Latest news with #TheSnowLeague
Forbes
13 hours ago
- Business
- Forbes
Eileen Gu Is Joining Shaun White's Snow League As Global Ambassador
Eileen Gu of Team China reacts after winning the gold medal during the Women's Freestyle Freeski ... More Halfpipe Final on Day 14 of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics at Genting Snow Park on February 18, 2022 in Zhangjiakou, China. Shaun White's professional snowboarding and freeskiing competition, The Snow League, debuted this year with a host of big-name sponsors and backers. White's venture is supported by partners like Marriott Bonvoy, INEOS Automotive, Pacifico, Hublot and Tiffany & Co., and it inked a multi-year media rights deal with NBC Sports. These partnerships have allowed White and his team to offer athletes the opportunity to compete for an unprecedented $2.5 million season purse at the end of The Snow League's four-stop season. Now, The Snow League has announced that Eileen Gu, one of the most recognizable names and faces in action sports, is joining as global ambassador. The news is sure to excite freeskiing fans, who eagerly await that sport's debut in the second stop of the Snow League's first season in Yunding Secret Garden in China on December 4–6, 2025. 'Eileen represents everything The Snow League stands for: greatness, creativity and a relentless drive to push boundaries,' White said. 'The Snow League is doing what no other winter sports league has done—bringing together world-class venues, premium global partners and high-profile investors to create an experience that elevates both the athletes and the sports themselves.' Having Gu onboard, White added, 'is not only an asset for the league, but also for the future of winter sports, and I'm so proud to have her as a partner on this journey.' Freeskier Eileen Gu, a powerhouse on and off the slopes, is joining Shaun White's Snow League as ... More global ambassador Gu, at 21, is already making her case as one of the best freeskiers to ever do it. She is as skilled in halfpipe as she is slopestyle and rails. At Beijing 2022, Gu became the youngest freeski Olympic gold medalist at age 18. She's also the first winter sports athlete to claim three medals at both the 2021 X Games and FIS World Championships. In World Cup competition, Gu has made the podium in 89% of her starts. But skiing represents just a fraction of Gu's platform. Gu is a full-time student at Stanford University, where she is studying quantum physics. She is also an in-demand model, having walked the runway for designers like Louis Vuitton and Brunello Cucinelli and been featured on covers of magazines like Vogue and Harper's Bazaar. In short, Gu is a sports and culture powerhouse, truly the freeskiing equivalent to White, who became the face of snowboarding during his pro career. Gu has already served as an ambassador for the 2022 Beijing Olympics, 2024 Gangwon Youth Olympics, 2024 Paris Olympics and Salt Lake City's 2030 Olympic bid. Now, Gu will bring that global crossover appeal to The Snow League as the series prepares for its event in China at the same venue that saw Gu made history, becoming the only action sports athlete to win three medals (two golds and a silver) at the Beijing 2022 Games. The inaugural Snow League event, held in Aspen Snowmass March 7–8, featured snowboard halfpipe only. The final two events of the season in 2026, at Aspen Snowmass again in February and then Laax, Switzerland, in March, will also feature both disciplines. Shaun White poses in the halfpipe after competition on day 2 of The Snow League at Buttermilk Ski ... More Resort on March 08, 2025 in Aspen, Colorado. The list of invited freeski athletes for the remaining Snow League events has not yet been released. 'I vividly remember the first time I heard about The Snow League," Gu told me. 'I was getting my boots fitted in the springtime when my phone rang in my pocket. Shaun and I spoke for over an hour about our common goal of sharing the joy of snowsport with kids and adults all around the world who maybe hadn't engaged in winter sports before.' The partnership is symbolic of The Snow League's—and White's and Gu's—goal of elevating winter sports as a whole, moving beyond the tired skiing vs. snowboarding debate. 'It's about the power of sport to bring people together, cultivate resilience and build sportsmanship,' Gu added. 'I'm excited to align with TSL to make the world better through sport.'
