The Snow League, founded by legendary athlete Shaun White as the first professional winter sports league exclusively dedicated to snowboarding and freeskiing, kicked off on March 7 and 8 at Buttermilk at Aspen Snowmass with idyllic springtime conditions.
While the first of its four international stops featured men's and women's snowboard halfpipe competitions, The Snow League will introduce freeskiing at the next event in China in December and all upcoming events. Over the course of the league, athletes compete to accumulate points based on their results from each event, which are tallied together at the end of the season to crown The Snow League World Champion. Prize money is a priority, with a $1.6 million overall pool and $370,000 allotted for each event. The 36 athletes at The Buttermilk comp were presented with a $5,000 appearance fee and an opportunity to earn prize money: $50,000 for first, $20,000 for second, $10,000 for third, $5,000 for fourth, and $2,500 each for fifth through eighth.
White, the three-time Olympic gold medal winning snowboarder, was very much a part of the program last weekend, forerunning the competition, cheering on the athletes, and presenting awards to the winners at the finish. He also signed autographs for fans, wore apparel from his signature White Space collection, joined his friends Sofi Tukker onstage during their surprise set, danced to Big Boi and Sleepy Brown at Buttermilk, and took part in the associated events around Aspen from the Sports Illustrated Party at the Snow Lodge presented by Casamigos with DJ Cloonee to The Hideaway by Pacifico afterparty at Silver City with Chromeo to The Champions Party in The St. Regis courtyard with DJ Steve Angello.
Supporting White's vision with The Snow League is a collection of sponsors comprising three founding partners of Marriott Bonvoy, INEOS.
With Automotive and Pacifico, joined by Hublot as the official watch and timekeeper and Tiffany & Co. as the official trophy provider, these partnerships play a crucial role in elevating the league's visibility (including airing on NBC Sports and Peacock), enhancing fan experiences (such as an off-road driving track in Aspen), and promoting the growth of winter sports across the globe (as this travels to China and Italy).
A friend recently shared his personal and professional mantra with me of "earn, learn, return" in life. This seems to apply to White with the work he's put into his career, the success he's achieved as an athlete and entrepreneur, and the commitment he's making to giving back to the next generation.