
X Games Kicks Off New Era With First Production as an Independent Company ESPN sold controlling interest in the event to MSP Sports Capital last year By Jason Dachman, Chief Editor
Friday, January 27, 2023 - 12:57 pm
Print This Story | Subscribe
Story Highlights
A new chapter in the history of X Games begins today in Aspen, CO, as the now independently run company hosts its first major event since ESPN sold a controlling stake to MSP Sports Capital in October. ESPN (still a minority owner) and ABC will carry live coverage throughout the weekend, but X Games leadership is also looking to create a more multiplatform, interactive experience to appeal to younger audiences.
I like to call us a 27-year-old startup, says new X Games CEO Steve Flisler, because, even though X Games has been one of the most incredible action-sports and lifestyle-media brands for years, we're coming at this with a totally new mindset. We want to create a true 360 audience experience that goes beyond the linear-TV broadcast. We're not thinking of streaming and digital as a second screen; we're thinking of it as an extended experience. We are inviting our at-home audience to hang out with us and sit and chat live on Twitch or YouTube so that they feel like they are a part of it. And we'll be doing that 10+ hours a day.
Onsite in Aspen: Familiar Production Players Return, But With New Goals In terms of the production operations in Aspen, X Games veterans will see a lot of familiar faces from years past. Echo Entertainment is back to roll out all the technical infrastructure and oversee production for the linear broadcast. Dome Productions trucks are parked at the compound, which is powered by Illumination Dynamics. BSI is back to manage RF wireless transmission across the mountain.
Across the three venues at Buttermilk Mountain (Big Air, SuperPipe, and Slopestyle), there are 53 unique camera positions to cover five sports and two host sets (one for broadcast, one for digital). The camera complement includes a CondorCam point-to-point wired aerial system, three jibs, seven super slo-mos, and four RF FollowCams, which are used by camera operators on skis and snowboards to provide a moving shot from right behind or on board each athlete in the Slopestyle and Big Air. The RF cameras provide dynamic tracking shots of the athletes as they compete. X Games will also deploy an ENG drone to capture beauty shots from around the mountain.
X Games not only represents one of the most iconic media properties out there, Flisler says. It is also synonymous with innovation. The spirit of X Games is that there are no limits - whether it's the field to play or how we create the broadcast. We are going to continue that tradition and take it to the next level. I'm excited for people to see what we have in store.
The production team has also refreshed the graphics package that will be featured in both linear and digital coverage. The new look of the motion-graphics and animations packages, he notes, adds a new color palette to the iconic X Games structural elements. X Games is also creating custom graphics and animations for several brand partners, as well as integrating the overall look with its new merchandise line.
We are building out this weekend-long content experience that will [feature] premium flagship events on ESPN and ABC as well as a more participatory streaming experience, says Flisler. We think about it like a macro and micro version of the storyline, where we have a centralized content operation that can serve both rather than bifurcating the linear and digital. It's an extended experience, so that means that everything - our graphics, music, guests, and the overall presentation - has to be done [in tandem].
Creating a 360 Audience Experience: Fortress LA Joins the Party New to Aspen this year is Fortress LA, a production and creative team that X Games has brought in to manage all streaming production. Known for producing live streams of high-profile music festivals and digital events, Fortress LA has been brought in to bring a new mindset to the X Games live-streaming coverage on YouTube and Twitch.
As we look to grow the streaming [presentation], says Flisler, we will take our premium broadcast package and tweak it a little bit [for streaming] with more humor and sound bites to make it feel more raw. The term I like to use is polished scuff.'
When an athlete wins a gold medal, for example, they will head to the linear-broadcast set for a four- or five-minute interview with co-hosts Selema Masekala and Victoria Arlen - as has traditionally been the case on X Games broadcasts. After that, the gold-medal winner will be walked over to the digital host set (located at the new interactive X Fest Snow festival experience) for a more casual extended interview for the streaming audience.
That will be more of a casual-style hangout, says Flisler. It could be 30 or more minutes. We might even ask them to bring their trainer or friends on with them. We're going to lean into that kind of style. We made a very conscious decision to build both a linear-TV host set and a digital host set in order to create that 360 audience experience.
In addition to a dedicated host set, this year's streaming experience will focus heavily on the music performances taking place throughout the next three days.
Music has always been a part of the X Games body, notes Flisler, but we're making it a bigger part of the [presentation]. Rather than having one big concert at night, we have seven music acts that will be integrated into the event schedule throughout the three days. And we're going to stream a majority of those acts right on to Twitch and YouTube. If you hang out all weekend, you're going to get the competition, but you're also going to have an entire
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
07/10/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, today announced the latest Long-Term Supported (LTS) release of Dalet Flex. Build...
06/09/2026
June 9 2026, 23:00 (PDT) Dolby and MagentaTV Bring Fans Closer to the FIFA Worl...
11/08/2026
Weekly immersive broadcasts will feature 8K 3D video, a 180-degree field of view...
11/08/2026
By Briana Brady, Social Media Manager, Production Hub
Sports content is having ...
11/08/2026
She addresses why media organizations need more than asset storage, how sports t...
11/08/2026
Remote commentary has improved significantly on these broadcasts
At a clip of ...
