X Games has launched a new alumni program designed to reconnect and support the thousands of athletes who have helped shape action sports over the past three decades.
Announced on October 20th, X Games Legends marks the first formal alumni initiative in the brand’s 30-year history. Approximately 4,600 athletes have competed at summer and winter X Games since 1995, including some of the most influential names in skiing, snowboarding, skateboarding, BMX, and Moto X.
Connecting Generations of X Games Athletes
The program establishes a verified, members-only community open to all current and former X Games competitors. Led by former X Games freeskier Kristi Leskinen, who serves as the organization’s first Legends Director, the initiative aims to keep athletes connected long after their competitive careers end.
Members will gain access to an online portal featuring a directory and community map, opportunities to communicate with fellow competitors, and the ability to request tickets and credentials for X Games events. The platform will also offer exclusive brand deals from companies including Burton, Armada, and Atomic.
The program will connect athletes with paid and unpaid professional opportunities, including brand partnerships, ambassador positions, and media projects.
“X Games Legends is our way of saying: you helped build this, you will always be part of it, and you are always welcome here. We want our Legends at our events, connected to one another, connected to today’s athletes and continuing to benefit from the platform they helped create.” – X Games CEO Jeremy Bloom.
Supporting Athletes Beyond Competition
Beyond reconnecting former competitors, X Games Legends is designed to create opportunities for athletes to remain involved in action sports through mentorship, professional development, and partnerships with brands.
The initiative will also work with the X Games Foundation to expand resources available to athletes, including financial education, post-career education, mentorship, and support related to brain health and mental wellness.
Several prominent athletes have welcomed the announcement, including 17-time X Games Moto X medalist Travis Pastrana, 11-time X Games snowboard medalist Scotty James, and two-time snowboarding gold medalist Torah Bright.
Pastrana described the initiative as a platform that can help connect athletes with brands and ideas while creating opportunities for those who helped build action sports.
For X Games, the launch represents a new effort to recognize the athletes behind its history while maintaining connections across generations of competitors. The organization hopes the program will allow former athletes to continue contributing to the sports and culture they helped develop.