The streaming home of X Games becomes the... streaming home of X Games League.
Roku just got a bit more Xtreme.
The streaming-gateway and content company has landed the digital rights to the first-ever X Games league, titled… X Games League, The Hollywood Reporter has learned. The XGL, sponsored by MonoPay (and thus officially called the MonoPay X Games League), will stream exclusively on Roku Sports Channel. Financial terms of the multi-year deal were not disclosed.
Roku is already the streaming home to the proper X Games, which still take place twice a year. ESPN holds the linear rights to the X Games and XGL. So this is an extension of Roku’s existing deal.
The XGL is a team-based league that launches this summer. Like the X Games themselves, there will be a summer and winter iteration. But first, they must make the teams. To that end, the inaugural MoonPay X Games League Draft will also stream for free on Roku Sports Channel, live from COSM in Los Angeles.
“We’re proud of the partnership we have already built with X Games, bringing these exhilarating competitions to millions of homes and helping new fans discover this iconic sports league,” said Joe Franzetta, head of sports, Roku Media. “We look forward to collaborating further to bring this exciting new format to die-hard viewers and a new generation of fans.”
The XGL will have all the hits — skateboarding, BMX, snowboarding and ski disciplines — and feature both men’s and women’s competitions.
“This league was built for the next generation of sports fans,” said Jeremy Bloom, CEO of X Games. “Our audience is young, digital, and streaming-first. Roku has proven it can grow that audience in a meaningful way. Expanding this partnership around MoonPay X Games League is a strong signal of where our business is headed and the momentum behind the league.”
XGL previously named what it is (somewhat ceremoniously) calling its “Founder Athletes” — Ryan Williams, Nyjah Huston and Ryan Sheckler. The trio will help design formats, shape athlete experience and “build a fan-first culture.” There will be more Founder Athletes announced “over the next several months,” the same time frame in which we’ll get that draft, the team names and the season schedules.
Roku Sports Channel is available free through The Roku Channel, which itself is available on Roku devices and TVs, TheRokuChannel.com, iOS and Android devices, Amazon Fire TV, Samsung TVs, Google TVs and other Android TV OS devices.
