As the glitz and glamour of the Paris Olympics draws to a close, everyone looks to the West and the land of sunshine and beaches – California. The city with the nickname of the City of Angels plans on hosting its third Olympics in 2028, which shall bring the faces of both movie stars and great athletes. Though, can LA deliver a memorable performance worthy of Oscars or, conversely, face a failure at the box office? It’s now time for the world to find out what the Olympics can expect when they arrive in Tinseltown.
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The Star-Studded Schedule
Well sports enthusiasts, set your dates now! The Los Angeles Olympics will start with the opening ceremony, which is planned for July 14, 2028, and end on July 30. But wait, there’s more! It will also be the first occasion, when LA will be hosting the Paralympics starting from August 15 and ending on August 27. You got it, partner – two movies playing at one great theatre that any movie tycoon would be envious of.
In more than 800 events of over 50 Olympic and Paralympic sports LA will hardly be idle, let alone delegating people to work in other cities. Starting from athletic events to aquatics which includes track and field, swimming, water polo, synchronized swimming – all have their reasons for fans to cheer.
What are the LA Olympic 2028 Venues?
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Well, it wouldn’t be Hollywood without building, demolishing, and rebuilding the same structures – or in regard to Olympic venues, the identical concept of reduce, reuse, and recycle. The city intends to make use of the existing structures, doing some eye-popping adjustments on them to ensure that they qualify as stars. What you talking about is like giving stadiums a new face all together.
The LA Memorial Coliseum, which was used in two previous Olympics, will host the athletics program. While, city of the venue of the LA Galaxy will exchange soccer balls for other round shaped items as the stadium will also be used for the various Olympic events. But what is more typical for California the game of beach volleyball will actually take place on the sand, right on the beach. Take that, landlocked cities!
Yet, the most impressive renovation goes, unequivocally, to SoFi Stadium. This NFL arena will morph faster than a superhero in a telephone booth, expanding by an Olympic-sized swimming pool to incorporate the aquatic competitions. Just imagine a summer party by the pool!
But where will our Olympians lay down their heads after a tiring day of breaking records? There is none other than the campus of the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). Well done, just as you rightly said, many of the college dorms are being transformed into the athletes’ village. Perhaps they don’t have to face rowdy neighbors or having to share showers with many people!
New Kids on the Olympic Block
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Of course, it always helps a good sequel to cast a few new characters and the LA Olympics is no exception. Some activities will be clearly familiar and others will be new to the Olympics in 2028.
Cricket fans, rejoice! The crème de la crème of the cricketing world will return to the beloved sport after 128 years. Cricket was last played at the Olympics when Queen Victoria was still reigning over the streets of England. This time, it will be the rather energetic T20 version that will have the viewers asking “Howzat?” than “Hollywood Blvd.”
Another Canadian tradition, the ancient Native American wall ball game lacrosse, is also returning. It is widely recognized that it has been withdrawn from the Olympics since 1908; therefore, it is high time this stick-and-ball game came to the foreground.
Well, circle your calendar- baseball and softball are coming back at it again which will be good for everybody that loves the old American pastime. And for those who like their sports a little constricting, or possibly more accurately, who love squash and are happy to finally see it included in the Olympics. Basically, it is like playing tennis but with more walls and less space for the arms.
Arguably the most exciting new sport to come down the pipeline is flag football. It is similar to the American football but unlike the American football, it involves less of tackling and more of flag-pulling. Consider it as the family-friendly version of the Super Bowl. And let’s not forget about the Paralympics’ new star: It is named Para climbing. Ever wondered the next level of difficulty after scaling a 15-meter wall?
The Potential Plot Twists
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If there ever was a spot on this continent where a good script could use a little bit of drama than definitely it has to be the LA Olympics.
First up: traffic. The traffic in Los Angeles is so bad that any hour of the day is rush hour in most parts of the world. The organizers have marched to the band and declared they will present “car-free” Games with strong reliance on buses. Yes, it is a plausible goal, though cynics might argue that it is actually closer to a Hollywood science fiction movie.
There is also, of course, the fairly significant matter of homelessness. According to the last homeless census in the United States, LA has one of the largest numbers of homeless people per capita in the entire country. Some residents, like Elisha hope so, stating that maybe the Olympics will spur people to look for long term solutions. But will this issue get a Hollywood ending, or will it be merely swept under the red carpet?
But where does all this leave our cherished budget? At a cool $7 billion (and that’s just for the opening shot), the LA Olympics themselves could set back American taxpayers more than the ENTIRE Marvel Cinematic Universe. Despite all these, I believe we hope the return on investment is equally super-powered!
