Current:Home > MyFlag football in the Olympics? Cricket, lacrosse also expected as new sports for 2028 -WorldMoney
Flag football in the Olympics? Cricket, lacrosse also expected as new sports for 2028
View
Date:2025-04-14 22:00:28
Flag football may soon be an Olympic sport.
The organizing committee for the Los Angeles Games announced Monday it will propose adding flag football to the Olympic program for 2028, in addition to three other new sports: Cricket, lacrosse and squash. The organizing committee is also hoping to bring back baseball and softball, which have been off-and-on sports at the Summer Games.
The International Olympic Committee is expected to consider, and almost certainly approve, the proposed new sports at its session in Mumbai, India over the next week.
Casey Wasserman, the chairperson of the LA28 organizing committee, said the new sports "ignite the imagination on the field of play and drive culture off it."
"They’re relevant, innovative and community-based, played in backyards, schoolyards, community centers, stadiums and parks across the U.S. and the globe," Wasserman said.
Flag football and cricket, in particular, had been viewed as strong contenders to make the cut for the 2028 Games. Each has been campaigning for Olympic inclusion for several years and offers clear benefits for the IOC and the Olympic world more broadly.
Flag football's push for the Olympics has been backed by the marketing behemoth that is the NFL, which views the Games as a way to grow interest in the sport globally. NFL executives have touted flag football, played on a 50-yard field with five players aside, as a more accessible alternative to its full-contact version. It also has the potential for both men and women to compete, which is line with one of the IOC's recent stated goals of gender equity.
"When we talk about the future of the game of football, it is, no question, flag," NFL executive vice president Troy Vincent told the Associated Press last year. "When I’ve been asked over the last 24 months, in particular, what does the next 100 years look like when you look at football, not professional football, it’s flag. It’s the inclusion and the true motto of 'football for all.' There is a place in flag football for all."
Cricket, meanwhile, could provide a monetary boon for the IOC and its partners. It is the dominant sport in India, which IOC officials have long viewed as a key untapped market, and multiple news outlets have reported that adding cricket to the 2028 sports program could inflate the value of Olympic television rights in India by $100 million or more.
Lacrosse and squash were considered to be more borderline possibilities. The former has deep roots in the U.S. but lacks the global popularity of other Olympic sports. The latter unsuccessfully sought to be included at both the 2012 and 2016 Summer Games.
If approved by the IOC next week, as expected, the four new sports would be the latest in a series of outsiders to join the Olympic program. Surfing, skateboarding and sport climbing all made their Olympic debuts at the 2021 Summer Games in Tokyo, and breakdancing will join them at the 2024 Games in Paris next summer.
It is unclear what the inclusion of these five sports would mean for other sports or disciplines. The IOC has set a cap of 10,500 athletes at the Summer Games, so the addition of multiple team sports would likely force some sort of cuts to others.
Contact Tom Schad at [email protected] or on social media @Tom_Schad.
veryGood! (4)
Related
- Off the Grid: Sally breaks down USA TODAY's daily crossword puzzle, Hi Hi!
- Taylor Swift Shows Support for BFF Selena Gomez in the Sweetest Way After Single Soon Release
- Ten-hut Time Machine? West Point to open time capsule possibly left by cadets in the 1820s
- Ten-hut Time Machine? West Point to open time capsule possibly left by cadets in the 1820s
- Meta releases AI model to enhance Metaverse experience
- Some experts see AI as a tool against climate change. Others say its own carbon footprint could be a problem.
- Bad Bunny Spotted Wearing K Necklace Amid Kendall Jenner Romance
- Simone Biles prioritizes safety over scores. Gymnastics officials should do same | Opinion
- Paula Abdul settles lawsuit with former 'So You Think You Can Dance' co
- Some experts see AI as a tool against climate change. Others say its own carbon footprint could be a problem.
Ranking
- Behind on your annual reading goal? Books under 200 pages to read before 2024 ends
- Loving mother. Devoted father 'taken away from us forever: Families mourn Jacksonville shooting victims
- American Airlines fined $4.1 million for dozens of long tarmac delays that trapped passengers
- Global inflation pressures could become harder to manage in coming years, research suggests
- Average rate on 30
- Here's Your Invite to Olivia Culpo and Christian McCaffrey's Wedding Date Details
- Russia says it confirmed Wagner leader Prigozhin died in a plane crash
- To stop wildfires, residents in some Greek suburbs put their own money toward early warning drones
Recommendation
Friday the 13th luck? 13 past Mega Millions jackpot wins in December. See top 10 lottery prizes
Keke Palmer Celebrates 30th Birthday With Darius Jackson Amid Breakup Rumors
Biden and Harris will meet with King’s family on 60th anniversary of the March on Washington
Man killed, another wounded in shooting steps away from Philadelphia’s Independence Hall
Small twin
Florida shooting victim planned to spend Saturday with his daughter. He was killed before he could.
Clark County teachers union wants Nevada governor to intervene in contract dispute with district
Jacksonville killings: What we know about the hate crime