Shaun White's New League Reshapes Snowboarding's Future

Shaun White hung up his competitive snowboard in 2022, but he's nowhere near done shaping the sport that made him famous.

The three-time Olympic champion launched The Snow League last year, a revolutionary halfpipe tour that's changing how snowboarding competitions work. Instead of riders competing for the highest score, they face off in head-to-head eliminations where judges pick winners from best-of-three showdowns.

White recruited reigning Olympic champion Ayumu Hirano and freeskiing gold medalist Eileen Gu to headline the tour. The debut event took place on the same Chinese halfpipe where White tearfully said goodbye to Olympic competition four years ago.

The league secured around $15 million in funding from major investors including Linda Henry of Fenway Sports Group and 359 Capital. That money ensures something action sports athletes have rarely enjoyed: consistent, reliable prize purses.

"I think that speaks volumes, because it's not just me digging into my pockets," White told The Associated Press.

White's approach mirrors how he changed snowboarding during his competitive years. While the sport prided itself on being laid-back, he made no apologies for aggressively pursuing victory.

The Ripple Effect

White's influence reaches far beyond competition formats and prize money. Current Olympic champion Hirano told White that he and his brothers used to rush home from school in Japan just to watch his snowboarding videos.

The tricks White pioneered, including his trademark Double McTwist 1260 and various triple-cork jumps, will be on full display when athletes compete at the upcoming Winter Olympics in Italy. Riders have spent decades pushing themselves to match what White accomplished.

Now 38, White will return to Italy next month as a spectator and NBC contributor. It's the same country where he won his first gold medal at age 19 in 2006, when his shock of red hair earned him the nickname "The Flying Tomato."

"I'm going to try to hold it together, but yeah, it will be an emotional day," he said about watching the men's halfpipe final scheduled for February 13. He'll be experiencing the Olympics from an entirely new perspective, no longer the competitor but the legend who helped build what fans will witness.

White's success in launching a properly funded league stands in stark contrast to recent failures like Olympic champion Michael Johnson's track league, which collapsed over the summer despite big promises.

The Snow League represents something bigger than new competition rules. It's a blueprint for how retired athletes can use their influence to solve real problems in their sports while creating opportunities for the next generation.