3 October 2011

The X games have become so popular because males in their teens to their 20’s can connect to it. X games have taken something a lot of people like to do and mixed it with high corporations like TV and sponsors. Businesses are interested in the X games athletes endorsing their products because of the amount of people who watch and participate in these games. These athletes are celebrities to many people, and they get popular the more people want to be like them: same hair cut, clothing style, and sports equipment. When these BMX riders, snowboarders, and skaters are riding around with equipment from one particular sponsor they want that stuff too.

                These athletes make that money! Original salaries were the jackpots from winning a particular game/event. Now however it’s those prizes plus however much they are making by the sponsors. The average participant in the X games has a 6 digit salary. In the beginning of the X games, sponsor money was at an estimated $25 million, they predicted an estimate of $107 million for the year after this article was written.

                In 1993 ESPN management decided that they wanted to form a contest with international action sport athletes. June 24 through July 1 2005 was the first ever Extreme Games in Rhode Island. There were nine future sports: Bungy Jumping, Eco-Challenge, In-line Skating, Skateboarding, Skysurfing, Sport Climbing, Street Luge, Biking and Water Sports. In 1994 the name was officially changed to The X Games because that was what the population preferred to call it. In 1997 the winter sports part of the X Games was started, televised in 198 countries and in 21 different languages. The X Games quickly became a popular sport amongst spectators.

                The X Games went from nothing to something fast! Starting in 1995, these connectible sports have soared amongst favorites. At fist the only prize was from the games themselves, now however you can earn 6 digits with sponsors for endorsing their products. With many different sports, there is a little for everyone.