The inaugural MoonPay X Games League Winter Draft officially set the rosters for the 2027 XGL Winter Season, with ski superstar and four-time X Games medalist Eileen Gu going No. 1 overall to XC Golden State.
The draft was held September 16 at Cosm Los Angeles, bringing together athletes, industry leaders, partners, and fans as 40 ski and snowboard athletes were selected by XC Golden State, XC New York, XC Park City, and XC Whistler. The event marked the next major step in X Games’ new season-long, club-based winter format.
Gu, selected first overall by her hometown club, headlined a draft class that also included global names such as Mark McMorris, Mia Brookes, Scotty James, Kokomo Murase, Red Gerard, and Megan Oldham. The 40 drafted athletes represent 14 countries and range in age from 14-year-old Patti Zhou to 32-year-olds McMorris and James.
“I just wanted to say how excited and honored and grateful I am to be the first overall pick of the X Games League,” Gu said. “Thank you so much to XC Golden State. I’m really excited to make something super magical happen this season.”
Gu also pointed to the larger impact the league could have on freeskiing and action sports. “I think this league is going to be so big for our industry, for our sport, and my dream of bringing freeskiing to more people will be realized one step at a time with you guys,” she said. “So I’m really excited and let’s do this thing!”
The first round began with XC Golden State General Manager Jonny Moseley selecting Gu. XC New York followed with General Manager Dave Sypniewski taking snowboard icon Mark McMorris at No. 2. XC Park City General Manager Sharalee “Haze” Hazen selected snowboarder Yiming Su third overall, while XC Whistler General Manager Ryan Stutt made skier Megan Oldham the first-ever draft pick in club history.
The MoonPay X Games League Winter Season begins January 29-31 at Buttermilk in Aspen, Colorado, the longtime home of X Games winter competition. The season will then travel to Calgary, Alberta, Canada, February 19-21 before concluding with the championship event in Ruka, Finland, April 9-11.
Across those three stops, athletes will compete for individual results while also earning points for their clubs. The format gives each event a larger season-long consequence, with XC Golden State, XC New York, XC Park City, and XC Whistler all chasing the first MoonPay X Games League Winter Championship.
“For nearly 30 years, Winter X Games has created iconic individual moments,” X Games CEO Jeremy Bloom said. “Tonight, we added something entirely new: consequences across a season. Four teams just drafted the best ski and snowboard athletes in the world, and now every result in Aspen, Canada and Finland will matter toward one championship.”
Bloom framed the draft as the moment the league’s winter format became tangible for fans. “We’re taking a brand people have loved for decades and giving fans something they’ve never had before: teams to follow, a season to track and a championship to fight for,” he said. “Tonight was the moment the MoonPay X Games League Winter Season became real.”
The winter league follows the debut of the MoonPay X Games League Summer Season, which introduced X Games’ new team-based structure. Rather than competing only for individual medals, athletes now also contribute points to club standings, creating a full-season championship race while preserving the creativity and progression that define X Games competition.
Each Winter X Games Club features 10 athletes, five men and five women, selected through the draft. The co-ed structure is designed to build deeper fan engagement, create season-long storylines, and give athletes additional earning opportunities beyond traditional prize purses.
The draft took place inside Cosm Los Angeles, where the venue’s wraparound LED dome and immersive production turned the roster-building event into a live sports and entertainment showcase. Fans were also able to watch the draft through the ESPN App in the United States and globally on The Roku Sports Channel, YouTube, Kick, and the X Games TV FAST Channel on Amazon.
The draft was presented by MoonPay, with additional support from league founding partner Monster Energy and league partners Stake, High Noon, Amazon, 805 Beer, VKTRY Protein, Kraken Rum, No Cap!, Minky Couture, Nixon, Kick, Fever, and Roku.
Additional details, including competition dates, disciplines, broadcast and streaming information, and fan experiences for each XGL Winter stop, will be announced in the coming months.
2027 MoonPay X Games League Winter Season:
- January 29-31 — Aspen, Colorado — Buttermilk
- February 19-21 — Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- April 9-11 — Ruka, Finland
First Round Highlights:
- No. 1 — Eileen Gu — XC Golden State
- No. 2 — Mark McMorris — XC New York
- No. 3 — Yiming Su — XC Park City
- No. 4 — Megan Oldham — XC Whistler
Winter X Games Clubs:
- XC Golden State — General Manager Jonny Moseley
- XC New York — General Manager Dave Sypniewski
- XC Park City — General Manager Sharalee “Haze” Hazen
- XC Whistler — General Manager Ryan Stutt
Visit X Games for more information.
Learn more about MoonPay X Games League here.
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