Olympic sports program review

[JoshMartini007 2,560]

  On 8/21/2024 at 3:06 PM, NearPup said:

Given the inclusion of squash and cricket I do wonder how much of a thumb on the scale the IOC had in this process.

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Squash was likely from the lobbying effort of the Professional Squash Association. There is a lot of investment in terms of hosting tournaments in the United States.

 

Cricket was definitely influenced by the IOC. Given the delays of announcing which additional sports will be present in 2028, LA28 likely used that desire to bring flag football and lacrosse in.

[De_Gambassi 1,225]

  On 8/21/2024 at 3:06 PM, NearPup said:

Given the inclusion of squash and cricket I do wonder how much of a thumb on the scale the IOC had in this process.

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Squash is weird. If IOC had really wanted, Paris would have make more sense.

 

But really, the whole thing is weird since Paris. Breaking which sounded like TB pet project dropped after Paris ? Lacrosse AND Cricket for an US host ? Squash ? ...

 

It's impossible to understand these decision tbf.

[NearPup 3,220]

  On 8/21/2024 at 3:37 PM, De_Gambassi said:

Squash is weird. If IOC had really wanted, Paris would have make more sense.

 

But really, the whole thing is weird since Paris. Breaking which sounded like TB pet project dropped after Paris ? Lacrosse AND Cricket for an US host ? Squash ? ...

 

It's impossible to understand these decision tbf.

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Cricket makes sense imo, 2028 was the first time the ICC made a serious effort to get it included in the Olympics.

 

And Cricket is firmly a sport that the Olympics needs to include to stay relevant in one of the fastest growing market in the world.

[NearPup 3,220]

  On 8/21/2024 at 3:31 PM, JoshMartini007 said:

Cricket was definitely influenced by the IOC. Given the delays of announcing which additional sports will be present in 2028, LA28 likely used that desire to bring flag football and lacrosse in.

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That’s my read of what happened, too.

[mpjmcevoy 362]

  On 8/21/2024 at 4:02 PM, NearPup said:

That’s my read of what happened, too.

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  On 8/21/2024 at 3:31 PM, JoshMartini007 said:

Squash was likely from the lobbying effort of the Professional Squash Association. There is a lot of investment in terms of hosting tournaments in the United States.

 

Cricket was definitely influenced by the IOC. Given the delays of announcing which additional sports will be present in 2028, LA28 likely used that desire to bring flag football and lacrosse in.

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From an IOC point of view, they've long wanted certain huge sports in - consider how much ticket revenue comes from football, in particular. Seen at its best, getting major eyeball sports in creates more revenue for all the sports, including the not so many eyeball ones. That's why IOC buckled to allow in pro athletes in cycling, it's why they brought in tennis, and badminton (very big in some parts of Asia). It's why they were so keen to get Golf and baseball in when golf and baseball themselves didn't seem bothered, and they've long wanted cricket in, and some sports with an X games quality. But Cricket was the big win, after golf, the key to an entire subcontinent. Lacross sixes and flag football os a small price to pay as a one off for that, and LA were happy to pay it.

[De_Gambassi 1,225]

https://www.insidethegames.biz/articles/1147999/tug-of-war-a-historic-sports-battle

 

It's nice the sport survives against all odds, but not thank you. 

[JoshMartini007 2,560]

What's wrong with tug-of-war in theory? It's a team based strength competition, something you don't see on the program.

 

Of course, way too few nations actually participate (only 25 total nations are competing at the 2024 World Championships) so it won't be added any time soon

[Triplecast 156]

  On 8/23/2024 at 10:43 PM, JoshMartini007 said:

What's wrong with tug-of-war in theory? It's a team based strength competition, something you don't see on the program.

 

Of course, way too few nations actually participate (only 25 total nations are competing at the 2024 World Championships) so it won't be added any time soon

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Good story about tug-of-war’s history at the Olympics.  According to this story, it was taken off the program after the 1920 Olympics because the IOC thought there were too many sports in the Games and they wanted to streamline things.
 

 

http://www.tugofwar.co.uk/olympics-history

[JoshMartini007 2,560]

  On 8/24/2024 at 3:45 AM, Triplecast said:

Good story about tug-of-war’s history at the Olympics.  According to this story, it was taken off the program after the 1920 Olympics because the IOC thought there were too many sports in the Games and they wanted to streamline things.
 

 

http://www.tugofwar.co.uk/olympics-history

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The sport program blew up in 1920, it went from 102 events in 1912 to 156 events in 1920. By 1928, the program was down to 109 events.

[Nickyc707 382]

  On 8/24/2024 at 4:34 AM, JoshMartini007 said:

The sport program blew up in 1920, it went from 102 events in 1912 to 156 events in 1920. By 1928, the program was down to 109 events.

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I think the problem wasn't so much the number of events but the number of sports which mushroomed from 14 to 22 between Stockholm and Antwerp.

 

The extra costs and organisation of putting on additional athletics and swimming events for example would be minimal. However, taking on eight new sports was an entirely different matter.