What event features thousands of athletes from multiple countries competing in various games to take home the coveted gold medals? What event attracts millions of eager spectators to sold-out stadiums while gluing families across the nation to their TV screens? None other than the Olympics!

Since its inception in 1896, every four years a nation has had the privilege of hosting the legendary Olympic games. Over multiple generations, the Olympics never fail to showcase the best of the best, and will continue this streak with the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles for the third time. However, some residents are worried about an increase in traffic, debt and evictions. No worries! With plans to be a “car-free event,” capitalize on private funding and utilize existing structures, Angelenos can focus on the benefits of the Olympics such as promoting cultural communications, equality in sports and national identity without sitting in their cars for the entire day.

If you still feel a bit uneasy with the prospect of the Olympics in Los Angeles, take a look at how it has been a success in other countries.

• Cultural Exchange

With over 200 countries participating, the Olympic Village has become the Silk Road, spanning the globe. An American player is just a few doors away from a Bulgarian or Chinese player. The proximity allows multiple athletes to share their traditions, customs and languages with each other. For the 2028 Olympics, the village will be located in UCLA (University of California, Los Angeles) and act as a mini-metropolis for all the athletes to not only rest but to express their cultures with each other.

During the 2020 Olympics, Great Britain representative for swimming, Alice Dearing, observed a group of Kenyan women athletes “dancing, playing drums and singing down the main road.” She noted how “I couldn’t help but smile and follow the procession, captivated by the energy and the spirit they brought.” The Olympic Village is a melting pot that helps to not only foster community but encourage open-mindedness.

Outside of the Olympic Village, the stats of the games never stayed in my mind: the winners or the losers. Instead, the dirty Seine river and the controversy behind it was what introduced me to the environmental issues facing Paris. If anything, the Olympics made me a better global citizen.

But, cultural exchange is not limited to an individual scale. Viewers at home are exposed to the host city’s culture and atmosphere, even if it is through a screen. They are able to experience the environment first hand through witnessing immersive images of food and art and listening to traditional music.

“I feel the Olympics brings out many different diverse cultures and it is nice to see how different players play it out with their cultures,” junior Maria George said. “There is always different music for when the different players come out, so I always listen [to] that.”

• Sport Representation

Have you been playing dressage, skijoring or steeplechase for years and simply wished that your favorite sport could receive more attention? Welcome to the prime example of sports marketing! With a viewer base of over five billion people for the last Olympics in Paris, its media property can help promote niche sports you may never have heard of. When skateboarding, a relatively new sport, debuted at the Tokyo 2022 games, it was a major success, influencing many individuals to try it for themselves. Luckily, the tradition continues with the 2029 Olympics serving as the debut for flag football and squash and the return of cricket and lacrosse from the early 1900s.

As a “non-sports person,” I have even watched the Olympics which allowed me to be exposed to skiing for the first time. I vividly remember sitting on my couch watching the TV screen intensely with my family as skiers were zooming down snow-covered hills between dense forests. A little part of me wanted to attempt the same situation.

The Olympics not only fosters engagements in niche sports but aids in gender parity across athletics. Historically, women have been marginalized from competing in sports due to conversations regarding their fertility, femininity and modesty. When women were finally given the chance to compete in the games, they were often “outshined” by their male counterparts.

However, in recent years, especially with the massive audience the Olympics provides, the event has increased media representation of women athletes and equal pay. In the 2024 Olympics, half of the athletes were women, a new record for gender equality. This shift in female participation is also connected with the shift in female engagement; more women are watching the Olympics. For the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, it expected to continue this pattern of gender equality by offering more quotas to female athletes than to the male athletes, a momentous achievement.

“I feel that it is definitely good because it can bring to light some of the grievances that [women athletes face],” junior Jennie Wang said. “It is cool to see some [women] who are so good at what they do and they’re able to perform at such a high level.”

• National Pride

As mentioned before, though the Olympics unite the nations around the globe, they also unite the citizens of each country. The games provide a time for everyone, regardless of their differences, to support one single clause: a gold medal for their country. During the 1932 and 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, the city was able to transform their image from a bunch of suburbs to a united metropolis. Furthermore, the games fostered volunteer engagement from citizens in citywide cleanup projects. Especially for the 1932 Olympics, held during the Great Depression, the contest helped bring hope to a generation of struggling Angelenos.

