ESPN To Hold Open Bidding For International X Games In '13

ESPN announced it plans to hold open bidding for four international X Games events and two domestic events beginning in '13, and the company has already received expressions of interest from two cities that want to host an international X Games. ESPN will conduct a formal bid process to determine the three new X Games host cities, which will join the current events in L.A., Aspen and Tignes, France, which respectively host summer, winter and winter events.

Cities will be selected in '12 for a three-year agreement and will work with ESPN to produce the events. A city in Chile and another in Austria have expressed interest in bidding, and ESPN execs expect more cities to come forward with bids in the coming weeks and months. Winning cities would cover some of the costs associated with the international events, which would help ESPN achieve its goal of elevating the size and stature of international X Games to be on par with its largest event, the Summer X Games in L.A.