Yahoo
27-03-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Olympic champion Shaun White is taking a new approach to winter sports – here's how to watch
Three-time Olympic gold medalist Shaun White is bringing a new and exciting twist to the world of winter sports with The Snow League — the first professional winter sports league focused exclusively on snowboarding and freeskiing. The inaugural season kicked off earlier in March in Aspen, Colorado, with a star-studded lineup, featuring 36 of the world's top winter sports athletes, including two-time Olympians Yuto Totsuka (Japan) and Maddie Mastro (United States), reigning Olympic halfpipe champion Ayumu Hirano (Japan), 2022 Olympic bronze medalist Sena Tomita (Japan) and more. This event marked the first of four to take place in China, Aspen, and Switzerland over the next year. If you missed the action or just want to relive the rush and thrill of every skill, NBC's got you covered with an encore presentation of the first Snow League competition. Live coverage begins Saturday at 1 PM ET. See below for details on how to watch the event and the full season schedule for Shaun White's Snow League. How to watch Shaun White's Snow League: When: Saturday, March 29 Where: Aspen, Colorado Time: 1:00 PM ET TV Channel: NBC What is the Snow League? The Snow League is the first professional winter sports league entirely dedicated to snowboarding and freeskiing. In its inaugural season, the league will feature a four-event global competition format, with the inaugural competition kicking off at Aspen Snowmass' Buttermilk Mountain in March 2025, and continuing at top winter resorts worldwide. Advertisement The first season will feature men's and women's snowboard halfpipe competitions at all four events. Freeskiing will be introduced during the league's second event in late 2025, and will be included in all future events. Athletes will compete to accumulate points based on their results from each event to be tallied together at the end of the season to crown The Snow League World Champion. PressBox - Snow League The Snow League, founded by Shaun White, to debut on NBC Sports, Peacock The Snow League is a series of competitions for snowboarders and freeskiers. 2025 Snow League Schedule: Event 1: Snowboard Halfpipe - March 7-8 -Aspen, Colorado Event 2 : Snowboard and Freeski Halfpipe - December 4-6, 2025 - Yunding Secret Garden Resort, China Event 3 : Snowboard and Freeski Halfpipe - February 26-28, 2026 - Aspen, Colorado Event 4: Snowboard and Freeski Halfpipe - March 19-2, 2026 - LAAX, Switzerland How can I watch snow sports on Peacock Sign up here to watch all of our live sports, sports shows, documentaries, classic matches, and more. You'll also get tons of hit movies and TV shows, Originals, news, 24/7 channels, and current NBC & Bravo hits—Peacock is here for whatever you're in the mood for. What devices does Peacock support? You can enjoy Peacock on a variety of devices. View the full list of supported devices here . Follow the latest news and storylines leading up to the 2026 Winter Olympics on OlympicTalk!
NBC Sports
27-03-2025
- Sport
- NBC Sports
Olympic champion Shaun White is taking a new approach to winter sports – here's how to watch
Three-time Olympic gold medalist Shaun White is bringing a new and exciting twist to the world of winter sports with The Snow League — the first professional winter sports league focused exclusively on snowboarding and freeskiing. The inaugural season kicked off earlier in March in Aspen, Colorado, with a star-studded lineup, featuring 36 of the world's top winter sports athletes, including two-time Olympians Yuto Totsuka (Japan) and Maddie Mastro (United States), reigning Olympic halfpipe champion Ayumu Hirano (Japan), 2022 Olympic bronze medalist Sena Tomita (Japan) and more. This event marked the first of four to take place in China, Aspen, and Switzerland over the next year. If you missed the action or just want to relive the rush and thrill of every skill, NBC's got you covered with an encore presentation of the first Snow League competition. Live coverage begins Saturday at 1 PM ET. See below for details on how to watch the event and the full season schedule for Shaun White's Snow League. How to watch Shaun White's Snow League: When: Saturday, March 29 Where: Aspen, Colorado Time: 1:00 PM ET TV Channel: NBC What is the Snow League? The Snow League is going global‼️ 🌏 Season one dates and locations are locked — We're headed to the best halfpipes in the world, with the best athletes in the world. Season 1 Info: The Snow League is the first professional winter sports league entirely dedicated to snowboarding and freeskiing. In its inaugural season, the league will feature a four-event global competition format, with the inaugural competition kicking off at Aspen Snowmass' Buttermilk Mountain in March 2025, and continuing at top winter resorts worldwide. The first season will feature men's and women's snowboard halfpipe competitions at all four events. Freeskiing will be introduced during the league's second event in late 2025, and will be included in all future events. Athletes will compete to accumulate points based on their results from each event to be tallied together at the end of the season to crown The Snow League World Champion. Nick Zaccardi, 2025 Snow League Schedule: Event 1: Snowboard Halfpipe - March 7-8 -Aspen, Colorado Event 2: Snowboard and Freeski Halfpipe - December 4-6, 2025 - Yunding Secret Garden Resort, China Event 3: Snowboard and Freeski Halfpipe - February 26-28, 2026 - Aspen, Colorado Event 4: Snowboard and Freeski Halfpipe - March 19-2, 2026 - LAAX, Switzerland How can I watch snow sports on Peacock? Sign up here to watch all of our live sports, sports shows, documentaries, classic matches, and more. You'll also get tons of hit movies and TV shows, Originals, news, 24/7 channels, and current NBC & Bravo hits—Peacock is here for whatever you're in the mood for. What devices does Peacock support? You can enjoy Peacock on a variety of devices. View the full list of supported devices here. Follow the latest news and storylines leading up to the 2026 Winter Olympics on OlympicTalk!
Associated Press
09-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Associated Press
Sena Tomita and Yuto Totsuka Take Historic First Wins at The Snow League's Debut at Aspen Snowmass
Sena Tomita (JPN) and Yuto Totsuka (JPN) made history by winning The Snow League's inaugural event at Buttermilk at Aspen Snowmass in the women's and men's snowboarding halfpipe competition. Each earned a first-place prize of $50,000 out of a total prize purse of $370,000 for the event. Tomita and Totsuka took the lead in the Snow League World Championship Standings, claiming 100 points each, with three events remaining in Season One. In addition to the dramatic action in the halfpipe, The Snow League's inaugural event was highlighted by a surprise performance from Sofi Tukker, who took the stage for an energetic halftime performance. The star-studded crowd, including Nina Dobrev, J Balvin, Miles and Keleigh Teller, Julianne Hough, and Pom Klementieff, then watched Big Boi take the stage to close out the first-ever Snow League in style, with athletes, fans, and the Aspen vibe squad joining together to dance the afternoon away. The Snow League founder, Shaun White, reveled in seeing his vision come to life. White, who was on stage with the athletes to present the inaugural Snow League trophies, designed by Tiffany & Co., said, 'I've never been so excited for a competition. There was so much drama, so much excitement,' he beamed. 'I don't know when I've been this excited for a competition—as a spectator watching the sport I love, it's been so amazing to see.' Today's event at Buttermilk in Aspen, Colorado showcased a completely reimagined halfpipe finals format with eight men and eight women athletes pitted in head-to-head battles. The women's final saw a dramatic back-and-forth contest between the top athlete from qualifying, Maddie Mastro (USA) and Tomita. Each claimed a winning run in the best of three run format—first Tomita and then Mastro. This led to a third and final run, where Tomita rose to the challenge, overtaking Mastro by a mere 0.5 points to win. Tomita's final run saw her throw a huge 12-foot frontside 1080 tailgrab, into a switch frontside 720, linking up a pair of 540s, finishing strong with a frontside 900 melon grab, and a final Method. Speaking through a Japanese translator, Tomita shared, 'I'm so happy to win the inaugural Snow League event—this feels like the start of something big!' When asked what the victory meant to her, she said, 'It's hard to put into words, but this is so awesome!' The 25-year-old was emotional, revealing that it had been a challenging season leading up to the event. Despite the nerves, she delivered when it mattered, claiming the win in front of a cheering crowd in Aspen. In