11/08/2026
A pair of LANTIME IMS M2000 PTP Grandmasters deliver resilient timing infrastruc...
11/08/2026
LTN has announced expanded capabilities for its Live Event Master Control offering, providing sports broadcasters, leagues, rights holders, and content owners w...
11/08/2026
WTA Ventures has appointed IMG as its managed production services partner in a multi-year agreement commencing with the 2027 season. The partnership is the late...
11/08/2026
The New York Jets and CBS New York have agreed to a multi-year extension of their partnership, keeping CBS New York as the official broadcast home of the team. ...
11/08/2026
Nielsen Holdings and DoubleVerify have announced a definitive agreement under which Nielsen will acquire DoubleVerify in an all-cash transaction with an enterpr...
11/08/2026
The Audio Engineering Society has announced the results of its 2026 Board of Dir...
11/08/2026
The CSN co-founder details its network and affiliate' model, how creator wi...
11/08/2026
Gravity Media is providing host broadcast operations for the Esports World Cup (EWC) 2026, supporting ESL FACEIT Group (EFG) in delivering the tournament to glo...
11/08/2026
TAG Video Systems has released a memory usage optimization for its MCM software that reduces the cost per channel by up to two-thirds for compressed workflows. ...
11/08/2026
SMT is expanding its technology partnership with the Cincinnati Open this year, adding new LED displays, production capabilities, and fan-facing experiences at ...
11/08/2026
The Pac-12 has announced that home Olympic sports broadcasts throughout the fall season will be available free on the conference's YouTube channel at youtub...
11/08/2026
Spreading a message of faith requires both widespread accessibility and uncompromising visual quality. Real Life Network (RLN), a free, faith-based digital stre...
11/08/2026
Taking the synergy of sports and entertainment a step further, the NFL venue in Nashville will house iterations of two iconic music clubs
The marriage of Taylo...
11/08/2026
Free library captures pro classical string section
There's no shortage of freebies in The Crow Hill Company's line-up, with their Vaults series offe...
11/08/2026
Percussion instrument introduces all-new engine
Emergence Audio have just introduced a instrument that brings together a vast collection of percussive analo...
11/08/2026
Introduces new all-in-one Spatial Panner tool
Boris FX have recently announced the latest major update for their mastering and broadcast-focused DAW softwar...
11/08/2026
Rohde & Schwarz installs millimeter wave security scanners at Airports of Thaila...
11/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
11/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
11/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
11/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
11/08/2026
farmerswife and Cirkus will return to IBC 2026 to showcase new tools designed to help broadcast, media and post-production teams manage workflows with greater s...
11/08/2026
LiveUs LU900Q intelligent production unit played a central role in the host broadcast operation for the Games in Glasgow (July 23 to August 2, 2026). The host b...
11/08/2026
Jigsaw24 has appointed James Morse as Client Director, Media Sales, as it deepens its focus on sports, live events and integrated production. His appointment co...
11/08/2026
Net Insight today announced that DMC Production Norway has selected its Open Live Media solution to centralize the production of Blinkfestivalen 2026. Combining...
11/08/2026
Modular HEVC and JPEG XS workflows enabled resilient, ultra-low-latency delivery for leading linear and digital media platforms across all 104 matches
Appear A...
11/08/2026
Homecoming Artist Spotlight: Fabiola M ndez The first cuatrista to graduate from Berklee talks about the community that shaped her career ahead of her Homecom...
11/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
11/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
11/08/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, today announced Dalet Solution Suites, a new portfolio of cloud-native solutions ...
11/08/2026
Mediagenix, a global leader in smart content solutions to profitably connect the right content to the right audience, will showcase how media companies can prep...
11/08/2026
Transforming your audience into advocates with Kelsey Gamble 10 August 2026
Building community, harnessing fandom for marketing and activating the four stages ...
11/08/2026
Whether gamers are looking for high-octane action or a laid-back afternoon, Appl...
11/08/2026
Hosts D ith S and Kathryn Thomas rose to the occasion on Tuesday (August 11)...
11/08/2026
Every new generation of accelerated computing demands more from the infrastructure underneath it - more compute performance, higher rack density and more effici...
11/08/2026
A Day in May airs Wednesday 12 August at 9.35pm RT One and RT Player
A Day in May revisits the people and stories behind Ireland's historic marriage equa...
11/08/2026
As AI shifts from chatbots to autonomous agents, open models are serving market ...
11/08/2026
The open source ecosystem is making it easier for AI enthusiasts and developers to build, customize and run increasingly capable agents locally.
Throughout Au...
10/08/2026
Weekly immersive broadcasts will feature 8K 3D video, a 180-degree field of view...
10/08/2026
Saturation plug-in free until 20 August 2026
fedDSP have announced the launch of Raiju, a new guitar pedal-style saturation plug-in that's capable of de...
10/08/2026
New mix-comparison & feedback tool
Independent Swedish record label I/O Music have recently released a handy new tool that provides artists, engineers, prod...
10/08/2026
Additive soft synth gains free counterpart
Sound Radix have just released a free monophonic additive software synth that's based on the same engine as t...
10/08/2026
Chroma integrates MXO oscilloscopes into ATS 8000 platform, rounding out its hig...