2028 Los Angeles Olympics: A Century of History, A Challenge Towards the Future

2028년 7월 14일, 로스앤젤레스에서 열리는 제34회 하계 올림픽(LA28)은 스포츠의 전통과 미래가 만나는 특별한 순간을 맞이하게 됩니다. 이번 올림픽은 1932년과 1984년에 이어 로스앤젤레스에서 세 번째로 개최되는 대규모 스포츠 축제로, 100년의 역사를 기념하는 특별한 의미를 지니고 있습니다. 특히, 현대 사회가 직면한 다양한 도전 과제들을 해결하기 위한 미래 지향적인 비전을 제시하는 이번 대회는 단순한 스포츠 이벤트를 넘어서는 새로운 패러다임을 알리고 있습니다. 이어지는 설명에서 더 명확한 흐름을 확인하실 수 있습니다.

A special moment where the tradition and future of sports intersect is approaching. On July 14, 2028, the world will once again celebrate a sports festival through the 34th Summer Olympics (LA28) held in Los Angeles, California, USA. This event will be the third Olympic Games held in Los Angeles, following those in 1932 and 1984, carrying special significance in commemorating a century of history. In particular, this competition presents a forward-looking vision aimed at addressing various challenges faced by modern society, such as sustainability, digital innovation, and smart city technologies, signaling a new paradigm of the Olympics that goes beyond a simple sports event. The world is focused on how LA28 will redefine the future of the Olympics and what legacy it will leave beyond mere records and victories.

🚀 Overview and Historical Significance of the Los Angeles Olympics

📅 July 14, 2028. On this day, the world will once again dive into a festival of sports. The 34th Summer Olympics, or the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics (LA28), will grandly kick off in California, USA. From 1932 and 1984 to 2028, this event holds special significance in commemorating 100 years of history.

🎆 LA, Achieving the Glory of Hosting the Olympics Three Times

Los Angeles will become the third city to host the Olympics three times, following London and Paris. Just as the Olympics in 1932 and 1984 served as opportunities to overcome war and economic crises, the 2028 Games will be an important test to present a new model for future Olympics.

💡 Unexpected Twist: Did LA Originally Want the 2024 Olympics?

In fact, LA originally hoped to host the 2024 Summer Olympics. However, the IOC (International Olympic Committee) chose a strategic compromise to award the 2024 Olympics to Paris and the 2028 Olympics to LA. It is a very rare case in history for two cities to secure hosting rights simultaneously. This decision was made by the IOC to operate the Olympics more stably.

🏟️ Innovative Venue Operations, ‘The Most Economical Olympics in History’

The biggest feature of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics is its sustainable approach by maximizing existing infrastructure.

🔹 The least new venues constructed in Olympic history
🔹 Realization of an ‘urban Olympics’ through the use of venues distributed throughout LA
🔹 Opening ceremony likely to be held at the NFL stadium ‘SoFi Stadium’

In particular, the stadium cluster strategy will optimize movement between venues and make the most of existing NFL and NBA arenas. This contrasts with the 1976 Montreal Olympics, which incurred debt for decades due to excessive construction costs.

💰 Unexpected Point: LA Olympics to Operate Independently Without Financial Support from the IOC

The 2028 Los Angeles Olympics will be the first Olympics to operate independently without financial support from the IOC. This is thanks to strong corporate sponsorship in the U.S. and LA’s economic power, allowing the event to proceed without additional tax burdens.

🚗 Public Transportation Innovation and Smart Technology Introduction

LA is notorious for its severe traffic congestion. To address this, the LA Olympic Organizing Committee is working on autonomous shuttles and public transportation improvement projects.

🔹 Introduction of autonomous taxis and electric buses
🔹 Consideration of expanding and offering free operations for LA Metro (subway)
🔹 Establishment of an eco-friendly mobility system

In particular, collaboration with Tesla, Google, and Uber to build an AI-based smart transportation system is planned. This indicates that the 2028 Olympics will serve as a stage showcasing the future of smart cities, going beyond a simple sports event.

🎮 LA28 Evolving into a ‘Digital Olympics’

LA28 is expected to be the first Olympics integrated with digital technology.

🔹 Introduction of VR (virtual reality) and AR (augmented reality) technologies
🔹 Opening of a metaverse stadium, allowing virtual viewing
🔹 Issuance of Olympic memorabilia based on NFTs

In particular, fans will be able to enjoy a ‘virtual Olympic experience’ by visiting the stadium virtually through the metaverse and experiencing the actual venue through VR devices. This maximizes fan engagement while providing a new way for overseas fans to enjoy the event without physically attending the stadium.

💡 Unexpected Twist: Is there a possibility of eSports being included as an official event?

As of now, eSports is not an official Olympic event, but it is highly likely to be adopted as a demonstration event at the 2028 LA Olympics. The IOC is actively considering the introduction of eSports to attract the interest of younger generations, making it an intriguing attempt at the fusion of traditional sports and digital entertainment.

🔮 Presenting a New Paradigm for the Olympics in 2028

The LA Olympics is not just a sports event. It is expected to be a future-oriented Olympics that combines various elements such as sustainability, digital innovation, public transportation innovation, and economic independence models.

