It is still not a done deal, and maybe because it was a holiday for some in North America, but the LA28 Olympic and Paralympic Games official proposal for new Olympic sports that went to the International Olympic Committee on Monday is an interesting one any many fronts, gives all looking ahead to “what’s next” in sport an eyeful.
While Baseball/Softball seems like a no brainer for Olympic Games staged in the United States, the appeal to the Latino audience (the fastest growing ethnic demo in the U.S.) shows that engagement in an American audience that may not be English first will be able to enjoy a sport they assimilate to, as well as the other key sports already in the Olympic family soccer and basketball.
When you look to another engaged and emerging group, Cricket (Twenty20) probably will raise less eyebrows than you may think. There has been anecdotal evidence that there are more high school cricket teams in the diverse melting pot of New York high school sports than there are baseball teams, although Cricket is not a directly affiliated sport with high school athletics…just yet. There is also a pretty unique tie to stick and ball sports that also links cricket to baseball, as well as the deep pocketed investments to bring professional Cricket to the U.S., so inclusion as the largest global team sport NOT in the games, as well as its appeal to vast markets outside the host country, also seems to fit.
Lacrosse, long known as one of the fastest growing sports in North America, also gets another big global boost with its version of Sixes making the potential cut if the IOC approves. It has a history in the games, has one of the Olympics most legendary athletes (Jim Thorpe) in its lore, and also has another key tie to storytelling and education; its roots tied to Indigenous populations. While it is unclear of the IOC will permit the Indigenous people to compete as its own sovereign nation (which it does in the World Lacrosse Championships), the national teams of both the United States and Canada should have a boatload of Indigenous athletes on their teams, and by doing so will raise the profile and awareness of all associated with those on the squads.
Then there is Flag Football. We have written about this before and championed the growth of flag loudly wherever possible, but the inclusion of flag, especially for women, is a massive win for a sport which was snickered at a decade ago when Olympic inclusion was mentioned the first time. Let’s not forget that on the high school level flag is already an official sport in states like California and New jersey, and the NFL’s grassroots level engagement continues to explode with flag play. On the international level, countries like Germany and the UK and even Africa have deeply engaged Flag programs, and don’t be surprised to see Girls Flag now take off on the collegiate level as well.
While many chase the shiny baubles like Pickleball and esports (each with their own merits but also with a lot of false hype at least on the professional side), don’t sleep on the power of Flag Football, now with an Olympics showcase on the horizon.
What does potential inclusion mean for these sports in the LA Olympics? For baseball, maybe not that much. MLB is doing just fine. For softball and business like Athletes Unlimited the long tail ties to the Olympics can boost awareness and value for all showcasing softball stars. For disruptive brands looking to ride a wave toward LA 2028, the sponsorship, the NIL deals and the activations tied to sports like squash and lacrosse can be pretty valuable. For brands looking to reach the growing Asian community engaging in Cricket, a door opens as a national team is built. And for Flag Football, the ties, even without a pro league right now, for engagement with grassroots, high school and college programs, not to mention international efforts around all things football, represent great potential for all.
Some of this will not be easy. There will be fits and starts, and markets for most need to keep building for true engagement to work and ROI to be had, but for those looking to Indigenous, women, Latino and Asian audiences right here in the States, LA 2028 rang the bell this week. Who is in to join the party?
