Mark it on your calendar, folks. The ESPN Summer X Games will be back at the end of this month. All the action begins on Thursday, July 28 and will continue until the big final on Sunday, July 31, 2011.

More than 200 athletes from around the world, including Ryan Sheckler, Nyjah Huston, and Andy Macdonald, will compete in venues including the STAPLES Center and Nokia Theatre L.A. LIVE to show off their latest moves and tricks as they compete for medals and prize money in such sports as skateboarding, rally car racing, motocross and BMX.

The X Games, which started in 1995, showcases serious competition in action sports. X Games fans are also treated to the annual entertainment extravaganza known as X Fest, an ultimate action sports sponsor and industry village — featuring a rock music festival, face-to-face athlete appearances, interactive skate parks, game demos, and other special events.

This year will debut a new event which combines motocross racing and traditional Enduro — that pits racers against sand, rocks, mud and other obstacles — along with a move to the streets of downtown LA for the Rally racing competitions.

Tickets to the 17th annual X Games are on sale now and will be available for purchase at all Ticketmaster locations and the box office at the STAPLES Center. Armchair athletes can expect more than 30 hours of live television programming on ESPN and ESPN2 during the four-day event (including 18 hours of 3D coverage this year) with additional broadcasting and/or live streaming on ESPN International, ESPN.com\action, ESPN Classic, ESPN3.com, and SportsCenter.

X Games 17 ticket prices start at $5 and vary based on location and venue. All tickets to X Games 17 include admission to X Fest at L.A. LIVE. For more detailed information on ticket prices, times of venue operation and more, log on to www.ticketmaster.com/xgames.