2024 Summer Olympics in Paris

[Sport]

I feel like that was the best Olympics that I've seen. It looked like all the athletes were genuinely having a great time, the vibes were good, and it felt like Paris was a good host with most of the venues being centrally located and easy to access and not too spread out - a challenge LA is going to struggle with. Also the events delivered some exciting finishes and some good stories - Scottie Scheffler and Lydia Ko winning gold, the US track team dominating, and Simone Biles going out on top were my favorite moments. 

 

I would only allow host cities like Paris (and London and LA) who already have the existing infrastructure and venues to host without requiring massive construction efforts. Bankrupting cities like Rio and Athens should be a thing of the past. I'd also give Tokyo another chance as soon as I could. Sucks they had to fall on the sword of being the COVID Olympics.

[GDAWG]

2 hours ago, MJWalker45 said:

They didn't even wait 24 hours after the win. Truth be told, Taurasi probably should have been kept home. But pretending a rookie would be as calm as the veterans that pulled this game out at the end is rather silly. 

Caitlin Clark Was The Talk Of Women’s Basketball After USA’s Olympic Final (msn.com)

 

Those who defend Clark not being a part of Team USA In 2024 say that not being at the Olympics is good for her this year because she went straight from the NCAA Tournament to the WNBA Season with not much break in between and that her and Angel Reese needed a break.  

[MJWalker45]

Just now, GDAWG said:

 

Those who defend Clark not being a part of Team USA In 2024 say that not being at the Olympics is good for her this year because she went straight from the NCAA Tournament to the WNBA Season with not much break in between and that her and Angel Reese needed a break.  

I think they have a point, with a season that started in October/November and ended in March, then they went straight into the WNBA season 3 weeks later. I also think having the Games at home will be a benefit to both. Reese can be a bit petulant at times, and probably needs to grow up a little. In 4 years time, barring major injuries I'd expect both to be starting. Griner, Taurasi and a couple other players will be gone by then. Add Cameron Brink and Paige Bueckers to the mix as well for the 2028 team. 

[Digby]

3 hours ago, Sport said:

I feel like that was the best Olympics that I've seen. It looked like all the athletes were genuinely having a great time, the vibes were good, and it felt like Paris was a good host with most of the venues being centrally located and easy to access and not too spread out - a challenge LA is going to struggle with.

 

Some level of spread-out is probably a good thing, though. As a typically self-absorbed Bostonian I kept imagining how they ever would have done all of that here this year, and I simply can't fathom how the operation could possibly have worked, there simply wouldn't have been enough physical space.

 

If LA is doing events across Carson and Inglewood and DTLA and, idk what else, Anaheim or UCLA, that seems spread out if you're visiting for a few days but manageable breathing room for so many fairly-large events happening concurrently.

[MJWalker45]

4 minutes ago, Digby said:

 

Some level of spread-out is probably a good thing, though. As a typically self-absorbed Bostonian I kept imagining how they ever would have done all of that here this year, and I simply can't fathom how the operation could possibly have worked, there simply wouldn't have been enough physical space.

 

If LA is doing events across Carson and Inglewood and DTLA and, idk what else, Anaheim or UCLA, that seems spread out if you're visiting for a few days but manageable breathing room for so many fairly-large events happening concurrently.

With soccer, I'd expect them to be playing all the way up to possibly Portland if they are expecting similar crowds to what NWSL and MLS teams get. BMO and Dignity are right there, but USC and UCLA are not doing anything other than possibly hosting athlete villages. Seven stadiums were used this year. For LA, you have the two MLS stadiums, San Diego is 2 hours way, San Jose and Sacramento are a little bit further away., if Sacramento has a new stadium by then. That's five. Then you have Portland and Seattle up the road as well, but I would expect them to have to remove the turf. What role does SoFi play? Is it only hosting ceremonies? I don't see a reason to make it the track and field location when the Coliseum is still there. @walkerws brought up the point about playing softball in Oklahoma City. With so many minor league parks about to be vacant, why not use them instead of sending athletes halfway across the country away from everyone else? Ontario, Modesto, Bakersfield and other locations could be temporarily transformed for softball if they don't have tenants at that time. 

[Digby]

They were planning to build the swimming pools in SoFi, right? Wacky but fun I guess. Ceremonies for any LA games should always be at Memorial Coliseum, IMHO. 

[McCall]

1 hour ago, MJWalker45 said:

With soccer, I'd expect them to be playing all the way up to possibly Portland if they are expecting similar crowds to what NWSL and MLS teams get. BMO and Dignity are right there, but USC and UCLA are not doing anything other than possibly hosting athlete villages. Seven stadiums were used this year. For LA, you have the two MLS stadiums, San Diego is 2 hours way, San Jose and Sacramento are a little bit further away., if Sacramento has a new stadium by then. That's five. Then you have Portland and Seattle up the road as well, but I would expect them to have to remove the turf. What role does SoFi play? Is it only hosting ceremonies? I don't see a reason to make it the track and field location when the Coliseum is still there. @walkerws brought up the point about playing softball in Oklahoma City. With so many minor league parks about to be vacant, why not use them instead of sending athletes halfway across the country away from everyone else? Ontario, Modesto, Bakersfield and other locations could be temporarily transformed for softball if they don't have tenants at that time. 

