation-only, standalone events. While these events garnered massive global viewership and defined the careers of legendary athletes, they lacked the recurring structure seen in traditional professional leagues like the NFL, NBA, or Formula 1. The introduction of the XGL changes this dynamic by establishing a team-based model where franchises represent specific geographic regions.
This structural shift is intended to create a more predictable and sustainable economic environment for athletes and investors alike. By selling franchises to groups like UNA Sports Group, the XGL is building a foundation of institutional capital that can support the growth of skateboarding, BMX, and winter sports. The league has engaged Moelis & Co LLC as its exclusive financial advisor to manage the evaluation and execution of future team sales, with additional franchise announcements expected in the coming months as the league expands its global footprint.
Jeremy Bloom, the CEO of X Games and a former Olympic skier and NFL player, characterized the deal as a transformative moment for the organization. Bloom noted that the move to New York represents the "starting line" for a new era of action sports, one where permanent market presence replaces the ephemeral nature of touring events. By establishing a year-round presence in New York, the XGL aims to tap into the massive media and sponsorship opportunities inherent to the Tri-State area.
The New York Roster: A Blend of Legends and Rising Stars
The competitive viability of X Games Club New York is anchored by a roster of some of the most successful and influential athletes in the history of action sports. Leading the team as captain is Nyjah Huston, the American skateboarding icon. Huston’s career is defined by an unprecedented level of dominance, including 15 X Games gold medals and multiple world championships. His involvement as the face of the New York franchise provides the team with immediate credibility and a global fan base.
Joining Huston is Chloe Covell, a teenage skateboarding prodigy from Australia who has quickly risen to the top of the international rankings. Covell was selected by the New York Club with the first overall pick in the inaugural MoonPay X Games League Summer Draft, highlighting the team’s commitment to securing the next generation of talent. The roster also features American BMX star Hannah Roberts, a five-time world champion and Olympic silver medalist, and Australian BMX rider Logan Martin, who secured the first-ever Olympic gold medal in BMX Freestyle at the Tokyo Games.
This combination of seasoned champions and emerging superstars is designed to make X Games Club New York a perennial contender. The team’s composition reflects the global nature of the XGL, bringing together athletes from different continents to compete under a single regional banner.
Local Leadership and Community Integration
To ensure the franchise remains authentic to the culture of action sports, UNA Sports Group has appointed Steve Rodriguez as the General Manager of X Games Club New York. Rodriguez is a foundational figure in the New York City skateboarding scene, known for his work as an entrepreneur and his advocacy for skate park development throughout the five boroughs. His deep ties to the local community are expected to be instrumental in bridging the gap between a high-stakes professional league and the grassroots culture of the Tri-State region.
Rodriguez’s role will involve overseeing the day-to-day operations of the club, managing athlete relations, and identifying opportunities for community engagement. The organization has expressed a commitment to going beyond the competition arena, with plans to host athlete appearances, youth clinics, and fan engagement events across New York state. This localized approach is intended to build a "home team" sentiment that has historically been missing from individual-focused action sports.
The 2026 Competitive Calendar and Economic Stakes
The MoonPay X Games League has outlined an ambitious schedule for the 2026 Summer Season, which will serve as the inaugural proving ground for the new franchise model. The season is set to begin on June 26 in Sacramento, California, a city with a rich history of supporting action sports. From there, the league will travel to Chiba, Japan, for an international leg that underscores the global reach of the X Games brand.
The season will culminate in the XGL Championship, scheduled for July 24–26 in New Orleans at the Caesars Superdome. This championship event will not only determine the inaugural league winner but also feature a significant financial incentive. The team that secures the highest cumulative score across the season will be awarded a $500,000 team purse. This prize structure is part of a larger effort to provide athletes with more consistent earning opportunities through salary, bonuses, and profit-sharing, moving away from the "winner-take-all" prize money model of previous decades.
In addition to the summer schedule, the XGL is prioritizing New York as a future host market for both Summer and Winter X Games events. The state’s diverse geography—ranging from the urban centers of New York City to the mountainous regions upstate—makes it an ideal location for a league that operates across multiple seasons.
Industry Context and Long-Term Implications
The sale of the New York franchises for an eight-figure sum is a clear indicator of the rising valuation of action sports properties. This trend has been accelerating since MSP Sports Capital acquired a majority stake in the X Games from ESPN in 2022. Under the ownership of MSP, the X Games has sought to monetize its intellectual property more effectively by adopting the best practices of traditional sports leagues.
The involvement of Moelis & Co LLC suggests that the XGL is being positioned as a premium investment asset. By creating a scarcity of franchises and tying them to major metropolitan markets, the league is following the playbook that led to the massive valuation increases seen in Major League Soccer (MLS) and various esports leagues. For investors, the appeal lies in the X Games’ unique demographic profile; the brand maintains a high level of engagement with Gen Z and Millennial audiences, a cohort that is increasingly difficult to reach through traditional broadcast television.
Furthermore, the team-based model addresses a long-standing challenge in action sports: athlete longevity. In an individual-based system, an injury can result in a total loss of income for a skater or rider. In a league structure, athletes are part of a team entity, providing them with a safety net and a more structured career path. This stability is expected to improve the overall level of competition and allow for more sophisticated training and recovery protocols.
Official Responses and Strategic Vision
The leadership at UNA Sports Group has emphasized that their investment is based on the belief that action sports are at a "pivotal moment" of mainstream expansion. In a joint statement, Wright, Rader, and Thau noted that the shift to a team-based model creates a "strong platform for growth, fan engagement, and long-term value." They highlighted the synergy between their capital and the expertise of the X Games management team as a key factor in their decision to acquire the New York franchises.
The broader implications for the Tri-State region are also significant. New York has long been a hub for skateboarding culture—exemplified by iconic spots like the Brooklyn Banks—but it has rarely hosted large-scale, multi-day action sports festivals of the X Games’ caliber. By establishing a permanent franchise in the state, the XGL is effectively claiming a stake in the New York sports market, competing for attention alongside the region’s established professional teams.
As the XGL prepares for its 2026 season, the eyes of the sporting world will be on New York to see if this new model can successfully translate the rebellious energy of action sports into a disciplined, profitable, and fan-centric professional league. With a roster of champions, a seasoned management team, and the financial backing of UNA Sports Group, X Games Club New York is positioned to be the flagship of this new era.
