Opinions are like snowboard leagues; everyone’s got one these days. And since there’s been endless Instagram chatter about whether the contest renaissance is even good for the sport, the basic facts of the situation are often overlooked. X Games, for example, is hosting its inaugural winter sports draft next month in Los Angeles. And so we figured it was time to pop the hood and ask the important questions. Mainly: who, what, where, when, why, and how?

WHO: This is probably one of the most pressing questions regarding the draft. Who will be participating? Is your favorite boarder a free agent right now? There is no street style during this upcoming X Games season (sorry to any fans out there looking to see a Louif X Games repeat), but with knuckle huck, halfpipe, and slopestyle as disciplines, it’s safe to say we’ll be seeing riders like Ayumu Hirano, Egan Wint, and Scotty James on course. You can find the full athlete list here.

WHAT: What, in this context, can be seen as an extension of How. As in, how is this going to work? Or in layman's terms: What? Let’s break it down. Heading into this season, there are four “clubs” (think teams if you aren’t familiar with soccer). These clubs cover four different regions. There’s a New York club, a Whistler club, a Park City club, and a Golden State club. These clubs will have general managers at the helm who will handle things like creating a roster, handling strategy, and general operations. These managers are made up of action sports icons in their own right. Dave Sypniewski, who spent a career working for giants such as Thrasher and Burton, will lead the New York club. Sharalee “Haze” Hazen, a contest tycoon in her own right after co-creating The Uninvited Invitational, will lead Park City. Ryan Stutt, owner of King Snow Magazine in Canada, will lead the Whistler club. And Johnny Moseley is heading up the Golden State club to remind us that we’re not above sharing the hill with some skiers.

Each club will pick ten athletes, both skiers and snowboarders, to compete throughout the season. In a press release about the new format, X Games CEO Jeremy Bloom said, “For the first time in X Games history, someone has to build a championship roster, not just produce a championship run.” This, of course, means we're dealing with points, storylines, and rivalries. Things will carry over from one stop to the next. Team dynamics will be important, and fans can follow along the whole time.

WHY: Jury’s still out on this one. Is it going to be good for the sport? Good for investors? Both? Neither? It’s simply too early to tell. Most of this is trying to create stakes, to get snowboarders to care about skiing or, more broadly, to get non action sports viewers invested in action sports. It gets more eyes on snowboarding, sure, but will they fall on the parts of snowboarding we’re willing to highlight? Hmm, sounds like a good topic for a think piece. Maybe one will land on your doorstep once magazines start shipping this year. Subscribe today and don't miss out.