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http://www.npr.org/2017/07/31/540643625/los-angeles-will-host-summer-olympics-in-2028
Los Angeles, which hosted the Summer Olympics in 1932 and 1984, will be home to the Games again — in 2028. The organizers of LA's Olympics bid had originally been pursuing the 2024 games. But they ceded those games to Paris, and agreed to wait for the next round.
The decision will be officially announced on Monday afternoon. NPR's Tom Goldman has confirmed the successful bid with an LA 2024 official. LA will be only the second city to host the modern Olympics three times. London became the first three-time Olympic City in 2012.
As The Associated Press reports, the bidding for the 2024 games was marked by reluctance, rather than fierce competition:
LA and Paris were the last two bids remaining after a tumultuous process that exposed the unwillingness of cities to bear the financial burden of hosting an event that has become synonymous with cost overruns. LA was not even the first American entrant in the contest. Boston withdrew two years ago as public support for its bid collapsed over concerns about use of taxpayer cash. The U.S. bid switched from the east to the West Coast as LA entered the race. But the same apprehensions that spooked politicians and the local population in Boston soon became evident in Europe where three cities pulled out.
(Score: 4, Interesting) by Mykl on Tuesday August 01 2017, @07:21AM (4 children)
I'd love to get an inside view into the finances of the IOC and exactly where all of this money goes. The cost to the host city is pretty understandable - build lots of big things, pay thousands of people to manage an incredibly large and complex event etc. The competitor countries I understand - support the athletes for 4 years while they train, fly them over, pay for expenses etc.
The IOC? What are their costs exactly? To pay the salaries of a bunch of officials? I rather suspect that there is some loose change left over from that after they take their (probably almost 100%) cut of merchandising, advertising, media rights etc. Why on earth would a host country's bid need to include anything beyond their own costs? How much goes to the IOC?
It will be interesting to see what happens if there is a future games which no country bids for...
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday August 01 2017, @08:52AM (1 child)
Yeah I actually hope that happens. I guess I'm old[1] and jaded - I hardly watch the Olympics nowadays. They make it so hard to watch with their strict licensing stuff. To me if the most of the money financing the Olympics is from my state/country's tax money then the licensing/broadcasting stuff should be a lot cheaper or more open or even free. It's like your country paying billions for an advertisement that others also need to pay billions to watch!
See also: http://www.businessinsider.com/olympics-inc-inside-the-business-of-the-ioc/?IR=T# [businessinsider.com]
[1] I remember being excited with the 1984 LA Olympics. But that's probably because I was a kid back then... The fun stuff is more fun when it's one of the first few times. But I wonder if the kids these days are as excited about it. There's just so much more competition for mindshare now.
(Score: 5, Insightful) by Gaaark on Tuesday August 01 2017, @10:26AM
Me also: hardly watch it. Too much like professional sports: someone hits gold (probably due to being able to hide steroid use better (cue the Russians sneaking urine through a hole in the wall, or some such... my memory is not great anymore)) and they then do endorsements making millions (like i need a 'big athlete' telling me which tampon to use... yikes).
I stopped watching pro sports due to the whining about how little money they make and how great they are: would rather just go up to the sports field with my wife and son and watch the kids play.
Also, with pro sports: they say "support your team, buy the merchandise!" Well, i'd like to see these sports teams support their fans: buy the merchandise from the country you are playing in: why is NBA/NFL etc stuff made in China, but still costs a fortune? Money grubbing, perhaps?
If i was a fan, i wouldn't buy the stuff: too expensive and not made by Canadians?? Fuck that. American fans should be thinking likewise.
Just stop watching pro sports: it's easy, and your life will open up to better things. Stop supporting over-paid whining 'children'.
--- Please remind me if I haven't been civil to you: I'm channeling MDC. ---Gaaark 2.0 ---
(Score: 3, Informative) by Thexalon on Tuesday August 01 2017, @10:21AM (1 child)
Advertising, corruption, a nice new building for their top officials to work in, importing slaves to work on the venues, defense against lawsuits, to name a few. They are not good guys [floelite.com].
The only thing that stops a bad guy with a compiler is a good guy with a compiler.
(Score: 1) by Ethanol-fueled on Wednesday August 02 2017, @12:23AM
Totally appropriate for L.A.
Once dated a bitch who worked for a catering company that did many Hollywood events. Although I went to a couple of them and the experience was somewhat decadent, the experience was also what I could only call "glitter sprinkled on shit." Women had holes in their dresses, the lighting systems were inadequate and frequently blacked out, the salesmen were ex-chiropractors looking for a career changes. A lot of the entertainment sideshows were circus-tier.
The Olympics is pretty much an athletic version of the same, except herpes and warts runs a lot more rampant. I was once in a chemistry class with a former olympian, had the tattoo and everything -- and a nice big nasty wart on that fleshy part between thumb and forefinger that people sniff coke from. He, in his thick Brazilian or Portuguese accent, offered me a handshake, I gave him a fist-bump in return.