this post was submitted on 03 Aug 2024
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[–] [email protected] 22 points 3 months ago (1 children)

The Olympics is a huge financial drain for any country that hosts it

[–] HobbitFoot 10 points 3 months ago (1 children)

Los Angeles has made money on the last two times it hosted the Olympics and will probably make money on the third.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 3 months ago (1 children)

Would love to see anything that supports your assertion

https://www.investopedia.com/articles/markets-economy/092416/what-economic-impact-hosting-olympics.asp

It doesn't generally benefit the community

[–] HobbitFoot 10 points 3 months ago (2 children)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1932_Summer_Olympics

First paragraph cites the likely profit of $1 million

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1984_Summer_Olympics

Fourth paragraph includes "As a result of low construction costs, due to the use of existing sport infrastructure, coupled with a reliance on private corporate funding,[5] the 1984 Games generated a profit of over US$250 million."

As for the 2028 Olympics, most venues are existing, with some temporary venues for minor events and shifting of some events to other areas with adequate infrastructure including Oklahoma City. Upgrades to city infrastructure like LAX and the region's mass transit network were already planned and deemed necessary before bidding for the Olympics; the only difference has been in pushing forward some schedules.

There don't seem to be any glaring white elephant projects for 2028. A lot of what kills most budgets is building mass infrastructure that doesn't get used. That isn't happening in Los Angeles.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago) (2 children)

I will take that bet. I will say this that nowadays everyone just reads headlines or memes it off others. People don't wake up early or subscribe to the olympics no matter what the platform is. It has been 30 years since 1984. Shit has changed so you can't use that as an example. Oh by the bet you have to donate to your local humane shelter that is no kill.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 3 months ago (1 children)

I get to watch the Olympics this year for 8 bucks on Peacock. Absolutely terrible UI, have to refresh the browser periodically because it causes Firefox to eat RAM, but I can watch any event I want, whenever I want. Kinda sweet. Some of us exist and have been begging for something like this for years.

Just because you don't care about the Olympics doesn't mean others share your opinion.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 3 months ago

I know but lemmy is free and open so it is easier for me to give my blunt opinion on here than it was on reddit without getting banned.

[–] HobbitFoot 1 points 3 months ago

Funding for television rights goes to the IOC, not the hosting city. It has been that way always.

And I provided an example of how Los Angeles came out ahead in the last two Olympics and showed that the city is implementing the same strategy for this Olympics.

The reason a lot of cities go over budget is because they build too much and don't have uses for the infrastructure after the games. That isn't an issue for Los Angeles; Los Angeles has everything it needs for the Olympics already.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 months ago (1 children)
[–] HobbitFoot 0 points 3 months ago (1 children)

It isn't like they hold the Olympics every year.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 months ago (1 children)

Some people, not everyone, might realize that nearly everything is different now 🤷

[–] HobbitFoot 1 points 3 months ago

And others might ask what changed and what stayed the same for the purpose of comparison.

[–] [email protected] 13 points 3 months ago (2 children)

July 16 (Reuters) - The United States is at risk of losing both the 2028 Summer and 2034 Winter Olympics if American law enforcement over reaches in its investigation of Chinese swimmers, said former senior International Olympic Committee (IOC) member Dick Pound.

Hee hee hee.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 months ago
[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 months ago

Ok after reading your comment just going to put a comment that probably everyone was thinking after they read it. Dick Pound lol there is a joke to be made there.

[–] [email protected] 11 points 3 months ago (2 children)

That's fine the Olympics are terrible for people, the economy, and the environment anyway.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago) (1 children)

the one good thing that could've come out of this one was that they fix the paris sewers so the seine isnt an open sewer. but no, not even that.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 3 months ago

I always like the premise of Olympics improving public infrastructure: "Yeah we had the money to do this all along but we couldn't be arsed, but now that we're going to host a big TV thing we'll get it done."

[–] [email protected] 2 points 3 months ago

The only olympics I have watched and don't know when is when me and a bunch of friends got shitface at a bar and were taking bets on the slow walking sport....may not be called it but I won. Have never watched anything else besides that and plus the Olympics do more damage to society and environment than what they are worth. Even tv networks who sign contracts to televise it always bitch about losing money about a couple weeks after it is over. And they will do it again this year.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 3 months ago

Don't threaten us with a good time!

These guys will be thrilled: https://nolympicsla.com/

[–] [email protected] 2 points 3 months ago

My man Dick Pound