💡 What legacy will the Los Angeles Olympics leave in 2028?

• Presenting a ‘sustainable Olympics’ model to the world
• Combining smart city technology with sports
• Establishing the most economical Olympic operation model in history

All these factors will align, making the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics not just a sports festival but the starting point of a future-oriented Olympics.

🚀 Major Events and Competition Schedule – Harmony of Tradition and Innovation

Changes in Sports Events at the 2028 LA Olympics

The Olympics is the pinnacle of sports. However, it is also a stage that undergoes new changes each time. The 2028 Los Angeles Olympics (LA28) is promoting modern changes by including new sports in addition to existing events.

🎯 A total of 35 official sports

• Maintaining existing Olympic events (athletics, swimming, gymnastics, soccer, basketball, etc.)
• Selecting additional events (cricket, flag football, lacrosse, squash, etc.)
• Maintaining events introduced in the Tokyo Olympics, such as skateboarding, sport climbing, and surfing

The special reason for LA28 is that it has appropriately combined traditional sports with modern events.

Newly Introduced Sports at LA28

🎾 Cricket (T20 format) – Returning to the Olympics, a match attracting attention from India and the UK

Have you ever seen cricket in the Olympics? In fact, cricket will return to the Olympic stage after 128 years since the 1900 Paris Olympics.

📌 Why is this event important?

• Intense competition expected among cricket powerhouses like India, Pakistan, the UK, and Australia
• Conducted in T20 (shortened match format), speeding up the game
• Increase in TV viewership in Asia, enhancing the global recognition of the Olympics

💡 Twist Point:
One reason for including cricket is the IOC’s strategic decision to actively target the Indian market. With cricket included, interest in the Olympics within India is likely to surge.

🏈 Flag Football – The NFL Meets the Olympics

The NFL is appearing in the Olympics? That’s right. Flag football is a game that resembles traditional American football but is played by removing flags instead of tackling.

📌 Why was flag football included in the Olympics?

• NFL is strongly promoting it with the goal of globalizing American sports
• Low physical contact allows for mixed-gender competitions
• Fast-paced and dynamic gameplay attracts the interest of younger generations

💡 Twist Point:
There is a possibility that NFL players will play in the Olympics. If some star players participate as national representatives, this event could record the highest viewership globally.

🥍 Lacrosse – A Connection to Indigenous Culture in the Olympics

Lacrosse is a traditional game enjoyed by Native Americans. The U.S. and Canada are strong in this sport, which has evolved into an official Olympic event in a modern way.

📌 Interesting Points:

• Returning to the Olympics after 120 years since 1904 and 1908
• A game emphasizing fast pace and strategic elements
• IOC’s commitment to developing traditional sports into modern sports

💡 Unexpected Twist:
Lacrosse holds significant cultural meaning as a sport created by Native Americans. There is a possibility that a Native American representative team will be specially invited to this Olympics.

🎾 Squash – Intense Battles Inside the ‘Glass Box’

Squash is a high-intensity racket sport played in an enclosed glass court. It is popular in Europe and Asia and requires high physical exertion and quick reflexes.

📌 Why squash now?

• Expanding fan base centered in Asia and Europe
• Fast-paced gameplay suitable for TV broadcasting
• A sport that produces many promising players

💡 Twist Point:
Squash has hoped for inclusion in the Olympics for decades, but it was only adopted as an official event in 2028.

📅 Major Competition Schedule and Highlight Matches Expected

✅ Opening Ceremony (July 14, SoFi Stadium)

• There is a possibility of introducing a hybrid opening ceremony model
• Potential for a combination of traditional stadium shows + Hollywood-style productions

✅ Athletics Events (July 20 – July 29)

• 100m finals (men and women): The ‘highlight event’ of the Olympics
• Marathon: A special course passing through major landmarks in LA

✅ Basketball Finals (July 30, Crypto.com Arena)

• A showdown between the U.S. and European powerhouses featuring NBA stars

✅ Soccer Finals (July 29, Rose Bowl Stadium)

• Held at the historic venue where the 1994 World Cup final took place

✅ Flag Football Finals (July 28, SoFi Stadium)

• Expecting immense interest if NFL players participate

✅ Cricket Finals (July 27, Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum)

• India vs. Pakistan? It could be the hottest rivalry in history

✅ Skateboarding Finals (July 26, LA X Games Park)

• Expecting a fusion of skateboarding and street culture at the Olympics

✅ Surfing Finals (July 25, Huntington Beach)

• The best match set against the rough waves of the Pacific

🔮 2028, A Moment Defining the Future of Sports

📌 LA28 as a Testing Ground for Sports Innovation

• Unlike previous Olympics, focused on younger and more dynamic events
• Including cricket, flag football, and lacrosse for the global spread of sports
• Considering the adoption of eSports as a demonstration event

💡 Twist Elements:

• The opening ceremony may take the form of a ‘city parade’ rather than a traditional stadium ceremony
• Discussions are underway regarding the introduction of AI referees
• Experimenting with the first metaverse stadium operation

🚀 Economic Impact and Controversies – Opportunities and Challenges

💰 The Economic Effects of the 2028 LA Olympics: Is a ‘Profitable Olympics’ Possible?