the third-place matchup, it was 16-year-old Gaon Choi (KOR) claiming the win—Choi had shown a fierce competitiveness earlier in the day, going back-and-forth with Tomita in the semifinals before falling to her in the third run. In her head-to-head battle with Mitsuki Ono (JPN), Choi won both of the first two runs to take third place, with Ono finishing in fourth. In the men's semifinals, a showdown of a trio of Japanese stars and a rising American battled it out for the top spots on the podium. Ayumu Hirano (JPN), the top qualifier coming into the finals, was relegated to the third-place matchup after losing an exciting semifinal battle against Totsuka. In the other semifinal, 16-year-old Alessandro Barbieri (USA) lost out to Ruka Hirano (JPN), with the Japanese star winning the first two runs to claim victory. The final featured Totsuka (JPN) going against Ruka Hirano in a matchup that saw both athletes put down immaculate first runs, with Totsuka edging out Hirano. It was in the second run that Totsuka soundly defeated Hirano, posting the highest men's run score of the day at 96.5. Totsuka dropped in on the right side, firing into a nearly 13-foot switch backside double cork 1080 Japan, into a backside 900 mute, and linking up back-to-back 1440s, going frontside triple cork 1440 Indy into a switch frontside triple cork 1440 Indy that had the crowd go wild. Speaking in his native Japanese, Totsuka said through an interpreter, 'To win [the Snow League] in these conditions was incredible.' When asked what it was like to be the winner of the first-ever Snow League event, Totsuka said it was an incredible feeling, and the fact that the legend, Shaun White, had created this event and to be able to win it was so much fun. Ayumu Hirano faced the young Team USA athlete Alessandro Barbieri in the third-place matchup, who, in a valiant attempt to beat Hirano, put together a run that he had never stomped before. Barbieri said, 'Just landing that run was enough for me to throw everything [he threw his helmet and snowboard in excitement]. Even if I didn't win the round, I was still buzzing from it.' Hirano answered back to beat Barbieri in both runs to take third place on the podium. Beyond the prestige of a podium finish, today's Snow League Finals Day presented athletes with a high-stakes opportunity to earn a share of the groundbreaking $1.6 million purse spread across the four snowboarding events. Competitors vied not only for the inaugural Snow League title and critical World Championship Standings points but also a share of the $370,000 prize purse in Aspen, divided equally between genders. Men and women's podium finishers earned $50,000 for first, $20,000 for second, and $10,000 for third. All finalists earn prize money, with $5,000 for fourth and $2,500 each for fifth through eighth. Additionally, each of the 36 athletes receives a $5,000 appearance fee, further reflecting The Snow League's commitment to advancing snowboarding competition. The first event of The Snow League in Aspen Snowmass set the bar for the remainder of a groundbreaking first season of competition. Up next will be Event Two at Yunding Secret Garden in China, to be held December 4–6, 2025. The stars of snowboarding will face off again to earn points and challenge for the top spot in the Snow League World Championship Standings. Additionally, Freeskiing will make its debut as the ski athletes are set to join the snowboarders in China, as the future of winter sports competition expands to a new discipline. Fans can enjoy on-demand replays of the inaugural Snow League event in Aspen available on Peacock and are also invited to watch the Encore Presentation of Event One of The Snow League on the NBC network in the United States on Saturday, March 29 at 1:00 p.m. ET and on Warner Bros. Discovery's linear channels in Europe on Tuesday, March 25, at 8:00 p.m. CET. About The Snow League Launched in June 2024, The Snow League is the first professional winter sports league dedicated to snowboarding and freeskiing. Founded by three-time Olympic gold medalist and entrepreneur Shaun White, Season One features a four-event global format boasting a $1.6 million prize purse, with athletes competing to earn points to determine the overall champions. The season kicks off at Buttermilk in Aspen Snowmass (March 7–8, 2025) and then moves to Yund and Secret Garden, China (Dec. 4–6, 2025), where 16 of the world's top freeskiers will join the roster at the Beijing 2022 Olympic venue. The League returns to Aspen (Feb. 26–28, 2026) and concludes at LAAX, Switzerland (March 19–21, 2026), where the first-ever Snow League World Champions will be crowned. The Snow League is powered by its sponsors, including the three Founding Partners, Marriott Bonvoy, INEOS Automotive and Pacifico®, which are joined in the Snow League family by Hublot and Tiffany & Co. Famous Last Words PR [email protected] Fast Alpine Coast Communications [email protected] Taub SOURCE: The Snow League Copyright Business Wire 2025. PUB: 03/09/2025 06:08 AM/DISC: 03/09/2025 06:07 AM
