(Sports Correspondent: Imran Sohail)
LA28 Makes Olympic History with Venue Naming Rights
Host city: Los Angeles, 2028 Summer Olympic & Paralympic Games — privately funded, with a $6.9 billion budget, no reliance on government funds.
New Strategy: LA28 will sell naming rights to select competition venues — a first in Olympic history. This marks a major shift from the IOC’s traditional “clean venue” policy.
First-Ever Naming Deals Unveiled
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Honda keeps naming rights for the Anaheim arena, now officially hosting indoor volleyball.
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Comcast gets rights to the newly created Comcast Squash Center at Universal Studios, debuting squash in the Olympics.
A New Revenue Model for the Olympics
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Up to 19 temporary venues may carry sponsor names, giving priority to IOC’s TOP partners.
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Iconic sites like the LA Coliseum, Rose Bowl, and Dodger Stadium remain excluded from these deals. However, existing branding at places like Crypto.com Arena can remain if sponsors qualify.
Benefits and Implications
Financial boost: This initiative offers additional revenue beyond LA28’s $2.5 billion sponsorship target. As the budget is privately sourced, these naming rights introduce much-needed financial flexibility.
Fan-friendliness: Retaining familiar corporate names helps with wayfinding and avoids awkward generic venue labels like “2028 Stadium.”
Pilot model: The IOC is closely observing, and this move could redefine future Olympic commercial strategies.
Quote from LA28 CEO
Casey Wasserman described the initiative as a “paradigm-shifting arrangement.” He explained that U.S. sports culture heavily features naming rights—using Crypto.com Arena as a prime example.