Hosting the Olympics always has a massive economic impact. Will the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics (LA28) record a surplus operation?

✅ Expected Economic Effects

• Revitalization of the LA regional economy: An estimated $88 billion (about 115 trillion KRW) economic effect
• Job creation: Approximately 700,000 new jobs expected
• Increase in tourism revenue: An estimated over 10 million visitors expected to come to LA for the Olympics

🎯 2028 Olympics, ‘The Most Economical Olympics’ Model

The high expectations for LA28 to operate at a surplus stem from the fact that it is an Olympics utilizing existing facilities.

🔹 Maximizing the use of existing infrastructure without constructing new venues
🔹 Operating independently without financial support from the IOC (International Olympic Committee)
🔹 Attracting sponsorship from large global companies (interest from IT companies like Google, Apple, Tesla)

📌 Unexpected Twist: Is it realistically possible to operate the Olympics at a surplus?

• 1976 Montreal Olympics: A deficit of $1 billion occurred → Paid off debts for 30 years
• 2016 Rio Olympics: Venues were neglected due to maintenance costs
• 1984 Los Angeles Olympics: Approximately $250 million surplus, the most successful Olympic operation in history

LA28 is strategizing to replicate the model of the 1984 LA Olympics.

⚠️ Economic Challenges Faced by LA28

🛑 Concerns Over Homelessness and Widening Wealth Gap

Currently, LA has over 70,000 homeless individuals, and this number continues to rise.

📌 Issues:

• Possibility of forced eviction of the homeless ahead of the Olympics
• Worsening living conditions for low-income citizens due to rising real estate prices
• Possibility of homeless individuals being moved to nearby areas to improve the city’s appearance

💡 Twist Point:

• During the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, over 20,000 homeless individuals were forcibly evicted
• The 2024 Paris Olympics is also facing similar issues, and LA is likely to encounter the same controversies

🚗 Traffic Congestion, Will it Become ‘LA’s Nightmare’?

LA experiences the most severe traffic congestion in the U.S.

📌 Issues:

• Over an additional 1 million visitors expected during the Olympics
• Increased road congestion due to inter-venue travel issues
• Lack of public transportation infrastructure necessitating solutions to address congestion

🔹 Solutions:

• LA Metro expansion project (three new subway lines planned)
• Introduction of autonomous shuttles (operating electric autonomous buses in collaboration with Tesla and Uber)
• Making public transportation free during the Olympics

📌 Twist Elements:

• The city of LA is planning the first ‘smart transportation system’ for the Olympics utilizing autonomous driving technology
• If the underground high-speed tunnel system (known as the ‘Musk Tunnel Project’) is completed, it could revolutionize LA traffic

🌍 Green Olympics vs. Environmental Pollution Controversies

LA28 aims to be the ‘most eco-friendly Olympics’.

✅ Key Plans for Environmental Protection

• Aiming for a Net Zero Olympics by reducing carbon emissions by over 50%
• Using solar and renewable energy in all venues
• Preventing unnecessary construction material waste through renovation of existing facilities
• Prohibiting single-use plastics and strengthening recycling policies

⚠️ What are the issues?

• After the Olympics, there is a possibility that venues will be left in a state of disrepair due to maintenance costs
• Risk of repeating the abandonment of venues after past LA Olympics

📌 Twist Elements:

• LA28 is promoting a ‘urban regeneration project’ to convert venues into public facilities (gyms, museums, performance venues) after the Olympics
• Designed to ensure 100% recyclability after venue dismantling

💡How will LA28 change the future of sports?

🎮 Possibility of eSports being included as an official event
The IOC is currently considering the inclusion of eSports as an official Olympic event.

📌 LA28 could be the starting point for eSports in the Olympics

• So far, eSports has only been adopted as a demonstration event in the Olympics
• As the U.S. is one of the leading countries in the eSports market, the likelihood of it becoming an official event at LA28 is high
• Combining with metaverse platforms could present a new paradigm of a ‘Digital Olympics’

🔮 Presenting a New Paradigm for the Olympics in 2028

✅ What legacy will LA28 leave?

• ‘The most economical Olympics’ → Establishing a sustainable event model without financial burdens
• ‘Smart Olympics’ → A digital sports revolution utilizing AI, autonomous driving, and the metaverse
• ‘Eco-friendly Olympics’ → Setting new standards for the sustainability of the Olympics

💡 Unexpected Twist Elements:

• Possibility of experimenting with AI referee introduction (beyond VAR systems, AI-based game operations possible)
• Players may conduct virtual training through the metaverse
• Could be recorded as the first city to achieve carbon neutrality in the Olympics

🚀 Conclusion: Will the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics be the starting point of a future-oriented Olympics?

📌 Can LA28 become the new standard for the Olympics?

• Will it break away from the existing wasteful Olympic model to become an economically and environmentally sustainable event?
• Will the smart technology and AI innovations that determine the future of sports succeed?

The answers to all these questions will be revealed in the summer of 2028, in LA.