ESPN Winter X Games 14 and Athletes Set New Records
Record TV Viewership, Attendance and Groundbreaking Performances
02.10.10 A record number of fans and spectators enjoyed the unprecedented hours of Winter X Games 14 content across ESPNs numerous global platforms. The annual winter action sports event welcomed 200 world-class athletes for a ninth straight year to Aspen/Snowmass at Buttermilk Mountain where a record number of spectators saw a number of record performances while more people than ever watched on television.
It is always our goal as a network and event to deliver the best in action sports to fans worldwide, said Rick Alessandri, senior vice president, X Games Franchise. The continued success of Winter X Games, coupled by our increase to an all-time high in programming hours, speaks to the amazing talents and dedication of the athletes competing at Winter X.
For the third straight year, the Winter X Games was ESPNs highest-rated and most-viewed, and more than 43 million viewers tuned in to watch on ESPN and ESPN2. The ESPN telecasts posted a 1.2 household rating, representing an average of 1,147,000 households. In addition, both ESPN and ESPN2 recorded their highest-rated and most-viewed individual Winter X telecasts (1.3 on ESPN and a 0.8 on ESPN2).
ESPN and ESPN2 televised 24.5 hours of live high-definition programming Jan. 28 - 31. Additionally, the Winter X Games were also televised on ESPN's International networks to 172 countries and territories in Latin America, the Pacific Rim, Middle East, Africa, Israel and Canada.
Winter X Games 14 set a new attendance record in Aspen with a total of 84,100 spectators over four days, beating the previous Aspen best of 76,150 set in 2007 an increase of nine percent.
The world watched Shaun White make history as he won Mens Snowboard SuperPipe for the third time in a row, despite a scary fall during practice. Athletes who broke Winter X Games records:
Ophelie David: Four-peat in Women's Skier X. It was the first four-peat in Skiing history.
Tucker Hibbert: Four-peat in Snowmobile SnoCross. It was the first four-peat in Snowmobile history.
Nate Holland: Five-peat in Mens Snowboarder X. It was the first five-peat in Winter X Games history.
Lindsey Jacobellis: Three-peat in Womens Snowboarder X. Jacobellis was the first person to three-peat twice in the same discipline.
Shaun White: Three-peat in Mens Snowboard SuperPipe. It was the first three-peat in Snowboard SuperPipe, Men or Women. White is also the second person to three-peat in two separate disciplines.
