X Games 13: A Beginner's Guide and Preview

The 13^th edition of the X Games is about to be upon us. Between August 2^nd and August 5^th ESPN and ABC will show a plethora of extreme sports action on their networks. There will be over 15 televised competitions ranging over 13 different disciplines of extreme sports. Over 150 athletes will be competing this year, and all told there will be over 14 hours of programming. The numbers don't stop there. Last year, over 130,000 fans attended and over 35 million total viewers tuned in to watch the X Games. If you haven't become part of the craze yet, it's time to start and join the rest of America in being entertained-- extreme style. So, where are you to start if you have never watched before?

What's exciting, who are the major names, when should you watch and what is absolutely can't miss great TV? All of that will be answered below. Let's narrow down all of those above numbers into the five events you should absolutely watch if you're looking to get acquainted with extreme sports, as the rest of the nation has already begun to do. (Note: Times listed are the entire time slot, tune in for exact times of specific programming. All of the times listed below are Eastern).

Men's Skateboard Vert Final - Sunday, August 5^th 3:00-6:00 PM, ABC