​XC New York celebrates winning the first ever X Games League championship. X Games / Jhank Gonzalez OrtizFor nearly three decades, athletes have competed at X Games seeking individual glory. Action sports, by their nature, are a solitary, not a team, pursuit—though there have been notable exceptions over the years, such as Tony Hawk and Andy Macdonald’s vert doubles dominance of the ’90s and early aughts. However, in 2026, the launch of X Games League reimagined what action sports competition could look like. Under this new structure, 40 skateboarding and BMX athletes were drafted onto four teams of 10. The clubs—XC New York, XC São Paulo, XC Tokyo and XC Los Angeles for the summer season, with winter clubs to be announced—have ownership structures, jerseys and salaries, components found in any sports league. The first season of league competition featured three stops: Sacramento, Chiba and the championship in New Orleans, all happening in the span of 30 days from late June to late July. Each stop resembled the standalone X Games events of the past, in which athletes competed for individual medals. Undrafted athletes as well as athletes in non-league disciplines (namely, Moto X) were still in the mix for podium spots—and many of them did land there, sending a message to the club general managers who did not draft them. But during XGL’s inaugural summer season, athletes also racked up points for their teams. These points would eventually see one team crowned league champion at the final event in New Orleans July 24–26.As the season came to a close, many athletes found that the biggest surprise wasn’t the format itself—it was how quickly they embraced competing for something bigger than themselves. Nowhere was that more evident than with the inaugural champions, XC New York.Over the three events, New York emerged as a powerhouse, matching XC Tokyo stride for stride in the standings while producing standout performances across multiple disciplines. The roster featured established veterans alongside rising stars.For athletes accustomed to spending events focused solely on their own contests, the experience of cheering on their teammates became an entirely new part of the job. Daniel Sandoval experienced that shift firsthand when XC New York’s season fell on his shoulders in the final event of the championship, Men’s BMX Park.“It was a collective of things with the team. Everyone did their part, every point mattered and everything came down to the wire,” Sandoval said. Sandoval’s bronze medal in BMX Park Best Trick in Sacramento was only one contribution to XC New York’s season. Olympic silver medalist and BMX athlete Hannah Roberts entered the season as one of the faces of the new league, having been drafted 12th overall by XC New York general manager Steve Rodriguez. While her own performances remained among the sport’s elite—including silver medals in Sacramento and Chiba despite competing through a shoulder injur