L.A. names coveted five provisional sports it wants to add for 2028 Olympics

Are you ready for some football?

The flag version of America’s favorite sport took another step toward its Olympic debut Saturday when Los Angeles organizers released a list of five “new” events they hope to include in the 2028 Summer Games.

To no surprise, LA28 also wants to reinstate baseball and softball, which were played at the most recent Summer Olympics in Tokyo but will be absent in Paris next summer. Cricket, lacrosse and squash complete the list.

“We were willing to challenge the status quo and think differently about what’s possible for the Games,” said Kathy Carter, the organizing committee’s chief executive.

The International Olympic Committee will have the final say when it votes on L.A.’s recommendations at a session in Mumbai on Oct. 16. After months of discussions between the IOC and LA28 this summer, all five sports are likely to be approved.

Olympic policy gives each host city an option of proposing additions to the 28 sports — such as gymnastics, track and basketball — on the standard program. Always mindful of building its brand, the IOC likes popular games that will draw a new generation of fans.

Newcomers are given a one-time-only pass, with no guarantee of becoming permanent. Surfing, skateboarding and sport climbing got their shot in Tokyo and did well enough to stick around. Breaking — otherwise known as break dancing — did not make the cut for 2028 and might be one-and-done after its Paris debut.

LA28 balanced relevance with economic feasibility, chairman Casey Wasserman said, favoring sports that could be played at existing Southern California venues.

Here’s a breakdown of the pros and cons:

Mexico’s Diana Flores throws the ball during a flag football tournament at the World Games 2022 in Birmingham, Ala.

(Dustin Massey / World Games 2022)

Pro: Though American football isn’t played by much of the world, it is big business for NBC. And NBC is big business for the Olympics, paying billions in broadcast rights. There is also a connection among the NFL, Wasserman and Stan Kroenke, whose SoFi Stadium will co-host the opening ceremony.

Con: Olympic officials will like the gender equity of girls in flag football but might prefer a sport more familiar in places such as Asia and Africa.

U.S. softball player Haylie McCleney trains at Japan’s Fukushima Azuma Baseball Stadium in July 2021 in preparation for the Tokyo Summer Olympics.

(Jae C. Hong / Associated Press)

Pro: Both of these fit Wasserman’s emphasis on sports that are “played in backyards, schoolyards, community centers. Host cities also want to sell tickets and merchandise to local audiences. This was a no-brainer.

Con: After getting dropped from the Olympics more than a decade ago, baseball and softball united to lobby for a return (they officially count as one), but have yet to regain permanent status. If games are played at Dodger Stadium, the Dodgers might be looking at an extended road trip.

Pakistan’s Mohammad Rizwan plays a shot during a World Cup match against the Netherlands on Friday.

(Mahesh Kumar A. / Associated Press)

Pro: With an estimated 2.5 billion fans, cricket ranks behind only soccer in global popularity. It could give the Olympics an in-road to more than a billion people living in India.

Con: This probably won’t be a huge draw in Southern California and, even in its accelerated Twenty20 format, doesn’t qualify as must-see TV, at least not for Americans.

Rutgers’ Mitch Bartolo, left, and Cornell’s Billy Coyle compete during the 2022 NCAA lacrosse semifinals.

(Adam Hunger / Associated Press)

Pro: The Olympics gave this North American game a try in the early 1900s. It would return as one of the fastest growing sports at the high school and college levels in the U.S.

Con: Again, global appeal is limited beyond the U.S. and Canada. With all its equipment, lacrosse can be expensive to play; Olympic officials like games that are accessible to athletes in poor nations.

New Zealand’s Joelle King, left, competes against England’s Lucy Turmel during a women’s quarterfinal squash game at the Commonwealth Games in July 2022.

(Alastair Grant / Associated Press)

Pro: No question this candidate has the common man’s touch. Anyone who plays at the neighborhood YMCA can now envision themselves standing on the medal podium.

Con: Squash has no track record for drawing spectators or television audiences. Does anyone expect that it can help the IOC woo that young demographic?

Breaking and three other sports on LA28’s previously announced shortlist got left behind.

Kickboxing failed to capitalize on MMA’s popularity and motor sports was a long-shot, if only because there was no clear vision of what form it might take. Stock cars? Go-karts? Karate also fell short.

As for the winning candidates, Wasserman said he hopes “they will bring new athletes to the Games, engage diverse fan bases and expand the Games’ presence in digital spaces.”