From the “Slam Diego” successes of the resurgent Padres to the national splash of the recent U.S. Open at Torrey Pines, sports are soaring in San Diego. And they don’t get more high-flying than the X Games, which brought their matchless brand of adventure and daring to San Diego for five days in July.
While spectators weren’t allowed to attend in-person, the extreme-sports competition still grabbed worldwide attention — broadcasted live on ESPN, ESPN2 and ABC, and streamed on the X Games’ social-media channels to more than 3 million followers.
After a yearlong pause brought on by the pandemic, the return of the X Games was a full-circle moment for San Diego, which was one of the first destinations to host the event back in 1997 and 1998, with a return engagement in 2008.
This year’s X Games also served as a final competition for many athletes before they headed to Tokyo for their Olympic debuts, including top female skateboarders Sky Brown, Leticia Bufoni and Poppy Olsen.
With the Holiday Bowl college-football classic set for December at Petco Park, and a National Women’s Soccer League expansion team set to begin playing here next year, look for San Diego to remain a must-visit destination for sports aficionados.
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