Weekend TV : ESPN Goes to the ‘Extreme’ for Hip Sports

“MTV Sports” pioneered television exposure to the hottest sports for hip, hard bodies, and now comes ESPN and ESPN2 into the arena with the Extreme Games, an eight-day competition in nine categories at venues in Rhode Island, featuring barefoot ski jumping, sky surfing, wind surfing, in-line skating, skateboarding, street luge, sport climbing, bungee jumping and mountain biking.

The all-sports network won’t have Dan Cortese’s flying locks or quick banter, but it does have Chris Fowler (ESPN) and Suzy Kolber (ESPN2), who will offer commentary. Winners will earn more than $370,000 in prize money. The competition, which begins today at 1 p.m. on ESPN and at 8 p.m. on ESPN2, continues through July 1.