It’s been a while but the X Games are taking it back to their roots in the backyards of Southern California. After taking a year off due to the pandemic, the X Games will be back in 3 SoCal locations from July 14-18. Here are the highlights:

• Unfortunately, no fans allowed in this one. However, the way the stages are set up gives it some nice flavor and a homely feel that’s much-needed.
• The three stages include The Slayground (host Moto X Best Trick, Best Whip, Freestyle, Quarterpipe High Air), The Dreamyard (host BMX Park, Dave Mirra’s Park Best Trick and DMX Dirt Competitions), and the CA Training facility (host BMX Street and Skateboard Street, Park, Vert, Vert Best Trick, and Street Best Trick competitions). 
• Two-time X Games medalist, Pat Casey, has been building the Dreamyard for a few years. He agreed to have a part in the X Games there because they didn’t have a place to go. They’re going to revamp the course, which he feels is pretty wild and amazing.
• Axell Hodges, who’s hosting his Slayground compound for the X Games, never thought in a million years this would happen to him. He still looks at himself as a kid watching Travis Pastrana doing a backflip. 
• The excitement is in there because the year out with no competition feels so long. 
• Tim Reed, VP of programming and acquisitions at ESPN, said that producing a full-scale X Games would be really challenging at the moment. However, no fans at the event give them a chance to be a bit more creative in how they roll out the competition.
• Reed continues to say that the facilities the athletes have created are world-class and there’s no telling what type of tricks they can pull off on these courses.