A unique sporting challenge

When it comes to hosting an Olympic Games, the to-do list for organizers is a particularly lengthy one. Welcoming international athletes from all corners of the planet as well as millions of fans is not an easy task, but one that event organizers in Los Angeles face after being awarded the 2028 Olympic Games .

For weeks on end, Olympic enthusiasts will be commuting around LA, using all the local offerings such as restaurants, bars, public transport, and accommodation. But LA is ready for this challenge and organizers are more determined to succeed after such lengthy campaigning and discussions over the suitability to host such a momentous event.

Lessons to be learned

Before we get to LA28, there is still an Olympic Games to take place this summer in Paris. For the organizing committee for LA28, this is a welcome opportunity to travel to France and evaluate how Paris copes with the challenges posed by hosting the Olympics. Eyes will be on the infrastructure, stadia, volunteers helping direct human traffic, and the general atmosphere over the 16 days.

What happens in Paris this summer will certainly provide food for thought for those putting the plans in place for 2028, with plenty of fresh ideas to take on and potentially implement in that planning, and aspects to also improve on and of course, things to avoid. But it will not just be learnings from Paris that mold the battle plan for 2028. Lessons can also be learned from previous editions of the Games.

While the organization of an Olympic Games will not please every single individual, the aim is to satisfy the vast majority and for the host city to come out a better place than it entered the event. This could be infrastructurally, culturally, or regarding safety. What LA will want to avoid is running the city into the ground by hosting the Olympics, a fate suffered by Rio de Janeiro in 2016. There were large financial deficits posted after that event, meaning the city came off worse for all its efforts.

Ensure the spectacle runs smoothly

Like with most sporting events, if an event runs without any hitches, it can be considered a success. Athletes will want to focus solely on their performance, fans will want to get from A to B as efficiently as possible, and foreign audiences, like those using Olympics betting markets at Cloudbet , will want uninterrupted action to follow. When the Games come around, the eyes of the world turn to that city.

The LA28 committee has a plan in place to satisfy event demands and curb costs by using existing stadiums, including the Coliseum, Staples Center, and the SoFi Stadium, home to the LA Rams. Recent learnings from the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar reiterate the difficulties of building new arenas, but while having event infrastructure already in place is an advantage, ensuring that the international audience of all cultures and languages are well looked after is the challenge, but one that Los Angeles feels it is well equipped for.