Full Breakdown
USOPC Projects Participation Boost Ahead of LA28 and 2034 Salt Lake City Games
By Drooid · · How we work
Anticipated Participation Surge
On September 25, U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC) CEO Sarah Hirshland said the organization expects the upcoming Los Angeles 2028 Summer Games and the Salt Lake City 2034 Winter Games—two domestic Olympics within six years—to generate a surge of interest in Olympic sport across the United States. Hirshland linked this anticipated rise to “a number of conversations” with national governing bodies about how to capitalize on the momentum that followed the 1996 Atlanta Games.
Historical Context
The Atlanta Games in 1996 were followed by a double-digit increase in participation in several Olympic disciplines, according to USOPC data. Hirshland cited that historic uptick as a benchmark for what the committee hopes to replicate after LA28 and the 2034 Winter Games.
Official Outlook
The committee has intensified its social-media strategy during the Paris 2024 and Milan-Cortina 2026 Games, following the International Olympic Committee’s relaxation of athlete posting rules.
Potential Impact on Collegiate Sports
If the projected surge materializes, colleges may need to develop new programs and facilities to accommodate growing demand for sports such as fencing, rowing, and modern pentathlon. pastimes.
Verbatim Quotes
- “We've had a number of conversations here with our respective national governing bodies this week about how to think about the participation interest that we anticipate on the backs of the LA28 games as a result of the data points that we have both anecdotal and sort of factual around the impact of the '96 Games 30 years ago,” — Sarah Hirshland, CEO