The All-Star Cast
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Of course, no production from LA is complete without some aristocratic touch in terms of Hollywood icons. It is still early to tell who will be a part of the final casting but here are some sports personalities that might want to come to City of Angels. British track star Keely Hodgkinson, who finished on top of the podium in style in Paris, will be in the prime of her Track and Field years at 26. She may simply outdistance her rivals not figuratively, but literally.
In the pool, French revelation Léon Marchand will also be able to shine, having won several gold medals in Paris. So, at 26, he’ll be a young and strong man ready to make an impact in the city of Angels.
And of course, we have not mentioned the young talents yet. World skateboarding sensations like the Huanzheng Liu, aka ‘Zheng Haohao’ of China and Sky Brown of Britain will only be under seventeen in 2028. By then they might be at the legal age to drive but still young enough to tear through the LA skate parks.
The big concern arises when focusing on some of the athletes who have been around the sporting for a longer time. Given the recent reports of Biles’s age, will the greatest of all time gymnast ever compete in the Olympics again by the time she is 31 years of age? Will the defending champion of the 100m sprint event, Noah Lyles, also 31, be able to overcome the hands of time? And finally, what a Hollywood scriptwriters’ dream: can a 42-year-old British rower Helen Glover win another gold? Well, age is but a number in Hollywood, right?
The Supporting Cast: LA Residents Weigh In
Of course, any story wouldn’t be whole without focusing on the locals; here are some thoughts Angelenos have about hosting the Olympics in 2028.
A few such as Marisa believe that LA, the city of Hollywood will take its glamour to the Games. She quickly follows that one up with the statement that Paris has raised the stakes higher than the Hollywood sign.
Some are not as excited to meet their celebrity icons. The traffic situation and bad public transport, which many attributed could be a reason why many LA residents do not take the public transport system have many scratching their heads and asking themselves if LA can handle its close up. The abandoned $19bn plan that was meant to rehabilitate the entire rail network has left some feeling more like the movie bit players and not protagonists.
Of course, there is no shortage of negativity here, but let’s not forget that it is not completely black and white. One of the residents, Elisha, has provided the following comment: LA doesn’t have the Eiffel Tower or Palace de Versailles, but it has more to offer. From sandy beaches to the Hollywood sign, LA will not have a scarcity of famous backdrops for the Olympic show.
A Trip Down Memory Lane: LA’s Olympic History
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With the city of Los Angeles looking forward to hosting the Olympics in 2028, it should be interesting to recall its past performances during the Olympic games. The 1984 Games was close association with the music and the Prince dominated the music market, while Carl on the track won four gold medals. This was the time when Soviet Union existed, and they were quick to boycott the Games before you could even say ‘Rocky IV’.
Great Britain prevailed in the event that earned five gold medals, triumphs by athlete Daley Thompson and a future movie star the youthful Steve Redgrave. During the ’84 Games there was beginning of the women’s marathon, which was promptly to underline that the ladies could cover the distance no less effectively than the gentlemen. Even earlier you can go to the year 1932 and that too was Olympics which were conducted in the times of great depression.
However, these Games were attended by crowds that would today fill a Taylor Swift concert, irrespective of the poor economy. Well, practicing for 100,000 people at the opening ceremony does not seem so bad for a city that is still in its infancy. Another indicator of the new era was the addition of the podia, or the actual physical platform on which the athletes receive their medals; this was introduced in 1932 and is powder now fodder for internet memes.
Conclusion
Currently, the city is already gearing up for the Olympic bowl and it is certain that the 2028 Games will be a spectacular. Forecasting a glamorous Hollywood backdrop, thrilling sporting moments, and other organizational issues, the city of LA promises to provide an unlike any other Olympic experience.
Is the traffic congestion in the city going to turn into a movie disaster, or can the “car free Games” be actually be a success? Is it possible for LA to solve this problem, or will this be the problem that, when everyone wants to avoid, they won’t even mention? But will this combination of fresh stars and familiar faces amount to a medal-winning roster, or will the new events be a failure? Be it the serene coast of Santa Monica or the steep slopes of Hollywood, the City of Stars is well prepared for another Olympic show.
FAQs
Q1: When will the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics take place?
The Olympic Games will run from July 14 to July 30, 2028. The Paralympic Games will follow from August 15 to August 27, 2028.
Q2: Will new venues be built for the 2028 Olympics?
The organizers plan to use mostly existing facilities. Some venues will be adapted, like SoFi Stadium for swimming events, but no new permanent constructions are planned.
Q3: What is the estimated budget for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics?
The current budget forecast is approximately $7 billion for the Games themselves, not including potential transport upgrades.
Alen John is a Sports writer at USAWireMagazine. He is an Sports writer with 10+ years of overall experience. Basketball, MMA, Football has been John’ss lifelong passion since age 12, and hailing from Brantford, Ontario.