OT: Olympics in trouble

[El-Jefe]

What would happen if nobody wants to host the Games?

Not quite there yet, but getting close. Close enough that alternative strategies need to be determined.

http://www.wsj.com/articles/who-wants-to-host-an-olympic-games-anyone-1474499468?mod=e2fb

 

[manatree]

I think eventually we'll reach a point where one country/city can no longer steal and tax enough money to host the entire Olympics. I can see it moving to a format where the games are split up among several locations.

 

[nitlion6]

I think eventually we'll reach a point where one country/city can no longer steal and tax enough money to host the entire Olympics. I can see it moving to a format where the games are split up among several locations.

My guess is the bid costs will become something more realistic and the bribes will become less. Darn, those Olympic officals might have to learn to live on just a couple mill a year.

 

[CowboyUp61]

maybe in order to reduce bid costs, sports that require specialized facilities that won't be used afterwards can be dropped, and wrestling will go back to 30 weights (3 X 10).

 

[El-Jefe]

I think eventually we'll reach a point where one country/city can no longer steal and tax enough money to host the entire Olympics. I can see it moving to a format where the games are split up among several locations.

I would love to be a fly on the wall during those discussions, of who gets to be in the rotating pool of permanent hosts vs. who gets left out. Right up until the Russian official pulls his gun.

If I were a voting member and mischievous (of which I'm only one!), I'd immediately nominate Israel as the sole Summer Games permanent host -- and I'd do it by public press conference --- just to watch all the other countries squirm.

 

[manatree]

I would love to be a fly on the wall during those discussions, of who gets to be in the rotating pool of permanent hosts vs. who gets left out. Right up until the Russian official pulls his gun.

If I were a voting member and mischievous (of which I'm only one!), I'd immediately nominate Israel as the sole Summer Games permanent host -- and I'd do it by public press conference --- just to watch all the other countries squirm.

Where did I say that the sites would be permanent?

 

[El-Jefe]

Where did I say that the sites would be permanent?

The article did.

 

[burnsie1983]

I'd favor a permanent host (Athens) or even a rotating one on each continent...

 

[manatree]

Admittedly, I didn't read it because I don't have a WSJ subscription. However, I don't think you have to go to permanent sites. Let's say that City/Country X is planning on building a big new stadium for their local team, perhaps they could host Track & Field. Or, even better yet, a city/country that already has a suitable stadium, they could submit a bid.

Also, let countries with a historic fan base of a sport host a sport. Did you see all of those empty seats for wrestling in Rio?

 

[CowboyUp61]

even rotating hosts may not be a good idea-below is an article about the facilities in Athens.

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/g...s-olympic-2004-venues-10-years-on-in-pictures

 

[El-Jefe]

Article is free -- not behind the WSJ paywall.

I don't think it's feasible to split up the various sports to be held in different countries, unless it's in near-border areas like Seattle + Vancouver, or Vienna + Bratislava. The entire point of The Games is to have ALL of the athletes together.

 

[El-Jefe]

I'd favor a permanent host (Athens) or even a rotating one on each continent...

even rotating hosts may not be a good idea-below is an article about the facilities in Athens.

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/g...s-olympic-2004-venues-10-years-on-in-pictures

Athens is the right historical and symbolic permanent host ... and that's full of delicious irony, because it's been a kleptocracy since around WWII, the worst economy of any European country not being invaded by Russia, on the very front line of the refugee mass emigration, etc.

Theoretically a permanent or rotating spot would give them an incentive to maintain facilities, but Greece is completely out of Other Peoples' Money.

Speaking of Olympic ruins: I'm trying to get to Sarajevo someday, and will absolutely visit those ruins if I ever get there. Of course those decayed for non-economic reasons ... but the IOC often picks a host city with some forms of instability.

Turner Field in Atlanta -- built as the 1996 Olympic track stadium, then converted for MLB -- might not be around much longer either. The Braves got a sweetheart deal from suburban Cobb County and will move to Marietta next year.

 

[manatree]

Article is free -- not behind the WSJ paywall.

I don't think it's feasible to split up the various sports to be held in different countries, unless it's in near-border areas like Seattle + Vancouver, or Vienna + Bratislava. The entire point of The Games is to have ALL of the athletes together.

Every time I click on the link I get a To Read the Full Story, Subscribe or Sign In page.

The entire point of the Olympics was lost a long time ago. Breaking it up might be the best chance to make it financially sustainable.

As for Sarajevo, part of the former Olympic grounds became cemeteries from the war.

 

[garw]

Gotta admit I don't have the passion for the Olympics I used to have. Not sure I would miss them if they disappeared. Weird thought I know, but not feeling it.

 

[psualt]

Article is free -- not behind the WSJ paywall.

