And we’re back! The summer edition of this annual extreme sports competition is finally here, and fans are wondering how to watch the X Games online—and if there’s a way to stream the games for free. Luckily, there is!

The X Games, which have been taking place since 1994, is an action sports competition organized, produced and broadcast by ESPN. Recap coverage of the event is also shown at a later date on ESPN’s sister network, ABC. The competition features sports like skateboarding, BMX, motocross during the summer, along with snowboarding and skiing in the winter edition. Participants compete to win gold, silver and bronze medals, in addition to a sizeable prize pot. The X Games also features music and art, with legendary acts like Wu-Tang Clan, Kanye West, Metallica, Ice Cube, Diplo, Tiesto, Nicki Minaj and many more performing at the event throughout the years.

In 2022, the Winter and Summer X Games took place in Aspen, Colorado and Chiba, Japan, respectively. Sakura Yosozumi, X Games skateboard bronze medalist and Tokyo 2020 gold medalist, expressed her excitement over the games taking place in Japan for the first time. “I’m so happy to hear that the X Games, the dream event for skateboarders all over the world, will be held in Japan! I think it’s a stage that every skateboarder has dreamed of, and even now that skateboarding is an Olympic sport, X Games is one of my favorite events that I want to keep competing in,” she said in a press release. “I have participated in the X Games twice before, but I have yet to win a gold medal at the X Games, so when I am selected to compete, I will do my best to win my dream gold medal.”

“I’m very excited to hear that the X Games, one of the best competitions in the world, will finally be held in Japan,” shared pro skateboarder Aori Nishimura, who has won multiple X Games medals. “It will be a great opportunity for Japanese skateboard fans to watch the world’s top athletes compete up close, so I’m sure this will be an event like no other.” Skater and thirteen-time X Games gold medalist Nyjah Huston added, “I’m stoked for X Games to go to Japan. Hyped to get back there.”

Tim Reed, ESPN’s vice president of programming & acquisitions, also weighed ahead of the competition’s first games in Japan. “With Japanese athletes being such a driving force behind the progression of action sports today, we could not be more excited to showcase the world’s best athletes on the X Games stage in Japan for the first time,” Reed shared. “The city of Chiba and nearby Tokyo are such dynamic, cultural centers with avid action sports fans it matches perfectly with the X Games brand.”

For everything fans need to know about how to watch the 2022 Chiba X Games online, keep on reading ahead to find tips and tricks—including ways to stream the games for free!

How to watch the X Games online

Image: AP Images.

This year’s X Games are airing on ESPN and ESPN2 in the United States. Two hours of event recap coverage will air also on ABC as part of the World of X Games series on May 14, 2022 and May 21, 2022 from 2:00 p.m. to 3 p.m. ET. But in order to watch the competition as it airs live, you’ll want to watch via ESPN. No cable? No problem! X Games fans have options to watch the competition online—and there’s even a way to stream for free, which we’re diving into up ahead.

Watch X Games 2022 With ESPN Plus

One of the best ways to watch the 2022 Chiba X Games online is with ESPN Plus. The service costs $6.99 per month for a monthly plan or $69.99 per year for a yearly plan, which saves customers about 15 percent. ESPN Plus also offers a bundle with Disney Plus and Hulu for $13.99 per month, which saves users about $8 per month from subscribing to each service individually. Aside from sporting events, ESPN Plus also offers exclusive UFC pay-per-view matches for $70 for existing subscribers. New subscribers can even get a special discounted bundle that includes a one-year membership to ESPN Plus, as well as one pay-per-view match for $89.98.

How to watch the X Games online for free

Image: AP Images.

So, is there a way to watch the X Games online for free? Yes! Even if you don’t have an ESPN Plus subscription, there’s a hack to stream the X Games for free without shelling out hundreds in annual fees. Read on ahead for the best way to watch the X Games online for free.

Watch X Games 2022 With Verizon’s Free ESPN Plus, Disney Plus & Hulu Bundle

If you’re a Verizon customer (or know someone who is), you can watch the 2022 Chiba X Games online for free with a free ESPN Plus, Disney Plus and Hulu subscription with the service’s Disney Bundle offer. According to Verizon, customers with at least one Get More Unlimited or Play More Unlimited plan are eligible for the offer, which includes free subscriptions to ESPN Plus, Disney Plus and Hulu (which saves users a cost of $13.99 per month) for as long as their plans are active. Click here for Verizon’s FAQ on how to sign up for Verizon’s free Disney Bundle.

