The U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association (USSA) had been among the nations lobbying for inclusion of big air. That approval is the latest step to appeal to a younger audience. The hugely successful slopestyle events at the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi provided a great platform to launch big air as an additional medal opportunity for American athletes.

“The ability to host big air events on the hill or in stadiums makes it exciting and engaging for a variety of audiences,” said USSA Snowboarding program director Jeremy Forster.

Big air was included at the 2003 FIS Snowboarding World Championships and on the World Cup tour in 2015. U.S. Snowboarding’s Ty Walker won the first-ever women’s World Cup this past season in Istanbul, Turkey.

FIS will continue to ensure future judging criteria and formats allow for expression and creativity in both big air and slopestyle, according to a prepared statement.

The alpine team event features a mixed team of two men and two women competing for their national teams in a head-to-head slalom with a knockout format for each round. It is an exciting event for spectators and a unique opportunity from a broadcast standpoint, showcasing multiple sport starts from each nation. First introduced at the FIS Alpine World Ski Championships in 2005, it was a fan favorite at the 2015 Worlds in Vail/Beaver Creek.

Two alpine team events are on the World Cup schedule for the 2015-16 season.