Dubai will get additional media exposure when it hosts X Games, revealed ESPN, owners of the X Games. The channel will produce five hours of programming from Dubai.
ESPN and Dubai Event Management Corporation (DEMC) recently announced a five-year collaboration to host the world's richest singular, multi-sport, action sports event. There will be a $2.5 million (Dh9.18m) prize purse – a record for X Games and the action sports industry – and X Games medals distributed to the athletes. The event will be held from December 11 to 13 in Dubai. The Dubai X Games World Cup will bring together ESPN's world-class X Games franchise with the local expertise of DEMC.
X Games, first of the many such events to be organised by the newly founded DEMC, can in fact be a prelude to Dubai's claims to hosting the Olympic Games.
In an interview with Emirates Business Richard Attias, CEO, DEMC said, "Dubai has all the infrastructure that's required to host any international event, including Olympics.
"Going by the future plans of the emirate, it will not be surprising if the authorities are looking at hosting global events. And if that's ever the intention of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, then DEMC will ensure that it can be a reality."
Sheikh Mohammed has given his nod to the first of the international events to be organised by the DEMC saying that "The partnership between ESPN and DEMC reiterates the phenomenal growth of Dubai as a leading event location and the continued growth of action sports in the region".
"Dubai X Games will be bigger, better and richer than any other event in action sports," he reiterated.
ESPN's plans for the Games, including the media coverage, are very elaborate and sharing the enthusiasm Rick Alessandri, senior vice-president, ESPN consumer products, and X Games managing director said: "Dubai has been an incredible host city. Over the past three years more than 70,000 action sports enthusiasts have seen their X Games heroes compete in Dubai.
"We are thrilled to be partnering with DEMC to host such a world class event and offer the world's largest prize purse for a multi-sport action sports event," he added.
TV coverage in the region will be extensive, with in-depth coverage on the ESPN family of channels available through Art as well as other TV channels throughout the region and around the globe.
Competitions will include Skateboard and BMX Street, Skateboard and BMX SuperPark, Moto X Racing, Freestyle and SuperMoto, along with a new X Games event that is well known in Dubai – ATV Enduro.
The Dubai X Games World Cup will also feature local instructional clinics by professional athletes and regional qualifying events for specific sports.
Attias reinstated the commitment of DEMC for quality sport events.
He said: "DEMC prides itself on bringing the biggest and best events to the Middle East. Last year we brought sports fans in the region the Dubai World Cup – the richest horse race in the world and the Dubai Tiger Woods Golf Classic. This year, we are pleased to work with ESPN to bring the richest action sports event to the Middle East."