Sport: X Games plans global growth in 2013

The X Games, a US-based multi-sport festival including such sports as skateboarding and motocross, will expand globally in 2013 with three new events to start in 2013, founder ESPN announced on Tuesday.

ESPN produces current events in Los Angeles and winter-sport haven Aspen, Colorado, plus another in France with partner Canal Plus. Cities will bid in 2012 to host three other 2013 X Games to be staged outside the United States.

The X Games, which began in 1995, includes BMX cycling, skateboarding, motocross and rally car racing while the Winter X Games features skiing, snowboard and snowmobile events.

Olympic snowboard champion Shaun White and skateboarding legend Tony Hawk are among the athletes whose stature has grown as their sports have been featured in such competitions.

Cities chosen in 2012 would sign a three-year presentation deal with ESPN, with new sports and cultural elements from host regions set to be part of the X Games lineup.

"We are incredibly excited to take the X Games to the next level," said Scott Guglielmino, senior vice president of programming and Global X Games.

Since 1998, the X Games has organized smaller-level demonstration and qualifying events in Brazil, Canada, China, Dubai, France, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, Singapore, Spain, Taiwan and the Philippines.

"While we have produced events under the X Games banner outside the US for many years, these four new X Games events will be of the same size and stature as the Los Angeles and Aspen events," Guglielmino said.

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