AI judging in X Games Aspen Snowboarding Superpipe, Skateboarding league with no judges (PSL) and X Games League 2026.
Are Urban Sports/Action Sports taking a turn?
Mike Mo Launches a New Skateboarding League with an Innovative Format
Professional skater Mike Mo has announced the launch of a new skateboarding league with an innovative and simplified format that anyone can watch and understand. Through an Instagram post, Mo explained that he has been developing this idea for years with the goal of differentiating it from any other competition and making it completely objective.
The first event was an exhibition match on January 25 in Los Angeles, featuring eight of the world’s best skaters competing in teams.
The event was filmed and will be broadcasted on YouTube in February 1.
Mike Mo has also requested feedback from the community to improve the format and make it as good as possible. “I’m very interested to see what people think after watching the first one,” he commented.
Finally, Mo encouraged people to share the news with anyone who might be interested and assured that, regardless of the outcome, it will be an entertaining experiment.
In January 2025, the X Games in Aspen, Colorado, introduced artificial intelligence (AI) to assist in judging snowboarding events, marking a significant innovation in action sports. This initiative, led by X Games CEO Jeremy Bloom and Google founder Sergey Brin, utilized Google Cloud’s Vertex AI to analyze extensive footage of halfpipe runs and established judging criteria. The AI system evaluated practice sessions and predicted top finishers, providing real-time analysis during competitions.
While the AI’s assessments did not influence official scores, they offered valuable insights to both judges and viewers, aiming to enhance objectivity and reduce human error in scoring.
This experiment in AI-assisted judging reflects a broader trend of integrating technology into subjective sports to improve fairness and accuracy. By processing thousands of hours of footage and applying established criteria, the AI system could detect nuances that might be overlooked by human judges, such as slight hand drags or subtle differences in trick execution. Bloom emphasized that the goal was not to replace human judges but to augment their capabilities, ensuring more precise and consistent evaluations. This development suggests a future where AI plays a supportive role in sports officiating, offering a blend of technological advancement and human expertise.
Red Bull Featured is an innovative BMX competition set to take place on April 12, 2025, at Manchester Central in the United Kingdom. Conceived by BMX legend and Red Bull athlete Sebastian Keep, the event introduces a groundbreaking format that encourages riders to push the boundaries of the sport without the fear of penalties for falls. This approach aims to inspire participants to attempt world-first tricks, fostering a spirit of innovation and progression. The competition will feature a custom-built course with four distinct features: High Air, Sub Box, Quarter Pipe, and Jump Box. Each rider will be individually ranked across these features, with the overall winner determined by their cumulative performance. The event has attracted a roster of elite BMX riders, including British Olympic silver medalist Kieran Reilly, eight-time X-Games gold medalist Ryan Williams, and British 2024 European Champion Sasha Pardoe. The lineup also features top female riders such as Hannah Roberts, Lara Lessman, and Sasha Pardoe. This diverse and talented group is set to showcase their skills in a format that prioritizes creativity and progression, promising an exhilarating experience for both participants and spectators.
Back to X Games!
Hear about the future of X Games League.
“The exciting future of X Games under new stewardship has introduced the concept of the X Games League, which will include winter and summer leagues with a focus on sustainability, durability, and increased opportunities for athletes. The leagues will not be geographically bound, allowing for a global presence similar to Formula One and announcing a partnership with U.S. Ski and Snowboard to enhance development, scheduling, and event coordination. The announcement highlighted the importance of collaboration and partnership in achieving the ambitious goals set for the X Games League. They are thrilled about the potential of the X Games League and look forward to working with stakeholders to bring this vision to life.”
June 13, 2024 – New York, NY – X Games, the leading action sports competition for 30 years, will introduce a bold, new global, team-based format in 2026. Backed by MSP Sports Capital (MSP), a Najafi Cos. portfolio company, the X Games League (XGL) will provide a year-round international competition calendar for X Games that will enable athletes to earn compensation beyond the $2.4 million already awarded through existing prize purses.
“In essence, we’ve used Formula One as a model for this new X Games League,” said Jeff Moorad, Executive Chairman of X Games and Principal of MSP Sports Capital. “To that end, we are creating a year-round calendar and introducing new commercial opportunities to accelerate the overall growth of X Games. These opportunities will provide a secure and sustainable future for our most important stakeholders – the athletes. By leveraging the incredibly valuable X Games brand, we will create a durable, global business that will be good for athletes, fans, investors and sponsors.”
Teams will be composed of athletes from multiple disciplines who will compete for individual and team points to earn both individual and team prize purses.
MSP and X Games will secure investors for these new teams. Team investors and XGL athletes will have a platform from which to build and generate additional revenue streams via sponsorships and team-specific merchandise. In an industry first, XGL athletes will be provided with a level of stability that includes guaranteed compensation as well as new commercial opportunities.
“As both an active athlete and an advisor for X Games, I’m excited about the opportunities this new format presents. The long-term vision not only aims to grow action sports on a global level, but also provide athletes with greater security than ever before. For the first time, we will be able to focus on performance while benefiting from a stable and sustainable career path in action sports.”
In addition to James, X Games current investors include two-time Olympic Gold Medalist and seven-time X-Games Gold Medalist Chloe Kim, Grammy Award-winning producer and DJ Diplo, and gaming superstar Ninja. X Games has already seen significant audience growth under MSP leadership in the past 12 months, including 113% growth in streaming audiences and 1.6 million new social followers.
Advising X Games in the league formation is international law firm Proskauer Rose LLP – the leader in representing both well-established and emerging sports leagues, teams and investors worldwide. MSP Sports Capital assumed ownership of X Games in October 2022, with ESPN retaining a minority share.