Three-time Olympic gold medalist Shaun White has already cemented his legacy in snowboarding. After announcing his retirement three years ago, he had nothing left to prove, but his passion for keeping winter sports in the mainstream and ensuring the next generation of athletes has a platform to thrive sparked his next big venture: The Snow League.
Kicking off its inaugural season in Aspen, The Snow League redefines competitive snowboarding, bringing the world’s top winter sports athletes together for a series of head-to-head halfpipe events designed to push limits and showcase raw talent. With Pacifico as a founding partner, the tone was set for a weekend unlike any other where high-stakes competition met nonstop adventure. But this wasn’t just about competition—it was a full-blown celebration of snowboarding culture. The energy was electric, the crowd as passionate as the riders, every cheer echoing through the mountains.
From watching fearless riders soar through the air like superheroes to dancing at a Chromeo set and toasting beers with Shaun and his crew at The Hideaway by Pacifico exclusive afterparty, The Snow League was a melting pot of energy and passion. One moment, I was getting a masterclass in snowboarding’s deep-rooted culture from an OG instructor with decades of wisdom; the next, I was rapping word-for-word to Big Boi in the middle of the mountains, surrounded by fur coats, cowboy hats, and total strangers who quickly became party friends for the weekend. Shaun White and Pacifco curated more than just a competition—they built a community where legends, newcomers, and fans came together to celebrate the sport in the most unforgettable way.
“Both Pacifico and The Snow League embody a sense of discovery and encourage fans to tap into their adventurous spirit,” said Rene Ramos, SVP of Brand Activation at Constellation Brands. That adventurous spirit certainly delivered as I walked away with a newfound love for winter sports and a deep appreciation for the world of snowboarding.
The weekend was a perfect blend of high stakes, intense competition, and unforgettable moments of pure fun. And this is just the beginning–with stops still to come in China, Switzerland, and a return to Aspen, The Snow League is undeniably the winter event that you will not want to miss. I caught up with Shaun at the event’s launch to talk about the Snow League’s distinct format, the importance of partnering with brands that align with snowboarding culture, and the next generation of riders set to take over.
Our conversation, lightly edited for clarity, is below.
What inspired you to start your own league?
There's multiple reasons why I decided to start The Snow League, but one of the big reasons was when I was 16, I had this undefeated season, I won the halfpipe contest, I won all these events–it was incredible. I got to the end of the season and I'll never forget the interviewer was like, “It was an amazing accomplishment. It's never been done before, but how does it feel to not be the world champion?” I laughed, I thought they were joking. And no, I was not the world champion of snowboarding.
And so I wasn't upset, it was just a clear picture that there's a very big disconnect within the sports. You have major events here. You have a qualifying series for the Olympics over here, [but] none of it ties together. And so we want to make one common place for everyone to tune in that loves winter sports to watch their favorite athletes, and for the athletes to have one season that they can follow this tour, just like any traditional sport. So we're not reinventing the wheel, we're just bringing something that's desperately needed to the sport of snowboarding, free ski. And I'm so excited to be the one now retired and using my voice within the sport, my connection to the athletes, my connection to the resort owners and operators to bring it all together.
What makes The Snow League’s competition structure unique?
So, traditionally when you come to a snowboarding competition, you'll get to the finals day and you'll have a group of athletes and they all do three runs, and we pick a winner. So what we've decided to go with is something that I was inspired from [by] my competitive career. We have a head-to-head format. So once you get to the finals, you're paired against each other and sort of March Madness type of bracketing system. It makes it a lot more exciting to watch one competitor go against another. You get three runs, your best run takes you on to the next bracket, but it's also understandable at home. So when you're watching, you're like, “oh, I get it.” This person did this, they did that, that's why they scored. And we have professional judges that we're going to throw to, explaining why, but you can really kind of understand what's happening. And I like it because it builds more drama, there's more excitement. And as a competitor myself, I'm like, “oh, this would really challenge me”, because normally I would show up and have one run that I do that's kind of unbeatable, and I would just do the same run at every competition.
With Pacifico as one of the founding partners, how important was it for you to team up with brands that actually fit snowboarding culture?
When we talk about snowboarding culture from the early days of the sport, there's been this kind of rebellious attitude that's been brought to the sport from those early years. And it's not gone away, but it's something that I don't know if I find as much on the mountains today. And when we were doing the event, I wanted to take a more elevated approach to it, kind of taking some inspiration from downhill skiing. So the sponsors for downhill skiing, I don't know if they're currently, but it was Rolex, it was Range Rovers, very, very high end champagne. Why aren't we having these amazing sponsors and people coming to the sport of snowboarding and free ski?
It's obviously, I would argue very exciting, if not more exciting, to watch. So it's a big thing about taking the sport from a place where it was and elevating it through professionalism as a true sport and athleticism. And so that's been my goal. Through my career, I felt like I'm trying to legitimize the athleticism of it, trying to bring it to a new place. And here we are with The Snow League, so I'm excited about it. Yeah, Pacifico is an incredible brand. Yeah, it's an elevated thing. We've got INEOS Grenadier, incredible cars. And so that's just the beginning. And that allows us to put the biggest prize purse that's ever been had within the sport and equal pay for men and women, things that should be happening and aren't happening in other sports–excuse me, other competitions. And so we're really trying to set the tone for the future.
You’re hosting The Hideaway by Pacifico afterparty tonight, what are you most excited for about tonight’s event ahead of the finals tomorrow?
Well, my fiance just got to town, so she and I are going to cut it up on the dance floor! It's a monumental moment, so I have a lot of family in town. You wouldn't know it, but there's a lot of people working the event, from photographers to check-in, you name it, that I've seen throughout my career and worked with. And so there's a very nostalgic sort of feeling here. So there's the heart of the sports here, but with this fresh new perspective on it. So I think we're all just going to hopefully celebrate the success of this event.
Who are the next-gen riders we should be paying attention to?
We have a very young rider named Paisley, who I think is the future of the sport. She's only 10 years old right now. And so when I was her age, I ran some of the big major events and I was so thrilled to take her to the top today and do a rundown with her. She's beaming and smiling, and it was a very heartwarming moment. So that's the future. We have Maddie Mastro in the women's. She started her run today with a giant double flip at the top, which is not seen by most of the female riders. And then within the men's division, Ayumu Hirano, an Olympic gold medalist–he beat me at the last Olympics, and he's been on my heels the whole time and basically put me in a retirement.
There's real talent here and there's real amazingly marketable athletes, and we're trying to elevate them and bring them to a place where we can showcase their skills in the right way.
Last question: I have my first snowboarding lesson tomorrow. Do you have any tips for a first-timer?
Oh, man. Take it easy. Don't try to look cool. Everybody's trying to look cool. I tell people to put a pillow down the pants, don't look cool. You're going to fall. It's going to happen. Don't let the eyeballs around you affect you. Just be a beginner. Have fun with it, and take it slow, and wear your helmet, and remember why you're doing it in the first place–to have fun, but give it at least three days. People do one day and they're like, “oh, I'm sore. I'm tired. I don't want to do it again.” [On the] third day, you really get it, and then the whole mountain opens up to you and you got to stick with it. I believe in you. You got this!