X Games 17: Will X Games' Move Toward International Growth Pay Off?

X Games' Global Expansion Will Undoubtedly Put Worldwide Popularity through Roof

It's been an interesting road for the X Games. This year's edition of the X Games, X Games 17, is an almost unrecognizable version of the original "Extreme Games" that launched in 1995. A lot has changed since 1995, but one element that has remained consistent is growth.

The X Games could be right around the corner from potentially taking their biggest step toward worldwide expansion. The X Games are going international, planning to host six events around the globe by 2013.

That isn't to say that their popularity has already plateaued domestically. They are still rapidly growing, but there is an untapped market to build on that could help to compound their growth.

Action sports are on the rise. What began as the assimilation of the best action sports athletes in the world all gathering in one place has developed into an international sports spectacle. That in itself has to leave some of the godfathers of action sports baffled. The market for this sport is growing exponentially.

The change of the sport has made for some disdain from some around the world. Some still seem to see those who participate in the X Games as being sellouts who seek fame and money, rather than the heroes they are made out to be.

Action sports have been largely about independence, but with corporate sponsors and the highly publicized nature of the X Games today, it's well on its way to becoming about money.

That isn't necessarily a bad thing. Those who don't want to be a walking billboard for sponsors and have their talent exploited for capital gain don't have to. Even so, there are more and more athletes who see the X Games as the ultimate venue to compete in.

Now, a huge portion of the world's action sports youth is riding or skating with the goal of winning an X Games gold and obtaining fame and fortune to do what they love.

In a short while, some will have an opportunity to go around the world, skating in some of the most incredible places in the world.

There is no telling how far the X Games can go. Unlike the NFL or other main stream sports, no unions of athletes are weighing down how much ESPN can expand and there is nothing holding the business aspect of the sport back from being the best it can be.

ESPN is the perfect network to be in charge of the X Games, as they have unlimited exposure and the tools to push the growth as far as they can go.

It will be interesting when we look back and see how the growth from 1995 to 2011 compares to the growth from 2011 to 2027; however, it seems almost certain we will be looking at how much the sport has grown, not if the sport has grown.

The potential for the X Games is endless and the worldwide expansion is a giant leap in the right direction for the X Games, their competitors and fans around the globe.