X Games, Aspen Snowmass announce three-year deal to keep winter contest at Buttermilk

When Jeremy Bloom said “we are not going anywhere” in regard to X Games and Aspen this past January, he apparently meant it. The relatively new CEO of the action sports franchise had voiced his desire to keep the winter contest at its longtime home at Buttermilk Ski Area and on Wednesday the official announcement was made for its return.

“As the X Games League expands globally, Aspen remains our crown jewel, the iconic winter stop that athletes, fans and partners circle on the calendar every year,” Bloom said via a news release.

X Games and Aspen Snowmass announced a new three-year host agreement that will keep the contest at Buttermilk through the 2028-29 winter season. Aspen has hosted Winter X Games since 2002, making this coming winter’s event No. 26 in a row. Snow Summit Mountain Resort in California hosted the inaugural Winter X Games in 1997, less than two years after the first Summer X Games was held in Rhode Island.

The brainchild of Disney-owned ESPN, the controlling stake of the X Games franchise was sold to MSP Sports Capital in 2022. Bloom, the former Olympic moguls skier and University of Colorado football star, was named CEO in December 2024.

“Aspen Snowmass is where the best in freeskiing and snowboarding come to compete at the highest levels every year,” said John Rigney, chief business development officer at Aspen One, in the news release. “We’ve proudly partnered with X Games for more than 25 years because we love their commitment to showcasing the energy and vibrancy of our sports on a global scale, while delivering an elevated experience for athletes and spectators alike. We can’t wait to do it again.”

Exact dates for the 2027 contest at Buttermilk “will be announced in the coming months,” per the release. It’s typically held in late January, although with the launch of the MoonPay X Games League — a new team-based concept — and the desire to add more locations (it’s expected there will be three winter and three summer XGL stops going forward), dates could change.

The inaugural XGL winter season will launch in January 2027, with the first winter draft — where franchises will choose their athletes — scheduled for Sept. 16 in Los Angeles.

“Aspen is such a special place to compete at X Games each year,” Canadian snowboard superstar Mark McMorris said in the news release. An XGL founder athlete, McMorris’ 25 medals are the most in Winter X Games history. “The fan energy at the base of the mountain is unmatched and after 25 years of partnership, I’m excited for the first stop of X Games League to take place in Aspen!”

The locations of the other winter stops have not been announced. This summer’s lineup includes trips to Sacramento (June 26-28); Chiba, Japan (July 4-5); and New Orleans (July 24-26).

And X Games isn’t the only competition to recently announce its return to Aspen, as Shaun White’s Snow League will bring its second season to Buttermilk from Jan 7-9. While the 2026 Winter Olympics are behind the athletes, this coming season does include March’s world championships in Austria. The full World Cup schedule has not yet been announced.