X Games 2022 Chiba Schedule

Friday, April 22

Women’s Skateboard Street Elimination – 11:30 p.m. (Thursday 4/21) – 12:30 a.m. EST
Women’s Skateboard Park Elimination – 1 a.m. – 2 a.m. EST
BMX Park Elimination – 3:30 p.m. – 2:30 a.m. – 3:30 a.m. EST
Men’s Skateboard Park Elimination – 4 a.m. – 5 a.m. EST
Skateboard Vert – 5:30 a.m. – 6:15 a.m. EST
BMX Flatland – 6:30 a.m. – 7:45 a.m. EST

Saturday, April 23

Men’s Skateboard Street Elimination – 11 p.m. (Friday 4/22) – 12:15 a.m. EST
Skateboard Vert Best Trick – 12:30 a.m. – 1 a.m. EST
Women’s Skateboard Park – 1:15 a.m. – 2:10 a.m. EST
BMX Park – 2:45 a.m. – 3:40 a.m. EST
Moto X Best Whip – 5 a.m. – 5:30 a.m. EST
BMX Street – 7 p.m. – 6 a.m. – 7 a.m. EST
Men’s Skateboard Park – 10 p.m. – 11 p.m. EST

Sunday, April 24

Women’s Skateboard Street – 11:30 p.m. (Saturday 4/23) – 12:30 a.m. EST
Men’s Skateboard Street – 2:30 a.m. – 3:30 a.m. EST

Who is competing at the 2022 Chiba X Games?

The X Games have traditionally featured big-name athletes, including the likes of Tony Hawk, Shaun White and Travis Pastrana—each of whom has taken the opportunity to debut new tricks at X Games competitions of the past. See the full list of confirmed athletes for the 2022 X Games in Chiba, Japan, below.

Men’s Skateboard Park

• Gavin Bottger
• Tate Crew
• Edouard Damestoy
• Jagger Eaton
• Luiz Francisco
• Guy Khury
• Clay Kreiner
• Yuro Nagahara
• Liam Pace
• Tristan Rennie
• Kensuke Sasaoka
• Jimmy Wilkins
• Kieran Woolley
• Zion Wright

Women’s Skateboard Park

• Yndiara Asp
• Amelia Brodka
• Cocona Hiraki
• Ruby Lilley
• Grace Marhoefer
• Kisa Nakamura
• Kihana Ogawa
• Jordan Santana
• Minna Stess
• Mami Tezuka
• Bryce Wettstein
• Sakura Yosozumi

Men’s Skateboard Street

• Gavin Bottger
• Jagger Eaton
• Kelvin Hoefler
• Yuto Horigome
• Daiki Ikeda
• Jake Ilardi
• Dashawn Jordan
• Chris Joslin
• Clay Kreiner
• Kairi Netsuke
• Liam Pace
• Lucas Rabelo
• Sora Shirai
• Kieran Woolley
• Zion Wright

Women’s Skateboard Street

• Rizu Akama
• Andrea Benitez
• Julia Brueckler
• Lore Bruggeman
• Chloe Covell
• Rayssa Leal
• Hina Maeda
• Gabriela Mazetto
• Grace Marhoefer
• Funa Nakayama
• Aori Nishimura
• Yumeka Oda
• Keet Oldenbeuving
• Poe Pinson
• Pamela Rosa

Skateboard Vert

• Mitchie Brusco
• Tate Carew
• Edouard Damestoy
• Gui Khury
• Clay Kreiner
• Elliot Sloan
• Moto Shibata
• Jimmy Wilkins

Skateboard Vert Best Trick

• Mitchie Brusco
• Tate Carew
• Edouard Damestoy
• Gui Khury
• Clay Kreiner
• Elliot Sloan
• Moto Shibata
• Jimmy Wilkins

BMX Park

• Kyle Baldock
• Declan Brooks
• Nick Bruce
• Pat Casey
• Daniel Dhers
• Justin Dowell
• James Jones
• Brandon Loupos
• Jeremy Malott
• Logan Martin
• Rim Nakamura
• Kevin Peraza
• Marin Rantes
• Daniel Sandoval
• Jose Torres
• Mike Varga

BMX Street

• Courage Adams
• Alex Donnachie
• Chad Kerley
• Lewis Mills
• Matt Ray
• Broc Raiford
• Garrett Reynolds
• Devon Smilie

BMX Flatland

• Terry Adams
• Matthias Dandois
• Viki Gomez
• Kio Hayakawa
• Varo Hernandez
• Alex Jumelin
• Moto Sasaki
• Yohei Uchino

Moto X Best Whip

• Tyler Bereman
• Taka Higashino
• Axell Hodges
• Tom Parsons
• Ryusei Suzuki
• Julien Vanstippen
• Genki Watanabe

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