I don't think it's feasible to split up the various sports to be held in different countries, unless it's in near-border areas like Seattle + Vancouver, or Vienna + Bratislava. The entire point of The Games is to have ALL of the athletes together.

Good point. After all who wants to be stuck with a bunch of wrestlers when you could be next to the synchronized diver from Brazil.

 

[ev_flores0331]

Gotta admit I don't have the passion for the Olympics I used to have. Not sure I would miss them if they disappeared. Weird thought I know, but not feeling it.

I'm with you. Too expensive, too much corruption in the selection process, wrestlers get screwed by refs on the reg, and lots of the best wrestlers in the world are forced too high up in weight.

If you're gonna cut weight classes, why not cut races from track or swimming? The 100m champ in track is recognized as the fastest man alive. Who cares about the 200m race? Walking is in the Olympics? Or the backstroke races? I'd love to hear the ancient Greeks' take on those two sports: "Yeah, walking? Sounds reasonable. Swimming backwards? Well, naturally."

 

[Azchief32]

Gotta admit I don't have the passion for the Olympics I used to have. Not sure I would miss them if they disappeared. Weird thought I know, but not feeling it.

The Worlds are a bigger bracket and I enjoy watching them just as much as the Olympics. Getting an Olympic medal is a bigger deal for our guys and girls and they get much more recognition though. However, just don't know if the corruption is worth it any more. It's the UN on a smaller level.

 

[El-Jefe]

Every time I click on the link I get a To Read the Full Story, Subscribe or Sign In page.

The entire point of the Olympics was lost a long time ago. Breaking it up might be the best chance to make it financially sustainable.

As for Sarajevo, part of the former Olympic grounds became cemeteries from the war.

Yeah, it's behind the paywall now. Not sure when that happened, but it was free this morning. Usually they wait 2-3 days before firewalling articles. I'm not a subscriber either.

To summarize as best as I can remember:
- Rome's mayor pulled out of the 2024 Summer Games bidding, citing cost.
- 2024 is now down to 3 cities: Los Angeles (but only because Boston pulled out), Paris, and Budapest.
- The IOC president is from Germany, yet can't get any German cities to bid.
- Beijing will host 2022 Winter despite not having enough snow. China won almost by default -- the only other bidder was Almaty, Kazakhstan, which falls far short of facilities and hotel requirements.
- Cities are not bidding because they can't afford the capital to build facilities and infrastructure, and/or have decided costs outweigh benefits.
- Possible solution is to set up a rotating pool of 4-5 permanent host cities. That's been floated before, but not taken seriously. Might have to be now.

 

[El-Jefe]

Just move the entire Summer Games permanently to Austin. Flo already covers many of those sports year-round.

 

[Real-Lion]

What would happen if nobody wants to host the Games?

Not quite there yet, but getting close. Close enough that alternative strategies need to be determined.

http://www.wsj.com/articles/who-wants-to-host-an-olympic-games-anyone-1474499468?mod=e2fb

Russia is the freakin problem....

 

[NittanyLion84]

The Worlds are a bigger bracket and I enjoy watching them just as much as the Olympics. Getting an Olympic medal is a bigger deal for our guys and girls and they get much more recognition though. However, just don't know if the corruption is worth it any more. It's the UN on a smaller level.

The corruption in judged sports have been around for a long time. Although you could argue that wrestling is not judged, the refs and other mat officials, have too often, turned it into a corrupt, judged sport. For myself, in either the summer or the winter Olympics, I only watch the timed sports, which usually keeps the corruption out of it. I just can't tolerate watching the obvious, frustrating corruption in judged sports.

 

[Azchief32]

Yeah, it's behind the paywall now. Not sure when that happened, but it was free this morning. Usually they wait 2-3 days before firewalling articles. I'm not a subscriber either.

To summarize as best as I can remember:
- Rome's mayor pulled out of the 2024 Summer Games bidding, citing cost.
- 2024 is now down to 3 cities: Los Angeles (but only because Boston pulled out), Paris, and Budapest.
- The IOC president is from Germany, yet can't get any German cities to bid.
- Beijing will host 2022 Winter despite not having enough snow. China won almost by default -- the only other bidder was Almaty, Kazakhstan, which falls far short of facilities and hotel requirements.
- Cities are not bidding because they can't afford the capital to build facilities and infrastructure, and/or have decided costs outweigh benefits.
- Possible solution is to set up a rotating pool of 4-5 permanent host cities. That's been floated before, but not taken seriously. Might have to be now.

Still think it should go to countries instead of cities to help absorb the costs.Can you imagine having track and field in L.A., basketball in NYC, gymnastics in Houston, shooting in Mudholler, Kentucky, wrestling in...Iowa City.