Here’s How to Watch the X Games For Free in the US, So You Don’t Miss These Skating & Biking Pros
And we’re back! The summer edition of this annual extreme sports competition is finally here, and fans are wondering how to watch the X Games online—and if there’s a way to stream the games for free. Luckily, there is!
Watch X Games With ESPN Plus $6.99+
The X Games, which have been taking place since 1994, is an action sports competition organized, produced and broadcast by ESPN. Recap coverage of the event is also shown at a later date on ESPN’s sister network, ABC. The competition features sports like skateboarding, BMX, motocross during the summer, along with snowboarding and skiing in the winter edition. Participants compete to win gold, silver and bronze medals, in addition to a sizeable prize pot. The X Games also features music and art, with legendary acts like Wu-Tang Clan, Kanye West, Metallica, Ice Cube, Diplo, Tiesto, Nicki Minaj and many more performing at the event throughout the years.
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In 2022, the Winter and Summer X Games took place in Aspen, Colorado and Chiba, Japan, respectively. Sakura Yosozumi, X Games skateboard bronze medalist and Tokyo 2020 gold medalist, expressed her excitement over the games taking place in Japan for the first time. “I’m so happy to hear that the X Games, the dream event for skateboarders all over the world, will be held in Japan! I think it’s a stage that every skateboarder has dreamed of, and even now that skateboarding is an Olympic sport, X Games is one of my favorite events that I want to keep competing in,” she said in a press release. “I have participated in the X Games twice before, but I have yet to win a gold medal at the X Games, so when I am selected to compete, I will do my best to win my dream gold medal.”
“I’m very excited to hear that the X Games, one of the best competitions in the world, will finally be held in Japan,” shared pro skateboarder Aori Nishimura, who has won multiple X Games medals. “It will be a great opportunity for Japanese skateboard fans to watch the world’s top athletes compete up close, so I’m sure this will be an event like no other.” Skater and thirteen-time X Games gold medalist Nyjah Huston added, “I’m stoked for X Games to go to Japan. Hyped to get back there.”
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Tim Reed, ESPN’s vice president of programming & acquisitions, also weighed ahead of the competition’s first games in Japan. “With Japanese athletes being such a driving force behind the progression of action sports today, we could not be more excited to showcase the world’s best athletes on the X Games stage in Japan for the first time,” Reed shared. “The city of Chiba and nearby Tokyo are such dynamic, cultural centers with avid action sports fans it matches perfectly with the X Games brand.”
For everything fans need to know about how to watch the 2022 Chiba X Games online, keep on reading ahead to find tips and tricks—including ways to stream the games for free!
How to watch the X Games online
This year’s X Games are airing on ESPN and ESPN2 in the United States. Two hours of event recap coverage will air also on ABC as part of the World of X Games series on May 14, 2022 and May 21, 2022 from 2:00 p.m. to 3 p.m. ET. But in order to watch the competition as it airs live, you’ll want to watch via ESPN. No cable? No problem! X Games fans have options to watch the competition online—and there’s even a way to stream for free, which we’re diving into up ahead.
Watch X Games 2022 With ESPN Plus
Watch X Games With ESPN Plus $6.99+
One of the best ways to watch the 2022 Chiba X Games online is with ESPN Plus. The service costs $6.99 per month for a monthly plan or $69.99 per year for a yearly plan, which saves customers about 15 percent. ESPN Plus also offers a bundle with Disney Plus and Hulu for $13.99 per month, which saves users about $8 per month from subscribing to each service individually. Aside from sporting events, ESPN Plus also offers exclusive UFC pay-per-view matches for $70 for existing subscribers. New subscribers can even get a special discounted bundle that includes a one-year membership to ESPN Plus, as well as one pay-per-view match for $89.98.
How to watch the X Games online for free
So, is there a way to watch the X Games online for free? Yes! Even if you don’t have an ESPN Plus subscription, there’s a hack to stream the X Games for free without shelling out hundreds in annual fees. Read on ahead for the best way to watch the X Games online for free.
Watch X Games 2022 With Verizon’s Free ESPN Plus, Disney Plus & Hulu Bundle
Watch X Games With Disney Bundle $0+
If you’re a Verizon customer (or know someone who is), you can watch the 2022 Chiba X Games online for free with a free ESPN Plus, Disney Plus and Hulu subscription with the service’s Disney Bundle offer. According to Verizon, customers with at least one Get More Unlimited or Play More Unlimited plan are eligible for the offer, which includes free subscriptions to ESPN Plus, Disney Plus and Hulu (which saves users a cost of $13.99 per month) for as long as their plans are active. Click here for Verizon’s FAQ on how to sign up for Verizon’s free Disney Bundle.
