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ESPN: X Games leaving Austin early, will not return to COTA in 2017


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X Games will not return to Austin in 2017

 

http://www.statesman.com/news/sports/x-games-will-not-return-to-austin-in-2017/nqqKP/

 

The popular Summer X Games that will be staged in Austin for the third consecutive year this June will not return for a fourth year in 2017, a source with contacts at ESPN told the American-Statesman on Monday.

 

The network is expected to make an announcement Tuesday stating that it will leave Austin for another location after this year. Charlotte, N.C., is a city known to be heavily interested in recruiting the event staged by ESPN, and Chicago and Detroit also bid on the X Games previously.

 

This year’s X Games will be held in Austin from June 2-5.

 

In July 2013, Austin was unveiled as the site for the X Games for four years starting in 2014. It appears the city’s run as host will be one year short of the channel’s original commitment.

 

ESPN has reached the decision not to remain in Austin because of concern over possible recalculations of the Texas Major Events Trust Fund that has been used by the Circuit of the Americas to help underwrite the cost of the Formula One race on that site. The fund’s $25 million outlay to COTA has been reduced to $19.5 million. The X Games received $1.1 million in state incentives for the 2014 X Games, according to city documents.

 

The circuit very nearly lost its spot on the U.S. Grand Prix 2016 calendar, but COTA chairman Bobby Epstein said it secured enough money with the state’s contribution and the settlement of a lawsuit that will save COTA about $13 million in taxes. The circuit also landed Taylor Swift as its marquee entertainment in conjunction with the race.

 

The Major Events Trust Fund is fueled by out-of-state visitors’ sales, hotel, car rental and alcohol tax revenue. A portion of that is then allocated to help various event organizers host large events in Texas.

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ESPN: X Games seeks new summer home in 2017

 

http://xgames.espn.go.com/article/15036232/

 

by Joshua Duplechian/ESPN
March 22, 2016 - ESPN is actively engaged with and seeking interested cities in the United States to be the next host of an X Games summer event for two consecutive years in 2017 and 2018, showcasing the world's best action sports athletes, internationally renowned musical acts and one of the most complete youth culture festival experiences. X Games has moved locations regularly throughout its history to celebrate and infuse the national and international elements of action sports and youth culture from each city. Full-scale X Games summer events have been hosted in nine different cities in 20 years.
With the agreement between current summer event partner, Circuit of The Americas in Austin, Texas, concluding in 2016, ESPN is opening the host city bid process to any U.S. city or commercial entity that meet the event requirements of the X Games. Interested cities can learn more about the request for proposal (RFP) process at www.xgames.com/bid.
"We've been honored to call Austin home of the X Games since 2014 and are proud to have run world-class competitions for athletes, hosted amazing musicians for our fans and sponsors together with the Circuit of The Americas," said Tim Reed, vice president, X Games. "We thank COTA, the City of Austin and State of Texas for their support, and look forward to an amazing final X Games Austin event this June. Looking to the future, we're enthusiastic to identify the next X Games host city and continuing to improve and bring the franchise to new locations and fans."
The final X Games event in Austin will take place at Circuit of The Americas from June 2-5, 2016. Tickets will be available for purchase beginning March 24. For more information about X Games Austin, tickets and more, visit www.xgames.com.
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The Summer X Games Are Really Moving Because Austin's Summers Are Too Damn Hot
Contrary to earlier reports, an ESPN spokesperson we spoke with this afternoon said that state funding had nothing to do with their decision to move the X Games out of Austin. Rather, they’d like to move the Summer X Games back to late July or early August when the weather in Austin is simply too hot to handle.
...
The Formula One-grade circuit boasts a year-round open season due to the area’s lack of winter weather. However, it’s best to leave summer use to the locals and save large spectator events for cooler months if you want to have any hope of attracting many out-of-towners.
Austin’s summer weather just doesn’t jive with the Summer X Games, which have actually been held in late spring for the past couple years in order to work around Austin’s this-heat-will-kill-you zone later in the year.
Problem is, there’s a host of other sporting events, such as the NBA playoffs, which happen in late spring. Promoting the X Games on top of everything else has reduced its viewership, as late spring is simply too busy for the X Games to get the standalone attention ESPN would prefer.
Thus, the ESPN spokesperson said that the broadcaster has come to a mutual agreement with COTA to end Austin’s X Games run a year earlier than planned, and open up the bidding for another city to step in for 2017 and 2018. ESPN is looking for a location that would be able to host the X Games in late July or early August in order to move it back to a less crowded spot on their calendar.

 

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More correction/rebuttal than retraction by ESPN, imho. (That may be how you took it too) ;)

 

I don't think it was anyone at ESPN who ever said pulling out had anything to do with the METF money. I thought it was interesting how quickly ESPN moved to correct that story. They seem to have gone out of their way to correct the leak that someone put out that it was all about the METF money. We've heard from the very beginning that there was friction between COTA and ESPN. It was pretty telling, imho, that they left a year before their contract was up, and that they're leaving without a new home to move to. I believe that the date was among their reasons for leaving (competing against the playoffs, heat, etc), but mostly I think they were just being nice (or just legally prudent) when saying that was their main reason for leaving.

 

IMHO it's likely someone from COTA knew the announcement was coming , so they leaked the METF stuff the day before as a way to get in front of it and spin it as if it's all the Governor's fault for 'taking' more funding away from them ... you know, to keep pressure on him to get the most funding they can.

 

So, COTA basically gave V8SC the boot in order to accommodate ESPN in that time slot (which was already way too hot here in Texas), and now they've left them with nothing in that slot. Karma. She's a bitch.

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