Track and Field will be at the Coliseum. DHSP Galaxy's stadium will be hosting Rugby Sevens. I assume they'll be using the various minor league stadiums for most of the group play of baseball. OKC has beome the epicenter for softball, at least in the US, so it kinda makes sense. Canoe Slalom will be there too since they have the only suitable existing venue in the country. Soccer venues haven't been finalized, I believe, but I know they're looking at the followingL

LA:

Rose Bowl

BMO Stadium

 

Bay Area:

Levi Stadium

Stanford Stadium

California Memorial Stadium (Berkeley)

PayPal Park

 

And Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego.

 

Basketball will be at the Intuit Dome with Crypto. Com Arena hosting gymnastics.

[GDAWG]

Baseball has the most intrigue with regards to roster setup.  The most likely scenario is the top 25 American minor league players of 2028 for Team USA as both the Dodgers and Angels go on the road for two weeks.  

[MJWalker45]

Flag football is at Dignity, too?  Or is it somewhere else? 

[walkerws]

5 hours ago, Digby said:

They were planning to build the swimming pools in SoFi, right? Wacky but fun I guess. Ceremonies for any LA games should always be at Memorial Coliseum, IMHO. 

I think that's why they did Lucas Oil Stadium this year. 

[LMU]

Everything confirmed so far:

 

• Archery - Sepulveda Basin Recreation Area (San Fernando Valley)
• Artistic Gymnastics - Crypto.com Arena "Downtown Arena"
• Artistic Swimming - Temporary pool, Long Beach Convention Center parking lot
• Athletics - LA Memorial Coliseum
• Badminton - Galen Center "USC Sports Center"
• Basketball - Intuit Dome "Inglewood Arena"
• BMX Freestyle - Sepulveda Basin
• BMX Racing - Sepulveda Basin
• Canoe Slalom - Riversport OKC "Whitewater Center"
• Canoe Sprint - Long Beach Marine Stadium
• Track Cycling - VELO Sports Center "South Bay Velodrome"
• Diving - LA 84 Foundation/Argue Swim Stadium "1932 Pool in Exposition Park"
• Equestrian - Galway Downs "Temecula Equestrian Center"
• Fencing - LA Convention Center
• Golf - Riviera Country Club
• Handball - Long Beach Arena
• Field Hockey - Dignity Health Sports Park practice fields "South Bay Fields"
• Judo - LA Convention Center
• Kayak - Riversport OKC
• Marathon Swimming - Long Beach Waterfront
• Rhythmic Gymnastics - Crypto.com Arena
• Rowing - LB Marine Stadium
• Rugby Sevens - Dignity Health Sports Park (main stadium) "South Bay Stadium"
• Sailing - Belmont Shore, Long Beach
• Skateboarding - Sepulveda Basin
• Softball - Devon Park, OKC "Softball Park"
• Swimming- SoFi Stadium "Inglewood Stadium"
• Table Tennis - LA Convention Center
• Taekwondo - LA Convention Center
• Tennis - Dignity Health Sports Park (tennis stadium) - "South Bay Tennis Center"
• Trampoline - Crypto.com Arena
• Triathlon - Long Beach Waterfront
• Water Polo - LB Convention Center lot
• Weightlifting - Peacock Theater "LA Live Theater"
• Wrestling - LA Convention Center

Unconfirmed:

• Baseball - Dodger Stadium, Angel Stadium
• Beach Volleyball - Santa Monica Beach
• Football - Rose Bowl, BMO Stadium "Exposition Park Stadium", Snapdragon Stadium "San Diego Stadium", Levi's Stadium "Santa Clara Stadium", PayPal Park "San  Jose Stadium", Stanford Stadium, California Memorial Stadium
• Marathon - Grand Park, Downtown LA
• Modern Pentathlon - Dignity Health Sports Park (main stadium)
• Mountain Biking - Bonelli Regional Park (San Dimas), Santa Monica Mountains Recreation Area
• Race Walking - Grand Park
• Road Cycling - Grand Park
• Volleyball - Honda Center, Pauley Pavilion

No News Yet:

• 3x3 Basketball
• Cricket
• Flag Football
• Lacrosse Sixes
• Shooting
• Sport Climbing
• Squash
• Surfing

Other facilities:

• Athletes Village: UCLA
• Media Village: USC
• Broadcast Center: Universal City
• Opening/Closing Ceremonies - Split venues between SoFi and the Coliseum (swimming and athletics will be flipped in order to give time for the pool to be installed).  Opening Ceremony proposes to start final leg of torch relay from Coliseum and head to main ceremony/official cauldron at SoFi with Coliseum cauldron also lit.  Closing Ceremony proposes to begin at SoFi but have official acts/proclamations at the Coliseum.

[4_tattoos]

Isn't the 2028 LA Olympics supposed to have Lacrosse? Where could they play those game?

