ESPN will once again feature a talented roster of commentators for X Games 16 in Los Angeles,  July 29 – Aug. 1. X Games 16 will be hosted by Sal Masekela for all 27 hours of live HD coverage on ESPN.  In addition to the eight live competition telecasts, ESPN anchor Dana Jacobson will return to hostX Center nightly on ESPN2. Veteran X Games reporter Keir Dillon will host eight hours of X Games 16 live on ESPN 3D.

Returning from an extended assignment in South Africa reporting on the 2010 FIFA World Cup, Masekela will take the reigns as host of ESPN’s X Games 16 telecast. Masekela has served as host of the telecast since X Games Seven (2001) in Philadelphia. He also currently co-hosts E! Network’s The Daily 10. In addition to serving as host for the X Games, Masekela’s responsibilities include serving as play-by-play host for the Skateboard Vert, Park, Street and Big Air events, as well as reporting for SportsCenter.

Several action sports icons including Tony Hawk, Jeremy McGrath, Dennis McCoy and Boris Said will join Masekela as analysts for the Skateboard, Moto X, BMX Freestyle and Rally Car events. 

Tony Hawk has transcended the boundaries of action sports to become one of the most popular athletes in the world. In addition to being the first athlete to ever land a 900 on a skateboard, Hawk has won 10 X Games gold medals, developed one of the most successful video games in history and built a global action sports brand. Hawk will join Masekela in the booth to call the action for the Skateboard Vert, Big Air, Park and Street competitions. 

Jeremy McGrath has won nine Supercross Championship titles and more than 100 career races. McGrath earned his first X Games medal in 2004 when he took gold in the Step Up competition at X Games 11 and has collected four X Games medals total. McGrath joined the X Games telecast team in 2007 and will serve as a Moto X analyst for X Games 16.

Dennis McCoy is the only BMX rider to compete in every X Games since its inception in 1995. McCoy first started riding in 1980, and from 1986 to 1995, he won the overall flatland/ramp title for every year in a span of time known as “the decade of domination.” McCoy has five X Games BMX Freestyle medals to his count. One of the biggest influences in the sport of BMX Freestyle, 2010 marks McCoy’s 25th season as a professional.

Boris Said has raced in several major car series and has won on every level. In addition to a famous career in NASCAR, Said has also participated in the Craftsman Truck Series, 24 Hours of Daytona, the V8 Supercar Series and the X Games Rally Car competition. At X Games 16, Said will join ESPN as a telecast analyst for the Rally Car competitions. 

Dana Jacobson, an ESPN anchor since 2002, joined the X Games team in 2006 at X Games 12 as the first host of X Center, ESPN2’s nightly highlight show. Jacobson served as an anchor on ESPNEWS and SportsCenter before joining ESPN2’s morning program ESPN First Take as a co-host in  2005. At X Games 16, Jacobson will again host X Center.

Keir Dillon, a veteran ESPN reporter, action sports pro and two-time Winter X Games medalist, will host ESPN 3D’s live X Games 16 telecasts

A complete roster of X Games 16 play-by-play hosts, analysts, reporters and commentators:

Play-by-Play Hosts, Analysts, Reporters and Commentators

 Hosts

● Sal Masekela
● Dana Jacobson
● Keir Dillon

Skateboard

● Sal Masekela: Play-by-play
● Tony Hawk: Analyst

 BMX

● Jim Coleman: Play-by-play
● Steve Swope: Analyst
● Dennis McCoy: Analyst

 Moto X

● Cameron Steele: Play-by-play
● Paul Page: Play-by-play
● Jeremy McGrath: Play-by-play
● Tes Sewell: Analyst

 Rally

● Paul Page: Play-by-play
● Boris Said: Analyst

 Reporters

● Erin Bates: Moto X and Rally
● Jenn Brown: Big Air and Super X
● Keir Dillon: Vert
● Chris Pastras: Park/Street 

 For the full telecast schedule and X Games media information, including press releases, logos and additional images from past events, log on towww.espneventmedia.com. For general information and updated athlete lists, log on to www.xgames.com. Follow the X Games on Twitter atTwitter.com/espnxgames.

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Contacts:

Katie Moses Swope ([email protected] ) at 310-642-1507

Alex Rozis ([email protected]) at 310-642-1533