Finding the Spirit Behind The X Games

     Imagine sitting next to Tony Hawk while watching Bob Burnquist pull a fakie 5-0 to kickflip at the Vert Best Trick contest, or even hearing the deafening roar of the capacity crowd as 17 year old Travis Pastrana attempts a first ever backflip on a motorcycle.

     These are just a few of the hundreds of exciting moments that couldn't be enjoyed by watching the games on television.  For the third season in a row, I was able to lead a small press team to cover the X Games for my Internet company and other correspondent portals.  Armed with a Canon XL-1 digital video camera, I headed to San Francisco to go behind the scenes to capture the stories of the athletes that didn't get shown on ESPN's worldwide TV coverage.

     When I arrived to the X Games, there were thousands of people in a two-mile long line outside the complex waiting to enter. They had been waiting for hours, but seemed in good spirits and willing to wait. Fortunately, as a reporter I had full media credentials, so with a flash of our press credentials to security guards, our team was ready to get to work. 

     Inside, the event could have been mistaken for a sold out N'Sync or Britney Spears concert, considering the amount of pre-pubescent little kids and their parents.  People from all walks of life were there to enjoy the games, from fans with purple hair, nose rings and tattoos to people with skateboards strapped to their backpacks to clean-cut young professional types.  

     The event seemed less of an alternative sports event than a typical pro basketball game, with huge corporate sponsors such as Taco Bell and Mountain Dew.  You couldn't help but notice the constant advertisements for these billion dollar companies in this made for TV event.  Later, I would have nightmares of chihuahuas, soda, and that annoying 1-800-CALL-ATT guy.

     With the intent of bringing back some exclusive footage and interviews, I went behind the scenes and ESPN TV cameras and into the athlete areas.  Considering the amount of money and exposure the athletes receive from the X Games, I was under the impression that there would be much tension and competition among the athletes.

     To my amazement, I found that there was more camaraderie here than that of a pro football team.  Although the X Games offered $1 million in prize money, with $10,000 dollars on the line for the Vert Best Trick contest, each competitor was actually rooting each other on to achieve their best.  It was great to see that no matter how much money or prestige was at stake, the true grass-roots essence of the sport itself could actually still be alive and well, if not on TV, but definitely in person.

     It was interesting how a venue such as the X Games can bring new life and interest into sports such as freestyle motocross and skateboarding which previously have had little mainstream exposure. 

     Although some core sports critics believe the X Games have sold out by commercializing the "extreme" sports lifestyle, it is an amazing achievement to have introduced millions of people to a whole new sports culture that had been previously ignored by the media.  Many athletes like Tony Hawk have been turned into media superstars, a fame that may never have been achieved without the big commercial push of television.

                                                                   - AC Team's Mike Kai

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More related articles:
Brothers take Gold and Silver at the 2000 X Games

Related links:
www.goodskates.com (Japanese)

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