Since 1995, the X Games have acted as the world stage for extreme sports. Over the years, the televised competition has attracted mainstream attention to the underground world of these cutting edge sports.

Skateboarding and BMX riding have always been associated with stunts, so the segue from the streets to the TV was simple. Practically overnight some of the legends, previously unknown to the outside world, were thrust into the limelight and came away famous.

According Forbes.com, “three of the original Summer X Games three athletes received video game deals in the wakes of their performances, thanks largely to the new-found popularity that accompanies X Games success.” Tony Hawk, a famous skateboarder, continues to be a household name and even has 2.8 million twitter followers despite having almost retired from competition.

After successful years broadcasting Summer X Games, the Winter X Games were born. The X Games forwent the typical winter sports (ice skating, hockey, or cross country skiing) instead, glorifying the unusual sports like snowboarding or motocross. Not only has the athletes been thrown into the media’s spotlight, but the popularity of the X Games has aided in progressing the actual sports.

Through obtaining popularity, the sports now gain mainstream funding. The funding helps the athletes push the envelope of the actual sport. A few years ago, the X Games introduced the first Superpipe into competition. The typical halfpipe height ranges from 3ft to 20ft, however, the Superpipe’s height starts at 20+ft. Though the structure alone is quite impressive, the extra height allows both boarders and skiers to get extra air when riding the pipe. This allows them to throw increasingly difficult tricks.

The athletes, seem to be taking the advancements in stride. According to David Wise [via xgames.espn.go.com], “For me, the ‘best’ tricks have always been ones where the rider took something that would be considered difficult by their peers and personalized it,” says the Superpipe champion.

Yet, there are still some demographic challenges for a sport [ie. particularly snowboarding]  plagued a reputation for being synonymous with recreational marijuana, the Winter X Games has done its best to throw the actual sport into the media. Those efforts seem fruitful. The atypical winter sports popularity seems to be growing across the board. According to Sports Illustrated, XGames legends, like Shaun White, have officially propelled the sports into the mainstream. Infact, the sports have been so widely accepted that they are appearing in Disney Channel movies, the epitome of politically correct media.

So did the Winter X Games in fact serve as a catalyst for a “sports revolution?” Evidence certainly points towards confirming that conclusion. But even if it wasn’t the ultimate causation for the mainstreaming of offbeat winter sports, it is hard to ignore the spark caused by the gain in popularity due to televising the Winter X Games in Aspen Colorado.