U.S. puts on its game face ahead of sports "mega decade"
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Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach attend the Olympic flag handover ceremony at the closing ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. Photo: Cao Can/Xinhua via Getty Images
Team USA is coming home — and they're bringing the Olympic Games with them as the U.S. gears up to host what policymakers are calling the "mega decade" of sporting events.
Why it matters: Hosting major sporting events not only brings economic opportunities to U.S. host cities, but it also presents an opportunity to spotlight the nation's culture and values globally during a time of intense focus on America's global standing.
What they're saying: Lee Satterfield, the U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Educational and Cultural Affairs, told Axios' Sara Fischer she sees the decade of international gatherings as an "opportunity for diplomacy" during an Axios event at the Paris 2024 Games.
- "It's an opportunity," she said. "We know that there's a lot to do to prepare for the Games. Safety and execution of good, safe and fair sport is the priority."
Zoom in: The next round of summer Olympic Games in Los Angeles in 2028 is just one event on the country's calendar between this year and 2034.
- The U.S. is fresh off of hosting the CONMEBOL Copa America soccer tournament and the ICC Men's T20 Cricket World Cup,.
- Next it will welcome the FIFA World Cup as a co-host in 2026, the 2028 summer Olympics, the Men's Rugby World Cup in 2031 followed by the Women's Rugby World Cup in 2033 and the Winter Games in Salt Lake City in 2034.
At a star-studded 2024 Games closing ceremony, Paris handed off its hosting duties (a mission made possible in part by Tom Cruise's cinema-worthy stunts) to Los Angeles for the 2028 Games.
- "As we've seen here in Paris, the Olympics are an opportunity to make transformative change," LA Mayor Karen Bass said at a press conference ahead of accepting the Olympic flag. "It's our top priority to ensure that the Olympic preparations benefit Angelenos for decades to come."
- Bass continued: "We want to make sure that we're helping small local businesses, that we're creating local jobs and making lasting environmental and transportation improvements throughout Los Angeles."
Follow the money: In 2019, then-LA Mayor Eric Garcetti said he expected the city to bring in at least a $1 billion profit off of the Games.
- Los Angeles pocketed $223 million ($670 million when adjusted for inflation) after hosting the 1984 Games because the city used existing facilities rather than building new sites, the New York Times reported.
- A June report from Micronomics Economic Research and Consulting found that LA County can expect a $594 million economic impact from the World Cup — where LA will host eight matches.
Yes, but: While host cities often tout the spikes in tourism, long-lasting development and job creation the Games can catalyze, being a host city is no cheap feat — infrastructure, preparation, security and cleanup costs add up in the billions.
- The International Olympic Committee points to boosts in tourism, expanded job creation and strengthened diplomatic relationships, among other factors, as benefits for host countries.
- The private group organizing the LA 2028 Games has a budget of nearly $7 billion, the New York Times reported — but recent Games have resulted in significant financial overrun.
Go deeper: Flying taxis could have their moment at the 2028 Olympics
