BMX Street in Summer X Games, but No Vert

After plenty of rumors, ESPN finally sent over the press release confirming that BMX Street will be in the Summer X Games, but Vert has been eliminated/replaced with SuperPark. What exactly is SuperPark? Good question, but it's probably going to be big stuff everywhere. Here is the official press release from ESPN.

ESPN will debut three new disciplines at X Games 14 this summer in Los Angeles, Skateboard and BMX SuperPark and BMX Street. SuperPark will be a 100 percent transition-focused design – blending a variety of terrain and obstacles into one seamless course. The SuperPark disciplines will highlight the all-around abilities of the world’s best transition skaters and BMX riders. This will mark the first time ever that X Games will not have a stand-alone vert ramp. In addition to Skateboard and BMX SuperPark, BMX Street will be added to X Games where it will follow the same template as X Games mainstay Skateboard Street. The concept is simple, raw street features such as stairs, rails and ledges replicated in an arena setting.

For X Games 14 at The Home Depot Center and STAPLES Center, these new disciplines will join the other Skateboard and BMX competitions of Skateboard Street and Skateboard and BMX Big Air. Fourteen hours of live X Games programming on ESPN, ESPN2 and ABC – all showcased in high definition – will be aired July 31 – August 3, as well as on ESPN International, EXPN.com, ESPN Classic, ESPN360.com, SportsCenter and ESPN2’s X Center.

"We are constantly striving to present new sports and disciplines at the X Games that accurately reflect the state of action sports and participants,"” said Chris Stiepock, X Games General Manager. "Skateboarders and BMX riders still enjoy vert features, but most are doing so at skateparks rather than on stand-alone vert halfpipes. The proliferation of public skateparks has fostered new athletes who excel on large park features, leading us to develop the SuperPark discipline."

BMX legend Mat Hoffman, the sport organizer for X Games BMX events, said: “The very core of BMX is to explore and be creative. This new format will promote this progression, providing the opportunity for the best riders to expand Park and Vert to new dimensions.”

In addition to the currently-named discipline of SuperPark, X Games 14, the premier action sports event in the world, will feature athletes from across the globe competing for medals and prize money in the following sports: BMX Freestyle, Moto X, Skateboard, Surfing and Rally Car Racing.

Details on sports schedules, venues and athletes will be forthcoming and available on www.expn.com.