Yahoo
09-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Sena Tomita and Yuto Totsuka Take Historic First Wins at The Snow League's Debut at Aspen Snowmass
Celebrities including Nina Dobrev, J Balvin, Miles Teller, and more take in an action-packed afternoon featuring performances from Sofi Tukker and Big Boi ASPEN, Colo., March 09, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sena Tomita (JPN) and Yuto Totsuka (JPN) made history by winning The Snow League's inaugural event at Buttermilk at Aspen Snowmass in the women's and men's snowboarding halfpipe competition. Each earned a first-place prize of $50,000 out of a total prize purse of $370,000 for the event. Tomita and Totsuka took the lead in the Snow League World Championship Standings, claiming 100 points each, with three events remaining in Season One. In addition to the dramatic action in the halfpipe, The Snow League's inaugural event was highlighted by a surprise performance from Sofi Tukker, who took the stage for an energetic halftime performance. The star-studded crowd, including Nina Dobrev, J Balvin, Miles and Keleigh Teller, Julianne Hough, and Pom Klementieff, then watched Big Boi take the stage to close out the first-ever Snow League in style, with athletes, fans, and the Aspen vibe squad joining together to dance the afternoon away. The Snow League founder, Shaun White, reveled in seeing his vision come to life. White, who was on stage with the athletes to present the inaugural Snow League trophies, designed by Tiffany & Co., said, "I've never been so excited for a competition. There was so much drama, so much excitement," he beamed. "I don't know when I've been this excited for a competition—as a spectator watching the sport I love, it's been so amazing to see." Today's event at Buttermilk in Aspen, Colorado showcased a completely reimagined halfpipe finals format with eight men and eight women athletes pitted in head-to-head battles. The women's final saw a dramatic back-and-forth contest between the top athlete from qualifying, Maddie Mastro (USA) and Tomita. Each claimed a winning run in the best of three run format—first Tomita and then Mastro. This led to a third and final run, where Tomita rose to the challenge, overtaking Mastro by a mere 0.5 points to win. Tomita's final run saw her throw a huge 12-foot frontside 1080 tailgrab, into a switch frontside 720, linking up a pair of 540s, finishing strong with a frontside 900 melon grab, and a final Method. Speaking through a Japanese translator, Tomita shared, "I'm so happy to win the inaugural Snow League event—this feels like the start of something big!" When asked what the victory meant to her, she said, "It's hard to put into words, but this is so awesome!" The 25-year-old was emotional, revealing that it had been a challenging season leading up to the event. Despite the nerves, she delivered when it mattered, claiming the win in front of a cheering crowd in Aspen. In the third-place matchup, it was 16-year-old Gaon Choi (KOR) claiming the win—Choi had shown a fierce competitiveness earlier in the day, going back-and-forth with Tomita in the semifinals before falling to her in the third run. In her head-to-head battle with Mitsuki Ono (JPN), Choi won both of the first two runs to take third place, with Ono finishing in fourth. In the men's semifinals, a showdown of a trio of Japanese stars and a rising American battled it out for the top spots on the podium. Ayumu Hirano (JPN), the top qualifier coming into the finals, was relegated to the third-place matchup after losing an exciting semifinal battle against Totsuka. In the other semifinal, 16-year-old Alessandro Barbieri (USA) lost out to Ruka Hirano (JPN), with the Japanese star winning the first two runs to claim victory. The final featured Totsuka (JPN) going against Ruka Hirano in a matchup that saw both