BOULDER, Colo. (August 13, 2026) — The landscape of professional action sports underwent a seismic shift today as the MoonPay X Games League (XGL) announced the four visionary leaders tasked with stewarding its inaugural Winter Clubs. With the final pieces of the organizational puzzle now in place, the stage is set for the XGL to bridge the gap between individual athletic brilliance and the strategic depth of team-based sports.
The announcement confirms the identity of the four founding Winter Clubs and introduces a roster of general managers whose collective experience spans decades of competition, marketing, and cultural curation. As the league pivots from a successful summer launch to a high-stakes winter debut, the appointment of Jonny Moseley, Dave Sypniewski, Sharalee “Haze” Hazen, and Ryan Stutt signals that the XGL is not merely an event series—it is a sophisticated, year-round professional ecosystem.
The Architecture of the Winter Season
The XGL is fundamentally changing the way action sports are consumed. By moving away from the traditional "single-event" model, the league is introducing a structured season where performance is aggregated, and championships are earned through consistency rather than isolated flashes of brilliance.
The four founding clubs, which will serve as the pillars of the winter circuit, include XC Golden State, XC New York, XC Park City, and the newly confirmed XC Whistler. These organizations are designed to foster regional identity, allowing fans to rally behind teams that reflect the specific ethos of their respective home mountains and cities.
General Managers will hold total authority over the "competitive engine" of their clubs. Their responsibilities include scouting the global talent pool, negotiating athlete signings, managing team dynamics, and developing the strategic depth necessary to win in a league where team depth matters as much as individual skill.
Meet the Architects: The General Managers
The leadership teams appointed today represent the "Who’s Who" of the winter sports world, balancing competitive pedigree with modern business acumen.
XC Golden State: Jonny Moseley
A pioneer in the truest sense, Olympic gold medalist Jonny Moseley takes the helm of XC Golden State. His career, defined by his innovative performance at the 1998 Nagano Olympics, serves as the blueprint for the modern freeskiing movement. Moseley’s transition from the podium to the broadcast booth and now to the executive suite highlights his deep understanding of the sport’s evolution. His mandate for Golden State is clear: infuse the team with the creativity and aggressive spirit that defined the Northern California and Lake Tahoe ski scenes.
XC New York: Dave Sypniewski and Barrett Christy Cummins
Tasked with defending the prestige of the New York brand—which secured a dramatic championship in the XGL’s summer season—Dave Sypniewski brings a career’s worth of experience in commercial growth and athlete management. Having worked with industry titans like Burton and Thrasher, Sypniewski understands that winning requires a "moneyball" approach to talent acquisition. He is bolstered by the presence of Special Advisor Barrett Christy Cummins, an 11-time X Games medalist whose legendary status adds an unmatched layer of technical authority to the club’s operations.
XC Park City: Sharalee “Haze” Hazen
Sharalee “Haze” Hazen brings a unique perspective as the only returning GM from the inaugural summer season. Having led XC Los Angeles, Hazen is uniquely positioned to translate the lessons of the summer circuit to the winter arena. Known for her work in athlete advocacy and the creation of platforms like The Uninvited Invitational, Hazen is focused on building a culture where athletic performance is sustained by a supportive, community-driven environment.
XC Whistler: Ryan Stutt
The final piece of the puzzle, XC Whistler, will be led by Ryan Stutt. A Canadian media powerhouse and founder of Forecast Ski and King Snow, Stutt has been a primary documentarian of the sport for over 20 years. His recent work on the documentary Our Kind of Chaos proves his ability to weave compelling narratives. Stutt’s appointment ensures that XC Whistler will serve as a bastion of authenticity, grounded in the rich, deep-rooted history of the world’s most iconic ski resort.
Chronology of the XGL Expansion
The rapid evolution of the XGL has been nothing short of historic. The league’s trajectory over the past 18 months serves as a testament to the viability of the team-based model:
- 2025: Initial planning and pilot testing of the team-based format across existing X Games events.
- Early 2026: Official launch of the MoonPay X Games League (XGL), introducing the concept of year-round, team-based, co-ed competition.
- Summer 2026: The inaugural XGL Summer Season. The league achieves significant market penetration, reaching 18.3 million U.S. viewers across ABC and ESPN—a staggering 78.5 percent increase over the 2025 metrics.
- August 2026: Announcement of the four Winter GMs and the confirmation of the XC Whistler franchise.
- September 16, 2026: The inaugural XGL Winter Draft at Cosm Los Angeles.
- January 2027: Official kickoff of the inaugural XGL Winter Season in Aspen, Colorado.
Data-Driven Growth: The XGL Advantage
The success of the 2026 Summer Season provides a concrete foundation for the winter expansion. The 78.5% viewership increase is not just a statistical outlier; it is proof of concept. The "team-based" format allowed for season-long narratives that simply did not exist in the old format.
In the New Orleans Summer Championship, the competitive intensity was palpable. XC New York’s victory over XC Tokyo by a mere 10 points on the final run of the season demonstrated the efficacy of the points-based system. By aggregating scores across 10-athlete rosters, the league has ensured that every single run—by every single athlete—holds consequence. This creates a "sticky" viewership experience where fans are incentivized to watch not just the final heat, but the entire developmental arc of the season.
Official Responses and Strategic Vision
"For the first time in X Games history, someone has to build a championship roster, not just produce a championship run," said Jeremy Bloom, CEO of X Games. Bloom’s vision for the XGL centers on professionalization. By shifting the burden of success from the individual to the club, the league is creating a professional career path for athletes that offers more than just prize money—it offers stability, team support, and a long-term commercial platform.
The GMs themselves echo this sentiment. For Dave Sypniewski, the goal is "a club with the right mix of talent, versatility, and competitive mindset." Sharalee Hazen emphasizes that the XGL is about "giving athletes, fans, and clubs a shared journey." These statements underline a pivot toward professional sports management that aligns the X Games with the organizational maturity of the NFL, NBA, or Formula 1.
The Road to the Winter Draft
The immediate focus for the four GMs is the September 16 Winter Draft. Held at the immersive Cosm venue in Los Angeles, the event will see each GM select a 10-athlete roster from the global elite of skiing and snowboarding.
For the fans, this represents a unique opportunity to witness the formation of teams that will compete for the title. With a limited number of "Superfan" tickets available, the draft is being positioned as a cultural touchstone. It marks the first time that the "roster-building" aspect of action sports will be performed in the public eye, turning the off-season into a high-stakes media event.
Implications for the Future of Action Sports
The creation of the XGL, and specifically the professionalization of the Winter Clubs, has profound implications for the industry.
- Financial Sustainability: By introducing a team-based revenue model, the XGL provides athletes with compensation opportunities far beyond traditional prize purses. This allows for a more sustainable career, reducing the "boom or bust" cycle inherent in extreme sports.
- Global Connectivity: The geographic branding of teams (Golden State, New York, Park City, Whistler) creates localized fanbases. This is a crucial step in moving action sports from a "niche" interest to a "mass-market" spectator sport.
- Progression and Culture: The league’s commitment to "authentic stories" ensures that while the structure is becoming more professional, the soul of the sport—innovation, risk-taking, and community—remains intact.
As the calendar turns toward the 2027 season, the XGL is no longer a concept—it is a reality. With the leadership of Moseley, Sypniewski, Hazen, and Stutt, the inaugural Winter Season promises to be a defining chapter in the history of winter sports, proving that when the best athletes are brought together under a unified team banner, the result is nothing short of legendary.
