Australian snowboarding champion Scotty James’ life is about to change in more than ways than one.
Just days after he and wife Chloe Stroll announced they are expecting their first child, James has been revealed as an investor and strategic adviser — as well as a competitor — in the new X Games League.
X Games, the action sports company that holds one summer and one winter showpieces each year, has announced it will transform into a new global, team-based, year-round league format from 2026.
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And James, a dual Olympic medallist who has several world championship and X Games titles to his name, has played a key role behind the scenes.
“In essence, we’ve used Formula One as a model for this new X Games League,” said X Games executive chairman Jeff Moorad.
Moorad is the principal of X Games’ major backer MSP Sports Capital, a private equity company that bought the company in 2022 and also has a 33 per cent stake in F1 frontrunners McLaren.
James is entwined in F1 through his new business partners and his family.
Stroll is the daughter of billionaire businessman Lawrence, who owns Aston Martin and whose son Lance drives for the famous marque’s F1 team.
James attends many F1 races and his access to the paddock has evidently paid off as he moves further towards the business side of sport.
“Having a seat at the table while also competing on the snow continues to inspire me to see what’s possible,” he wrote.
“The best way to change the game is to be part of the team that helps push our industry to grow and break barriers in business.
“I am excited for what’s to come.”
James, the only athlete quoted in the official announcement, won his fifth X Games gold medal in January.
Australian stars Tess Coady and Valentino Guseli have also won medals in recent years.
X Games organisers say the initial plan is for a league season featuring four winter and four summer events, with the schedules to be set around the Olympics and other “existing competitions”.
A significant change will also see athletes receive an annual base salary in addition to winning prize money.
But the implications for winter athletes, the world championships and the World Cup, an existing annual competition that this year, features 12 rounds, are unclear.
“We envision XGL to become a year-round platform for the athletes which coupled with the incentive structure will require significant commitment,” X Games said.
“That being said, we do envision scheduling around existing competitions, such as the Olympics Games, to enable XGL athletes to compete.”
James said the ability to earn a wage even before earning any prize money will “provide athletes with greater security than ever before”.
“For the first time, we will be able to focus on performance while benefiting from a stable and sustainable career path in action sports,” he said in the X Games statement.
James recently dipped into his own pocket to help fund Thredbo halfpipe upgrades.
Thredbo in NSW will be the first Australian resort to build a 22ft (6.7m) halfpipe for Olympic training during the southern hemisphere’s winter snow season that will be open to all elite athletes.
“Supporting Australian athletes and our ambassadors like Scotty James to train on home snow is a huge achievement,” Thredbo general manager Stuart Diver said in a statement.
“Scotty is a front-runner for an Olympic gold medal in 2026 and we’re honoured to be part of his journey.
“We thank Scotty for his generous donation and look forward to welcoming him to Thredbo.”
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