X Games has announced a major rebrand and a bold new direction with the launch of the X Games League (XGL) in 2026. The new league will introduce a year-round, team-based model to action sports, along with AI-powered judging, sports betting, and an "athlete-first" compensation model, signaling a profound shift from its rebellious, individualistic roots.

The X Games is spinning off its AI judging platform, The Owl AI, into a new standalone tech company. Debuting at Aspen 2025 and set to be deployed at X Games Salt Lake City, this venture aims to integrate AI into subjective sports like gymnastics, complementing human judges. Led by X Games CEO Jeremy Bloom and former Google AI head Josh Gwyther, the Boulder-based company secured an $11 million seed round to revolutionize sports judging and fan experience.