January 24, 2011
Sal Masekela to Host Telecasts; Ernst, Harris and Sewell to do Play-by-Play; Burandt, Crist, Dillon, Douglas to Serve as Telecast Analysts
ESPN’s commentators for the Winter X Games January 26-29 and the new companion screen offerings of X Cast includes some of the biggest names in action sports. Sal Masekela will host Winter X Games Aspen 2012 for all 16 hours of live HD action on ESPN, ESPN2 and ABC. A who’s who of action sports icons and experts will join Masekela – Chris Burandt, Zach Crist, Keir Dillon, Mike Douglas, Chris Ernst, Todd Harris and Tes Sewell will serve as analysts for the Skiing, Snowboarding and Snowmobile competitions. Jenn Brown, Tina Dixon and Jamie Little round out the team as reporters. X Center, ESPN2’s nightly highlight show for the Winter X Games, will again be hosted by Dana Jacobson.
On Thursday, January 26, ESPN will debut X Cast, from 9-11 p.m. ET. Hosted by Alyssa Roenigk, Kevin Pearce, George X and Colby West, X Cast companion screen content will be streamed during each Winter X Games telecast. X Cast will feature 16 hours of highlights and expert analysis, behind-the-scenes access, two-way interaction with online viewers and interviews with premiere Winter X Games athletes.
X Cast will be available on X Games.com and multiple X Games social media platforms, including the Facebook “Live” tab, YouTube Live on the official X Games YouTube channel, Google+ and embedded on multiple sponsor, athlete and brand pages associated with Winter X Games Aspen.
Selema “Sal” Masekela
X Games Host/Commentator
Selema “Sal” Masekela will serve as host of the Winter X Games Aspen 2012 telecast and will be in the booth as the play-by-play commentator for the Snowboard Big Air, Snowboard Slopestyle, Snowboard Street and Snowboard SuperPipe competitions.
Masekela worked his first X Games event in January 1999 as a snowboarding reporter during coverage of Winter X Games Three. In 2001, at X Games Seven, Masekela expanded his responsibilities to host ESPN and ESPN2’s overall coverage of the X Games. Five months later, Winter X Games Six marked the first time Masekela hosted the winter version of the premier action sports event.
Dana Jacobson
X Center Host
Dana Jacobson, an ESPN anchor since 2002, joined the X Games team in 2006 as the host of X Center. Originally an anchor on ESPNEWS and SportsCenter, Jacobson co-hosted ESPN2’s weekday morning program ESPN First Take from 2005 (then known as Cold Pizza) – December 2011. Jacobson recently returned to hosting SportsCenter and other programs. At Winter X Games Aspen, Jacobson will again host X Center, ESPN2’s nightly highlight show.
Winter X Games Aspen 2012 Telecast Play-by-Play Analysts & Commentators:
Chris Burandt
Once among the best all-around professional snowmobilers in the world, Chris Burandt fared well in Freestyle, SnoCross, Hillcross and Hillclimb competitions before moving into the Winter X television booth in 2010. Burandt will serve as an analyst for Snowmobile Best Trick and Snowmobile Freestyle competitions.
Burandt built his reputation as a precedent-setting free-rider, participating in numerous snowmobile competitions and starring in many snowmobile-oriented action sports movies. Burandt helped pioneer the sport of snowmobile freestyle in the early 2000’s, scoring podium positions all over North America and the world, including gold in the Winter X Games 2007 Snowmobile Freestyle contest.
Zach Crist
A member of the U.S. Ski Team for seven years and one of the most accomplished World Cup ski racers of all time, Zach Crist joined the ESPN telecast team in 2010. Crist will serve as an analyst for the Snowboarder X, Skier X and Mono Skier X competitions.
Prior to joining ESPN as an analyst, Zach earned three Winter X Games medals as a competitor, including Skier X gold in 2001. Zach and his older brother, Reggie, were the first siblings to garner Winter X Games medals.
Keir Dillon
Keir Dillon joined the X Games telecast team in 2008 and quickly became a fixture of both the X Games and Winter X Games telecasts. Dillon will serve as an analyst for the Snowboard Big Air, Snowboard Slopestyle, Snowboard Street and Snowboard SuperPipe competitions.
A leader in the snowboarding and action sports community, Keir Dillon was also a highly-decorated professional snowboarder. Dillon competed in nine Winter X Games, collecting a pair of Snowboard SuperPipe medals in the process.
Mike Douglas
An undisputed pioneer of freeskiing and the twin-tip revolution, Mike Douglas has been an integral part of the Winter X Games telecast team since 2001. Douglas will serve as an analyst for the Skiing Big Air, Skiing Slopestyle and Skiing SuperPipe competitions.
