ESPN Eliminates X Games in Europe

ESPN has announced that it will no longer produce X Games events in Europe, after experimenting this year with new competitions in Barcelona, Munich, and Foz do Iguaçu, Brazil. The winter event held in Tignes, France, since 2010 will also be eliminated.

“We are proud to have run world-class competitions for both the athletes and spectators; however the overall economics of these events do not provide a sustainable future path,” ESPN said in a statement announcing the decision. “The company remains fully committed to the X Games brand and its full-scale competitions in Aspen, Colorado, and Austin, Texas—its newest host city—and we will continue to distribute these premier events around the world.

Earlier this year, ESPN announced that it was moving its signature summer event in the United States from its longtime home in Los Angeles to Austin in May 2014. Austin beat out Charlotte, Chicago and Detroit for the rights to host the event. Los Angeles hosted the summer event for 11 years.

The contract with Aspen to host the winter event ends after the next event in January 2014. ESPN has accepted bids to host that event, but no decision on a host has been announced. Aspen has hosted the event since 2002.