athletes put down immaculate first runs, with Totsuka edging out Hirano. It was in the second run that Totsuka soundly defeated Hirano, posting the highest men's run score of the day at 96.5. Totsuka dropped in on the right side, firing into a nearly 13-foot switch backside double cork 1080 Japan, into a backside 900 mute, and linking up back-to-back 1440s, going frontside triple cork 1440 Indy into a switch frontside triple cork 1440 Indy that had the crowd go wild. Speaking in his native Japanese, Totsuka said through an interpreter, "To win [the Snow League] in these conditions was incredible." When asked what it was like to be the winner of the first-ever Snow League event, Totsuka said it was an incredible feeling, and the fact that the legend, Shaun White, had created this event and to be able to win it was so much fun. Ayumu Hirano faced the young Team USA athlete Alessandro Barbieri in the third-place matchup, who, in a valiant attempt to beat Hirano, put together a run that he had never stomped before. Barbieri said, "Just landing that run was enough for me to throw everything [he threw his helmet and snowboard in excitement]. Even if I didn't win the round, I was still buzzing from it." Hirano answered back to beat Barbieri in both runs to take third place on the podium. Beyond the prestige of a podium finish, today's Snow League Finals Day presented athletes with a high-stakes opportunity to earn a share of the groundbreaking $1.6 million purse spread across the four snowboarding events. Competitors vied not only for the inaugural Snow League title and critical World Championship Standings points but also a share of the $370,000 prize purse in Aspen, divided equally between genders. Men and women's podium finishers earned $50,000 for first, $20,000 for second, and $10,000 for third. All finalists earn prize money, with $5,000 for fourth and $2,500 each for fifth through eighth. Additionally, each of the 36 athletes receives a $5,000 appearance fee, further reflecting The Snow League's commitment to advancing snowboarding competition. The first event of The Snow League in Aspen Snowmass set the bar for the remainder of a groundbreaking first season of competition. Up next will be Event Two at Yunding Secret Garden in China, to be held December 4–6, 2025. The stars of snowboarding will face off again to earn points and challenge for the top spot in the Snow League World Championship Standings. Additionally, Freeskiing will make its debut as the ski athletes are set to join the snowboarders in China, as the future of winter sports competition expands to a new discipline. Fans can enjoy on-demand replays of the inaugural Snow League event in Aspen available on Peacock and are also invited to watch the Encore Presentation of Event One of The Snow League on the NBC network in the United States on Saturday, March 29 at 1:00 p.m. ET and on Warner Bros. Discovery's linear channels in Europe on Tuesday, March 25, at 8:00 p.m. CET. About The Snow League Launched in June 2024, The Snow League is the first professional winter sports league dedicated to snowboarding and freeskiing. Founded by three-time Olympic gold medalist and entrepreneur Shaun White, Season One features a four-event global format boasting a $1.6 million prize purse, with athletes competing to earn points to determine the overall champions. The season kicks off at Buttermilk in Aspen Snowmass (March 7–8, 2025) and then moves to Yund and Secret Garden, China (Dec. 4–6, 2025), where 16 of the world's top freeskiers will join the roster at the Beijing 2022 Olympic venue. The League returns to Aspen (Feb. 26–28, 2026) and concludes at LAAX, Switzerland (March 19–21, 2026), where the first-ever Snow League World Champions will be crowned. The Snow League is powered by its sponsors, including the three Founding Partners, Marriott Bonvoy, INEOS Automotive and Pacifico®, which are joined in the Snow League family by Hublot and Tiffany & Co. For more information, please visit and purchase tickets to the event here. Follow The Snow League on X, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube. PHOTOS: Please credit: Getty Images for The Snow League here. SNOW LEAGUE MEDIA KIT: Email media@ for access to The Snow League Media Kit, including high-res images, videos, and results for editorial usage. View source version on Contacts Jen Peros Famous Last Words PRjen@ Annie Fast Alpine Coast Communicationsannie@ Ilana Taub Gold Tree PRilana@