A member of the Canadian Freestyle Ski team in the early 1990s, Douglas helped design the first Salomon 1080 ski and helped to usher in the freeskiing movement. Douglas also competed twice at the Winter X Games in the Skiing Big Air competition.
Chris “Uncle E” Ernst
Widely considered as the father of skiercross, Chris Ernst is credited by many for helping to shape a new category of ski racing and forging a new discipline in action sports.
Ernst will serve as the play-by-play commentator for the Skiing Big Air, Skiing Slopestyle and Skiing SuperPipe competitions.
Todd Harris
Todd Harris joined ESPN in July of 1999 as a sideline reporter for college football on ABC. In addition to his college football duties, Harris also works on a number of different properties, including the Winter X Games. Harris will serve as the play-by-play commentator for the Snowboarder X, Skier X and Mono Skier X competitions.
Tes Sewell
Tes Sewell worked his first X Games event in the summer of 1999 as the original sport organizer for Moto X Freestyle at X Games Five in San Francisco. In 2003 at X Games 10 in Los Angeles, Sewell expanded his responsibilities to include serving as an analyst. Since that time, he has worked on every X Games and Winter X Games in a variety of capacities, including as a Moto X analyst and reporter, Rally Car analyst and Snowmobile analyst and reporter. Sewell will serve as the play-by-play commentator for the Snowmobile Best Trick and Snowmobile Freestyle competitions.
Reporters:
Jenn Brown
Jenn Brown joined the ESPN X Games telecast as a reporter in 2010. Brown will serve as a reporter for the Skiing Big Air, Skiing Slopestyle, Skiing SuperPipe and Women’s Snowboard SuperPipe competitions. In addition to her Winter X Games assignment, Brown also serves as a regular reporter for ESPN’s College Football and Basketball telecasts.
Tina Dixon
Tina Dixon first joined ESPN’s team in 2001 as a reporter for the Winter X Games. Since that time she has covered numerous snowboarding and skiing events on ESPN and ABC. Dixon will serve as a reporter for the Snowboard Big Air, Snowboard Slopestyle, Snowboard Street and Snowboard SuperPipe Men’s competitions.
Prior to her broadcast career, Dixon traveled and competed as a pro snowboarder, collecting a Winter X Games gold and three X Games Snowboard Big Air medals.
Jamie Little
Jamie Little has worked on the X Games and Winter X Games broadcast team since 2002. Little will serve as a reporter for the Snowboarder X, Skier X, Mono Skier X, Snowmobile Best Trick and Snowmobile Freestyle competitions.
In addition to her Winter X Games assignment, Little also serves as a pit reporter for the NASCAR Nationwide Series and Sprint Cup Series races on ESPN and ABC.
Digital Content Hosts:
Alyssa Roenigk
Alyssa Roenigk joined ESPN in 2003 as a reporter for ESPN The Magazine and ESPN.com. In 2008 she was promoted to senior writer and has covered multiple X Games, Winter X Games, Olympics and action sports events. Roenigk will serve as a host for the X Cast webcasts.
Kevin Pearce
Kevin Pearce is a decorated action sports athlete and Winter X Games competitor. A three-time Winter X Games medalist, Pearce has earned a Snowboard SuperPipe silver medal, Snowboard SuperPipe bronze medal and Snowboard Slopestyle bronze medal. In 2008, Pearce was the first athlete to compete in three Winter X Games events in a single day. Pearce will serve as a host for the X Cast webcasts.
George X
Since joining ESPN in 2004 as a reporter on ESPN Deportes, George X (Jorge Bribiesca) has served as the Spanish-language play-by-play commentator and on-site reporter for the X Games on ESPN International. Prior to his role with ESPN, Bribiesca worked as a reporter for Televisa Sports. Bribiesca has covered worldwide sporting events including the Winter Olympics, NBA Finals and Super Bowls. Bribiesca will serve as a host for the X Cast webcasts.
Colby West
A three-time Winter X Games medalist, West has tallied two Winter X Games Skiing Slopestyle bronze medals and one Skiing SuperPipe bronze medal. With no formal skiing background, West quickly ascended to the top of the freeskiing world and was highly successful in multiple disciplines. West will serve as a host for the X Cast webcasts.
For the full telecast schedule and X Games media information, including press releases, logos and additional images from past events, log on to www.espneventmedia.com. For general information and updated athlete lists, log on to www.xgames.com. Follow the Winter X Games on Twitter at Twitter.com/espnxgames.
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Contacts:
Danny Chi, danny.c.chi@espn.com, (310)-642-1509
Alex Rozis, alex.a.rozis@espn.com, (310)-642-1533