ESPN, the action sports leader, will organize and televise a new annual team event, The X Games Global Championship, which will feature two distinct venues hosting competitions in summer and winter action sports simultaneously. Six teams of the world's top athletes will be grouped together by their region of origin to compete in the four-day event, May 15-18, 2003.

At one X Games Global Championship site, X Games sports such as Skateboard, Bicycle Stunt, Moto X and Aggressive In-line Skate will be featured, while Winter X competitions such as Snowboard and Ski will take place at a different venue at the same time. Results from both venues will be combined for an overall team score. The primary outcome of the entire event will be to crown one of the six teams the X Games Global Champion.

Both venues are still being determined. Sites under consideration for the X Games Global Championship summer competitions include Atlanta's Georgia Dome, Orlando's Citrus Bowl and San Antonio's Alamo Dome. Potential winter sites include Mammoth Mountain (Mammoth, Calif.) and Whistler Blackcomb Resort (British Columbia, Canada). Site selections are expected to be finalized by the end of June.

In a format similar to Davis Cup tennis, the X Games Global Championship centers on the formation of six teams representing different regions of the world: U.S., Europe, Canada, South America, Asia and Australia. Each of the teams will consist of two athletes per region for each sport discipline. In addition to the overall team scores, individual performances will be recognized with prize money and medals.

The creation of the X Games Global Championship establishes a major ESPN action sports championship event in each of the first three quarters of every calendar year: Winter X Games (first quarter), X Games Global Championship (second quarter) and X Games (third quarter). ESPN, ESPN2 and ABC Sports will combine to televise 12 original hours of coverage from the inaugural X Games Global Championship, May 17-24, 2003, while ESPN International will distribute coverage of the event worldwide.

"This first-of-its-kind competition will verify that passion for action sports is truly a worldwide, year-round phenomenon," said Ron Semiao, ESPN Vice President, Programming and Managing Director, Global X Games. "With medals, prize money and global bragging rights on the line, this event will bolster new rivalries and strategy by incorporating two venues and an intriguing team element to action sports."

FIRST-EVER X GAMES GLOBAL CHAMPIONSHIP SIX SPORTS -- 11 EVENTS

Skateboard

Vert

Park

Bicycle Stunt

Vert

Park

Moto X

Freestyle

Aggressive In-line Skate

Vert

Park

Snowboard

Women's SuperPipe

Men's SuperPipe

Ski

Women's SuperPipe

Men's SuperPipe

SIX TEAMS

Asia, Australia, Canada, Europe, South America and U.S.

More details, including the sites, event format, schedule, sponsors and athlete invitation criteria, will be announced at a later time.

X GAMES - INTERNATIONAL FACTS

ESPN's X Games franchise currently includes events in the U.S. and around the world. Each year, the world's best athletes gather to compete in the Winter X Games and X Games, which has each become the premier action sports championship for that season. Winter X Games VI took place in Aspen, Colo. in January, while X Games VIII will return to Philadelphia, August 15-19. In addition, ESPN stages international competitions as qualifiers for the X Games, including an annual Asian Qualifier (also an Asian Xtour), European Qualifier and Latin American Qualifier.

At Winter X Games VI, 47% of the medalists were from outside the U.S., while at X Games VII last August, international competitors captured 29% of the medals. Athletes from 21 countries competed in X Games VII, while 16 countries had athletes compete in Winter X Games VI.