Summer Olympic Games Los Angeles 2028 Sports Programme Road to LA 2028

[NearPup 3,030]

Flag football, Lacrosse and Baseball / Softball are all additions I have serious issues with.

 

For Flag football and Lacrosse there is a serious lack of depth Internationally, and I don’t think either sport is ready for the Olympics. On a personal note I am happy Lacrosse got added (both because I enjoy watching it and because it is a great medal chance for Canada) while I really dislike Flag football.

 

I do not like the inclusion of Baseball and Softball because of the lack of gender equality and because the best players don’t take part in Baseball. That being said I did really enjoy watching the Softball tournament in Tokyo.

 

I am, without any reservation, happy about the addition of Cricket and Squash.

[JoshMartini007 2,533]

I'm not 100% sure cricket will have its best players. There's a lot of hurdles in India and to a lesser extent the Caribbean nations.

[Olympian1010 7,951]

1 hour ago, Josh said:

Ultimate won’t be at LA 2028, hoping to see them included in future editions. Anyone know why Ultimate wasn’t even shortlisted for inclusion? Over one hundred registered NFs, has gender equality, has youth appeal.  Don’t know where the venue would be though. Is it due to the lack of viewership?

I don't think the federation is well regarded. Ultimate would have been a popular choice in my opinion. There's a professional league, and all the local universities have teams. It isn't hard to find local "pickup" games either. Venue requirements would be easy, since any football/soccer stadium could host.

 

The sport has a lot going for it, but I do think an opportunity has been squandered here.

[intoronto 5,616]

52 minutes ago, NearPup said:

Flag football, Lacrosse and Baseball / Softball are all additions I have serious issues with.

 

For Flag football and Lacrosse there is a serious lack of depth Internationally, and I don’t think either sport is ready for the Olympics. On a personal note I am happy Lacrosse got added (both because I enjoy watching it and because it is a great medal chance for Canada) while I really dislike Flag football.

unless

I do not like the inclusion of Baseball and Softball because of the lack of gender equality and because the best players don’t take part in Baseball. That being said I did really enjoy watching the Softball tournament in Tokyo.

 

I am, without any reservation, happy about the addition of Cricket and Squash.

Yea they could have easily just added softball and used it to increase the amount of women competing, now with baseball the imbalance will just grow 

[NearPup 3,030]

9 minutes ago, intoronto said:

Yea they could have easily just added softball and used it to increase the amount of women competing, now with baseball the imbalance will just grow 

They could also just not have baseball and include men’s softball instead :P

[Monzanator 4,476]

None of these new sports have any depth. I mean even cricket World Cup has 10 teams playing and they make it an Olympic sport? How they will include West Indies anyway? Another change for a change chasing the mythical new fans? Good luck in explaining the tiktok generation the overs and runs scored

[mpjmcevoy 362]

5 hours ago, Olympian1010 said:

Honestly, most people see that on a similar level to flag football probably. Flag has the benefit of being more accessible for non-traditional countries in the sport, but it is very simplified from tackle football.

It would be odd - in a nice way. but odd - to see families of team sports back to back as it were = both rugby sevens and flag football = both cricket and baseball/softball = arguably even field hockey and lacrosse ...is suppose we already have basketball and handball, but that's more like a middle ground between basketball and soccer, rather than members of the basketball family - which would be korfball and netball. I applaud the NFL for realising the World doesn't end at Cape cod, but I'm not sure what sort of event the flag football would genuinely be. Lacrosse has a more international history

Should add Squash finally getting an outing to essentially complete the set with badminton, tennis and table tennis (though padel and pickleball may beg to differ)

 

I only hope IOC allows an increase in quotas rather than decimate existing events

[mpjmcevoy 362]

6 minutes ago, Monzanator said:

None of these new sports have any depth. I mean even cricket World Cup has 10 teams playing and they make it an Olympic sport? How they will include West Indies anyway? Another change for a change chasing the mythical new fans? Good luck in explaining the tiktok generation the overs and runs scored

Cricket is no more complex than baseball - sure, like baseball, there's jargon and certain arbitrary rules, but the fundamentals are pretty straightforward, and can be taught in ten minutes. In addition, a hell of a lot more countries have some sort of cricket than baseball, which is very geographically limited.

 

As for qualification, there will be rankings, hosts and possibly a final selection contest.

 

I'd be surprised if they don't go on a 1 per continent basis for starters - GBR, AUS, JAM, RSA, IND, then the Host, USA, then one specifically from Asia (say, PAK) because of the five full members there (and to protect India for the money), and then one from a final tournament with remaining full members outside asia, two from Asia, maybe one Caribbean island, and handful of top associates - say NZL, IRL, AFG, SRI, NED, GUY, CAN, NAM

 

An Olympic 8 team comp is doable in a whole series of formats, though 2 groups of 4 seems the most obvious - although knowing the IOC it'll be one giant group of 8, to eliminate just two teams!

[mpjmcevoy 362]

2 hours ago, JoshMartini007 said:

I'm not 100% sure cricket will have its best players. There's a lot of hurdles in India and to a lesser extent the Caribbean nations.

I'm pretty sure India will get in, will send its best teams, and will fight like b******* to win it - all the better for cricket to be the centerpiece of an indian Olympics bid. One of the few countries where the Olympic football tournaments won't fill stadia - but the cricket sure will.

[Dragon 1,839]

2 hours ago, JoshMartini007 said:

I'm not 100% sure cricket will have its best players. There's a lot of hurdles in India and to a lesser extent the Caribbean nations.

No way India would risk losing to Pakistan by leaving out their best players