“You cannot deny that the vibes of Los Angeles are immaculate,” senior Izadora Inglese said. “I know downtown Los Angeles gets a really bad rep but I think that [the Olympics] will create a positive vibe in the Olympics this year. We love our teams, we love to cheer and we love to trash talk other teams. That is a cultural bonding thing for us.”

In Brazil, when the national team competes in high stake soccer matches, the country comes to a standstill. Shops close down, and to see a car on the highway is a rare sighting. Evident by the numerous fans donning their nation’s colors, dangling their countries’ flags over their back and screaming at the top of their lungs, the games are no joke.

When I visited Brazil, soccer was life. Anytime I met someone new, if they did not ask for my name, they were asking if I played soccer. It was not uncommon to see my family members arguing over which local team was better, but ultimately supporting the national team.

• Conclusion

The Olympics are no easy feat to host, usually requiring billions of dollars with complex organization involving athletes, media and the tourists. Still, all good things require diligent work and this statement is more than justified for these popular games. Even though some are dreading the arrival of the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles, these games will not disappoint whether you are in a packed stadium, alone on the couch or at a watch party. I am excited to see the cross-cultural interactions, balanced representation and a united Los Angeles. Time to go three-for-three, Angelenos!

The city of Los Angeles. A place facing homelessness, traffic congestion and high living costs. The Olympics. A global tourist attraction. 

With the 2028 Olympics being widely known to attract global recognition, there are substantial concerns about how these games will impact the city’s residents and resources.

• Housing Crisis and Displacement

As the city of LA prepares to host the world’s most prestigious international events, the trepidation amongst many residents is beginning to worsen. With over 12 million people expected to be present at the Olympics, many residents are ambivalent to the games, with primary concerns of housing and displacement. Individuals who are in public houses and in low-income areas may be forced to relocate, as the city could convert these places into venues, utilizing public spaces for housing and hotels. 

“I think it’s stupid for us to consider hosting, because we don’t have the infrastructure to support that many people coming in, and the Olympics is a worldwide event,” sophomore Arya Pai said. “If we can’t even get construction done at LAX, what makes us think that we’re going to be able to build that much stuff for the Olympics? Whenever I fly internationally, the international airport is awful.”

• Traffic Overload and Congestion

Los Angeles is already notorious for its traffic jams. With the addition of Olympic athletes, visitors, staff and media in the city, an increase in traffic on major roads and highways is to be expected; which would cause severe delays for residents who are dependent on certain routes for work, school and activities. In the Rio Olympics in 2016, severe traffic congestion was present within the city causing a “12-mile traffic jam that occurred with an average speed of 9 miles per hour.” As an urbanized city, it is almost certain that Los Angeles will undergo an immense amount of congestion on the roads.

“I think it’s not a possibility; it’s definitely going to happen because the city does not have the bandwidth to support that many people, and I think the neighboring universities nearby are also going to be impacted,” senior Rithmika Naveen said. “I worry about the safety of the residents and the people visiting to watch the Olympics.” 

• Financial Burden

Seven billion dollars. That is the estimated amount of money it would take for the Olympics to take place in Los Angeles. With money for the Olympics going mainly towards preparation, a long term financial impact could possibly drown LA in debt for years. Looking back on past Olympics, it has been shown that most cities have exceeded their budget, which has led to years of debt. 

Additionally, hosting one of the most well known competitions comes out to be very expensive, often resulting in financial burdens that could intrude on other city services including the departments of education, healthcare and housing. With Los Angeles being incredibly cosmopolitan, the financial burden that LA will carry will be very detrimental to the community.

“From what I have seen from the Paris Olympics in 2024, it’s a really expensive job to host the Olympics and usually ends up putting countries further into debt,” junior Grace VanSchooneveld. “While it’s nice [the Olympics] are being hosted so close to home and it’s a great opportunity to meet new people and watch events, overall, it’s gonna be a huge expense for the city of Los Angeles.”

The Olympics is a global event that fosters a place of community through competitive sports. However, Los Angeles must find its balance between the games and the needs of its residents. From displacement to financial burdens and traffic congestion, the question still lingered: is it still worth it to host the Olympics?