In the first summer edition of X Games since 2019, X Games 2021 content across ESPN, ESPN2 and ABC experienced double-digit viewership increases on television and triple-digit growth on @XGames social and digital media platforms.
Rider: Pat Casey | Photo: Joshua Gateley/ ESPN Images
X Games 2021 telecasts, totaling 15.5 hours of content, experienced a viewership increase of 13 percent versus X Games Minneapolis in 2019. Among adults in the key 18-49 demographic, this year’s event saw a five-percent increase, and in the 18-24 demographic, X Games 2021 viewership increased 34% over all four telecasts and 47% over the two ABC telecasts versus 2019. Similar to X Games Aspen 2021, gains this summer were driven by viewers watching more minutes overall – up five percent compared to X Games Minneapolis 2019.
On the social media front, X Games 2021 delivered more than 105 million video views – a 439% increase from X Games Minneapolis 2019 – and 326 million impressions across TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, Twitter and Snapchat, which drove an increase of 318% versus 2019.
Following the success of X Games Aspen 2021 on TikTok, X Games once again teamed with the platform to stream 17 competitions and feature a #XGamesMode banner on the TikTok discover page from July 14-16. This resulted in 1.9 million live views on TikTok, adding to the total X Games 2021 livestream views of 6.75 million across all social platforms.
X Games 2021 television, social and digital media successes include:
Television
- X Games 2021 viewership across ESPN, ESPN2 and ABC was up +13% from X Games Minneapolis 2019 for all telecasts.
- Across all four X Games 2021 telecasts, the 18-24 demo saw a +34% increase from 2019, driven by a +47% increase in viewership among 18-24 year-olds on the two ABC telecasts
- Among adults 18-49, X Games 2021 was up +5% from X Games Minneapolis 2019
- X Games 2021’s two ABC telecasts were up +9% versus 2019’s two ABC telecasts
Social & Digital
NOTE: All YOY metrics compare X Games 2021 event with 2019 (No 2020 X Games summer event)
- X Games 2021 delivered more than 105 million video views (+439% YOY) and 326 million impressions (+318% YOY) across its TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, Twitter and Snapchat
- The #XGamesMode hashtag on TikTok added more than 400 million views over the week of X Games 2021 and has currently surpassed 2.2 billion total views
- TikTok: 50.8 million video views
- TikTok: X Games on TikTok surpassed 1 million followers during the week of the event with 1,037,733 (+634,226 from X Games Aspen 2021)
- Instagram: 26.9 million video views (+180% YOY)
- Instagram: 25.1 million reach (+356% YOY)
- YouTube: 5 million video views (+52% YOY)
- YouTube: 58.7 million minutes watched (+57% YOY)
- Twitter: 3.5 million video views (+119% YOY)
- Facebook: 9.2 million video views (+70% YOY)
- Facebook: 2.6 million total engagements (+1,827% YOY)
- XGames.com: 122,252 Video starts (+59% YOY)
- XGames.com: 2 million total minutes spent (+31% YOY)
Internationally, X Games 2021 was syndicated in 192 countries and territories and to more than 500 million homes.
Additional information on all X Games 2021 is available at www.xgames.com for fans or on www.espnpressroom.com for media only. For photos please visit www.espnimages.com.
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Media Contact:
Danny Chi, ESPN Communications, 213-405-4400, danny.c.chi@espn.com
Grace Coryell, ESPN Communications, 213-405-4402, grace.s.coryell@espn.com
Olivia Wilson, ESPN Communications, 213-405-4145, olivia.wilson@espn.com
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