X Games 2022 Chiba Schedule
Friday, April 22
Women’s Skateboard Street Elimination – 11:30 p.m. (Thursday 4/21) – 12:30 a.m. EST
Women’s Skateboard Park Elimination – 1 a.m. – 2 a.m. EST
BMX Park Elimination – 3:30 p.m. – 2:30 a.m. – 3:30 a.m. EST
Men’s Skateboard Park Elimination – 4 a.m. – 5 a.m. EST
Skateboard Vert – 5:30 a.m. – 6:15 a.m. EST
BMX Flatland – 6:30 a.m. – 7:45 a.m. EST
Saturday, April 23
Men’s Skateboard Street Elimination – 11 p.m. (Friday 4/22) – 12:15 a.m. EST
Skateboard Vert Best Trick – 12:30 a.m. – 1 a.m. EST
Women’s Skateboard Park – 1:15 a.m. – 2:10 a.m. EST
BMX Park – 2:45 a.m. – 3:40 a.m. EST
Moto X Best Whip – 5 a.m. – 5:30 a.m. EST
BMX Street – 7 p.m. – 6 a.m. – 7 a.m. EST
Men’s Skateboard Park – 10 p.m. – 11 p.m. EST
Sunday, April 24
Women’s Skateboard Street – 11:30 p.m. (Saturday 4/23) – 12:30 a.m. EST
Men’s Skateboard Street – 2:30 a.m. – 3:30 a.m. EST
Who is competing at the 2022 Chiba X Games?
The X Games have traditionally featured big-name athletes, including the likes of Tony Hawk, Shaun White and Travis Pastrana—each of whom has taken the opportunity to debut new tricks at X Games competitions of the past. See the full list of confirmed athletes for the 2022 X Games in Chiba, Japan, below.
Men’s Skateboard Park
Gavin Bottger
Tate Crew
Edouard Damestoy
Jagger Eaton
Luiz Francisco
Guy Khury
Clay Kreiner
Yuro Nagahara
Liam Pace
Tristan Rennie
Kensuke Sasaoka
Jimmy Wilkins
Kieran Woolley
Zion Wright
Women’s Skateboard Park
Yndiara Asp
Amelia Brodka
Cocona Hiraki
Ruby Lilley
Grace Marhoefer
Kisa Nakamura
Kihana Ogawa
Jordan Santana
Minna Stess
Mami Tezuka
Bryce Wettstein
Sakura Yosozumi
Men’s Skateboard Street
Gavin Bottger
Jagger Eaton
Kelvin Hoefler
Yuto Horigome
Daiki Ikeda
Jake Ilardi
Dashawn Jordan
Chris Joslin
Clay Kreiner
Kairi Netsuke
Liam Pace
Lucas Rabelo
Sora Shirai
Kieran Woolley
Zion Wright
Women’s Skateboard Street
Rizu Akama
Andrea Benitez
Julia Brueckler
Lore Bruggeman
Chloe Covell
Rayssa Leal
Hina Maeda
Gabriela Mazetto
Grace Marhoefer
Funa Nakayama
Aori Nishimura
Yumeka Oda
Keet Oldenbeuving
Poe Pinson
Pamela Rosa
Skateboard Vert
Mitchie Brusco
Tate Carew
Edouard Damestoy
Gui Khury
Clay Kreiner
Elliot Sloan
Moto Shibata
Jimmy Wilkins
Skateboard Vert Best Trick
Mitchie Brusco
Tate Carew
Edouard Damestoy
Gui Khury
Clay Kreiner
Elliot Sloan
Moto Shibata
Jimmy Wilkins
BMX Park
Kyle Baldock
Declan Brooks
Nick Bruce
Pat Casey
Daniel Dhers
Justin Dowell
James Jones
Brandon Loupos
Jeremy Malott
Logan Martin
Rim Nakamura
Kevin Peraza
Marin Rantes
Daniel Sandoval
Jose Torres
Mike Varga
BMX Street
Courage Adams
Alex Donnachie
Chad Kerley
Lewis Mills
Matt Ray
Broc Raiford
Garrett Reynolds
Devon Smilie
BMX Flatland
Terry Adams
Matthias Dandois
Viki Gomez
Kio Hayakawa
Varo Hernandez
Alex Jumelin
Moto Sasaki
Yohei Uchino
Moto X Best Whip
Tyler Bereman
Taka Higashino
Axell Hodges
Tom Parsons
Ryusei Suzuki
Julien Vanstippen
Genki Watanabe
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