 

[GDAWG]

There's also: "major 5-star hotel where the basketball players stay" so I am sure that there will be a hotel of great esteem to house those basketball players for two weeks.  

[GDAWG]

I am curious to see how the 2028 Summer Olympics handles athletes already based in Los Angeles with regards to housing.  

[McCall]

5 hours ago, GDAWG said:

I am curious to see how the 2028 Summer Olympics handles athletes already based in Los Angeles with regards to housing.  

Depending on proximity to their event(s) and, given that this year the number of athletes who stayed outside the village due to the quality, I wouldn't be surprised if some stay at their homes.

[TBGKon]

10 hours ago, MJWalker45 said:

Flag football is at Dignity, too?  Or is it somewhere else? 

I don't believe a flag football venue has been decided, but Dignity Park would make sense after rugby.

[Sport]

 

17 hours ago, Digby said:

 

Some level of spread-out is probably a good thing, though. As a typically self-absorbed Bostonian I kept imagining how they ever would have done all of that here this year, and I simply can't fathom how the operation could possibly have worked, there simply wouldn't have been enough physical space.

 

If LA is doing events across Carson and Inglewood and DTLA and, idk what else, Anaheim or UCLA, that seems spread out if you're visiting for a few days but manageable breathing room for so many fairly-large events happening concurrently.

 

 

I thought I remembered that Boston has submitted bids in the past so I looked it up and it turns out there was a Boston bid for these games, but it was withdrawn after much local opposition so you're not wrong to think about what might have been.

 

Most Olympics stretch a little bit farther outside the city than people realize. Some events would have to be held well outside the city, but I actually think Boston would be a great host for a lot of the same reasons Paris was a great host. You already have a lot of venues, the big arena and all the college venues could house indoor sports, there's plenty of outdoor stadia already existing, and that soccer specific stadium you're building would be useful. Plenty of outdoor water for rowing, a built-in marathon infrastructure, etc. The only problem is they'd have to build a new football sized stadium closer to the city for track and the ceremonies, but by the time the games happen the Pats would need to replace Gillette anyway and you'd get use out of it long after the games are over. 

 

Can you surf near Boston? 

 

[LMU]

I updated my list post to reflect the sports that don't have any definitive rumors yet.  Surfing possibly could be at Santa Monica or Venice but I could just as easily see that in Huntington Beach given the wave conditions.  There was also canvassing of half a dozen or so different gun facilities for the shooting competition.  Venice Beach was also an early rumor for 3x3 basketball but it remains to be seen what the feasibility would be of having any sort of temporary stands would be as it's pretty tight down there.

[Digby]

2 hours ago, Sport said:

 

 

 

I thought I remembered that Boston has submitted bids in the past so I looked it up and it turns out there was a Boston bid for these games, but it was withdrawn after much local opposition so you're not wrong to think about what might have been.

 

Most Olympics stretch a little bit farther outside the city than people realize. Some events would have to be held well outside the city, but I actually think Boston would be a great host for a lot of the same reasons Paris was a great host. You already have a lot of venues, the big arena and all the college venues could house indoor sports, there's plenty of outdoor stadia already existing, and that soccer specific stadium you're building would be useful. Plenty of outdoor water for rowing, a built-in marathon infrastructure, etc. The only problem is they'd have to build a new football sized stadium closer to the city for track and the ceremonies, but by the time the games happen the Pats would need to replace Gillette anyway and you'd get use out of it long after the games are over. 

 

Can you surf near Boston? 

 

 

Oh I was on the opposition. Seemed like a bad idea from the start. A giant stadium that's not even the Patriots stadium in the middle of the city? Weird, though maybe it would've worked if it got downsized to Revolution-size afterward. But there were way too many questions about the cost overruns, and we have a surfeit of venues but not many are Olympic quality (Harvard Stadium is historic but that's why Harvard won't let anyone fix it up from being a dump, BC is literally banned from doing anything but 6 football games a year at theirs, and nobody else has an outdoor one).

 

You can surf plenty of places along the coast of Mass and Rhode Island (bring a wet suit) but it's not like Tahiti waves. That said, I guess that precedent's been set to put those events way way further afield.

 

My hot take: Boston would've made a better host for the Winter Olympics. Put the skiing 3 hours north if possible -- not sure if any mountains actually have the vertical, maybe Sugarloaf? Jay Peak? Killington already hosts World Cup moguls. I guess we could let Lake Placid have that one. But the Boston-area college venues for hockey are nicer than their football stadiums and the overall smaller scale of Winter Games might make it work. Won't happen, though, long as this town is NIMBY as all get-out and the general uneasiness of hosting Olympics continues.

[Digby]

2 hours ago, LMU said:

I updated my list post to reflect the sports that don't have any definitive rumors yet.  Surfing possibly could be at Santa Monica or Venice but I could just as easily see that in Huntington Beach given the wave conditions.  There was also canvassing of half a dozen or so different gun facilities for the shooting competition.  Venice Beach was also an early rumor for 3x3 basketball but it remains to be seen what the feasibility would be of having any sort of temporary stands would be as it's pretty tight down there.

 

Weightlifting events at Muscle Beach OR ELSE