- Los Angeles 2028 adds five sports.
- Cricket’s Olympic potential.
- Tensions over sport selection.
An iconic occurrence in Olympic history, it occurred during the opening ceremony of 1984: a star-studded rocket man gracefully hovered above the Los Angeles Coliseum, ushering in an era characterised by excessive commercialism and ostentation. And despite the improbable recurrence of history during the Games’ return in five years, one thing is certain: Los Angeles 2028 intends to proceed with unprecedented audacity once more.
This became even more apparent on Monday, when the Los Angeles bid team verified that it would propose five new sports for 2028: cricket, flag football, baseball/softball, lacrosse, and squash. Given the strain they would place on the International Olympic Committee’s quota of 10,500 athletes, the majority of observers had anticipated that only two would be accepted. In the end, however, both parties recognised the advantages of reaching a compromise and recognised that there were dollar signs extending from Hollywood Boulevard to Madison Avenue.
However, negotiations were anything but straightforward. IOC members desired cricket. Los Angeles exerted significant effort in the sports of flag football and baseball/softball. Both sides exhibited little curiosity in the preferences of the other. In addition to vehement disagreements regarding finances and figures, the strained relations caused a decision to be delayed by almost a month. Nevertheless, a tumultuous truce was ultimately mediated.
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The advantages of cricket within the Olympic tent are evident to the IOC.
Presently, the television rights for the Games in India are valued at several hundred million rupees. From this point forward, it can reasonably anticipate approximately $150 million, according to Michael Payne, the former director of marketing and television for the IOC for a period of two decades.
“At this time, television revenue in India is negligible,” he asserts. However, if one were Thomas Bach at the International Olympic Committee (IOC), tasked with promoting the Olympic movement globally, an examination of the globe would reveal that, with the exception of India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh, the organisation is doing reasonably well. Additionally, they could circumvent this by incorporating their religious affiliation into the Olympic programme.
Nevertheless, according to Payne, one of the most perceptive observers of the Olympic movement, it was even more crucial that cricket make the schedule for Los Angeles, given that it now has a legitimate chance at becoming a recurring event at the Games. “Had cricket been included in Brisbane 2032?” Certainly not. It would have, however, run the risk of being a one-time event, and cricket would have lacked the impetus to move on to the 2036 schedule. Currently, should it succeed in 2028, there is a considerable likelihood that it will be entirely integrated into the Olympic schedule.
Some individuals question the necessity of cricket at the Olympics.
Players in the Indian Premier League, one of the world’s largest, earn an average of $5.3 million. However, Payne is opposed. “Judge the triumph of basketball at the 1992 Barcelona Games to comprehend how this might propel cricket to the forefront of international competition.” The international standing of the NBA prior to 1992 and after that year has completely changed.
The figures support this claim. On the first day of 1991-1992 NBA competition, 23 international athletes from 18 countries were on the roster. From 40, there were 120 participants in the prior season.
Flag football is a five-man version of American football where participants fight by taking a flag from their belt.
Many are dismayed that a sport that is hardly practised outside the United States has been awarded an Olympic spot. Although Payne is not a firm believer, he acknowledges the advantages. “I immediately thought, ‘Come on, who’s smoking what?'” when I first heard the phrase mentioned. However, consider the impact that six months of NFL promotion would have on NBC, their Olympic broadcast, and Los Angeles. It will generate sufficient excitement to sell advertising and constitute an enormous promotional buildup. “This truly is a game-changer.”
Certain tensions will inevitably persist. As Paris 2024 approached, the IOC made considerable commotion regarding its support for urban sports. However, Los Angeles has abandoned breakdance, arguably the most urban sport. Due to athlete quantities, several sports may forgo medal events to meet the 10,500 limit.
These sensitive issues are unlikely to be discussed at the Sunday IOC session in Mumbai. The five sports for Los Angeles will be ratified at that location, where smiles will undoubtedly emanate.
