Returning to Southern California and welcoming fans back for the first time since 2019, X Games saw growth across in-person viewing, linear viewership on ESPN, ABC and ESPN2, live streaming on YouTube and Twitch and engagement on @XGames Instagram.
X Games California 2023 telecasts, totaling 16 hours of content across ABC, ESPN and ESPN2, experienced a viewership increase of nine percent versus X Games 2022. Overall, the telecasts averaged 459 thousand total viewers, up nine percent versus X Games 2022 and a 10 percent increase versus X Games Minneapolis 2019 (the last event with fans in attendance). An additional highlight was ESPN2’s Saturday primetime window, which saw triple-digit increases versus last year’s corresponding window – up 236 percent in total viewers and up 230 percent among the P18-49 demographic.
In addition to the linear telecasts, X Games was streamed live on YouTube, Twitch, an Caffeine.Tv with the addition of bespoke interactive content for a total of 4,623,302 combined views. This is a 427% percent increase from 2022 when X Games only streamed on YouTube. The @XGames YouTube channel also saw 125 percent growth in on-demand video views. Fifty-six percent of viewers on YouTube are between the ages of 18-34.
During X Games, the @XGames Instagram account reached the four million follower mark, adding an unprecedented 70 thousand followers over the event weekend, increasing video views and community engagements by 70% and 125% respectively. Sixty-eight percent of followers on Instagram are between the ages of 18-34.
Across all @XGames social platforms, video views were up 80 percent versus 2022, with engagement increased by 83 percent.
Another innovation for X Games California 2023 was the Amtrak service to the Ventura County Fairgrounds. Compared to the same weekend last year, there was a 482 percent increase in Pacific Surfliner boardings at Ventura. Based on preliminary numbers, it would have taken at least 600 cars with five seats to move the same number of people as the Pacific Surfliner brought to/from Ventura during the X Games CA Finals Weekend.
Additional information on X Games 2023 will be forthcoming on XGames.com
About X Games
X Games has been the leader in action sports since 1995. The 2023 edition will feature the world’s best action sports athletes competing for gold from July 21-23, 2023. Live event coverage will be broadcast on ESPN and ABC. Follow @xgames on social to get the most up-to-date event information and visit XGames.com.
