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As I prepare to watch the Winter X Games beginning Friday, January 21st in Aspen, Colorado, my weekend will be filled with thrilling extreme snow sports through January 23rd. While anticipating the Winter Olympics, I couldn’t ask for a better event to satisfy my craving for winter sports action.
In a hurry? The major events of the Winter X Games Aspen 2022 will air on ABC and ESPN. These services will allow you to watch all the action as well as the Olympics and future X Games.
All three services carry X Games. Pick based on your budget:
Best Overall
185+ channels including X Games, all major sports networks, and local channels. 7-day free trial – watch tonight, cancel anytime. Best if you want one service that “just works”, without piecing together bundles.
From $79.99/mo after free trial
Lowest Price
Carries X Games from $45.99/mo – roughly half the price of Fubo. Add channel packs if you want more. The lowest-cost route for X Games, if you are happy with a smaller bundle.
Most Channels
90+ channels including X Games – the closest thing to full cable without a contract. 5-day free trial, then from $59.99/mo.
Away from home? If your content is blocked, a VPN helps you keep streaming. Our top pick is ExpressVPN.
Each year since 1997, extreme winter sports fans have had the opportunity to watch their favorite athletes compete in a variety of events at the Winter X Games.
These events include freestyle skiing, snowboarding, and big air competitions. Let’s take a closer look at why the X Games were created, who has had the most success at the winter version, and how you can watch them live.
The X Games were created to serve as a sort of Olympic games for fans of events that were still somewhat outside of the mainstream. It was also marketed heavily to younger adults who advertisers will pay more money to reach.
The first Summer X Games took place in 1994 and were dedicated to events such as skateboarding, surfing, moto x, and truck driving. In 1997, the first winter version of the event was held at Big Bear Lake in California.
The Winter X Games were held in various other locations between 1998 and 2001, and since 2002, the event has been held at Buttermilk Mountain in Aspen, Colorado.
Over the past 25 years, the winter games have hosted a variety of events such as snow shovel racing, snowmobile trick competitions, and ice climbing. Today, the event focuses mostly on events related to skiing and snowboarding. There is also a competition dedicated to those who film videos of other people on their skis or snowboards.
International competitions also take place during the winter months. Although these outside events are not part of the Winter X Games themselves, often serve as testing grounds for rules changes that might go into effect during future X Games competitions.
The Winter X Games Aspen 2022 will run from Fri, Jan 21st through Sun, Jan 23rd. The schedule is as follows:
The major events of the Winter X Games are televised on ABC and ESPN. You can watch the content on ABC with an antenna. But to watch the events on ESPN (roughly half), you will get to pay for a streaming service.
Lesser events and bonus content should be ESPN+. You can also watch at least some of the competition for free on TikTok, Twitter, YouTube, and Facebook as well as through the ESPN app.
The major streaming services provide ABC and ESPN in their base plans, so you should have no problem finding a plan that works for you.
FuboTV costs $69.99 for its basic service plan. This plan includes all local channels ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC, The CW, and Spanish-language channels. It also includes ESPN, ESPN2, and tons of other sports channels such as NFL Network, FS1, and beIN Sports. You get over 35 sports-oriented channels in a total package of over 100.
All Fubo plans come with unlimited cloud DVR storage and the ability to stream on up to 10 devices. Our FuboTV review has more information.
The DIRECTV Entertainment package comes with ABC, ESPN, and ESPN2 for $69.99 per month. For $64.99 per month, you can upgrade to the Choice package, which includes roughly 100 channels including ESPNU, ESPNews, and the best selection of regional sports networks (RSNs) in the industry.
All plans come with unlimited cloud DVR as long as you sign-up online and an amazing 20 simultaneous streams when you are at home and 3 when you are on the road. See our DIRECTV review for details.
Hulu + Live TV is $69.99 and comes with ABC, ESPN, and 80+ other live TV channels. It also includes ESPN+ (along with Disney+) so you will be able to watch all the coverage that isn’t broadcast on the live channels.
Start Hulu + Live TV Free Trial ↗︎
Hulu comes with unlimited cloud DVR (9 month storage) and simultaneous streaming on two devices. You can learn more in our Hulu + Live TV review.
If you have an antenna, it should be possible to pick up digital signals from ABC and watch much of the Winter X games in high-definition. Our HD Antenna guide shows you how to set up a simple indoor antenna. It’s easy to do and provides a lot more than you probably think.
You can also go with a different streaming service:
Remember that some content will appear for free on YouTube, TikTok, Twitter, Facebook, and the ESPN app. But you aren’t going to get the main coverage.
The X Games has developed a loyal international following over the last 25 years, which means that many television outlets outside the US cover it.
For instance, if you are in Canada, you’ll be able to watch your favorite events in English on TSN or CTV. If you want to watch the games in French, you can do so on RDS.
If you want to watch the Winter X Games in countries such as Mexico or Argentina, you will likely be able to do so by watching ESPN Latin America. ESPN Brasil will have a dedicated feed for those who want coverage in Portuguese.
In the event that you’re watching this competition in Europe, you can do so through Eurosport. Eurosport is available in most countries on this continent and is also available in portions of Africa.
You can also go to XGames.com to watch a livestream of the current day’s action from almost anywhere in the world. This may be ideal for those who live in Africa, Australia, and other countries that might not have access to ESPN’s North American or Latin American feeds.
Chances are that any device you have can be used to watch the Winter X Games.
To catch all the Winter X Games action, you gotta go with ESPN+. I know, I know, you’re not a big streamer, but hear me out. It’s got every event, from the halfpipe to the big air, all in one place. The picture quality is awesome – you’ll feel like you’re right there in Aspen. Plus, it’s super cheap, especially compared to those cable packages. You can watch on your phone, tablet, or smart TV, so you won’t miss a single trick. Honestly, for the X Games, ESPN+ is a no-brainer.
This page was revised 4 times between January 2022 and September 2022.
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