Opening round heats revealed ahead of Qualifying Day; Viewers can watch both days of action live starting Friday, March 7
Aspen, Colorado – March 6 – The field is set and ready to drop in to the halfpipe for the inaugural season of The Snow League, kicking off with Qualifying Day on Friday, March 7 at Buttermilk at Aspen Snowmass. Founded by three-time Olympic gold medalist Shaun White, The Snow League is a first-of-its-kind, global professional winter sports league.
Ahead of the first day of competition, founder Shaun White welcomed the athletes, saying: “We have this moment in time to really make a difference and make a League of our own. I’m so thrilled to be here, and I can’t say this enough, it’s not about me—it’s about you and building this future for you guys. I’ve had a level of success within my career, and I think everyone in this room deserves that and more. This is the beginning of a new era.”
Heading into Qualifying Day, all 36 athletes (16 women and 20 men) have been allocated into four heats (five men and four women) based on World Snowboard Points List (WSPL) rankings. Athletes will have two opportunities to be among the 16 snowboarders advancing through to Saturday’s finals. In the opening round of qualifying competition, athletes will get two runs, with the highest score counting. The competitor with the top score from each heat automatically advances to Finals Day. The second and third-place athletes from each heat will get a second chance to advance with a two-run Last Chance Qualifier to finish the day.
The roster of competing athletes is truly global with ten countries represented across four continents at this inaugural event in Aspen. The Snow League roster features 22 Olympians who have collectively earned six Olympic medals, including current men’s Olympic Champion, Ayumu Hirano (JPN), Mitsuki Ono (JPN), Maddie Mastro (USA) and Gaon Choi (KOR). The roster includes previously announced Snow League season one athletes, as well as just announced Alternates. More information on these competing athletes is available on The Snow League website.
The purse for Season One of the Snow League is $1.6 million across the four snowboarding events, with an equal prize purse for men and women. Both Aspen Snowmass podiums offer an $80,000 purse with $50,000 for first, $20,000 for second, and $10,000 for third. Prize money extends to all finalists, with fourth place earning $5,000 and the remaining four finishers receiving $2,500 each. This payout structure will apply across all four events in Season One.
In a first for snowboarding competitions, all 36 competing athletes will receive a $5,000 appearance fee reflecting an unprecedented level of support that underscores the Snow League’s athlete-first approach.
The Snow League will be presented with exclusive live coverage in the United States on Peacock beginning this Friday, March 7, at 11:30 a.m. ET, and the second day of competition on Saturday, March 8, at 11:30 a.m. ET. Fans worldwide are invited to tune in, with viewing in more than 95 countries available globally.
Tickets
How to Watch
Aspen InfoAbout 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), then moves to Yunding 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 represented by Range Sports to advise on its media rights and commercial partnerships strategy and execution.
Follow The Snow League on X, Instagram, Facebook and YouTube.
