In 2028, the Olympic Games will return to Los Angeles. This will be the third time the city has hosted the Games. The 1932 and 1984 Games were previously held in the City of Angels.
Los Angeles’ successful bid to host the 1984 Olympic Games marked a turning point in the history of the Games. It demonstrated a financially viable model based on private funding, sponsorship deals and the use of existing infrastructure, and reshaped the Olympic model for future events in the years that followed. In addition, several new events were introduced aimed at increasing female participation, and new technologies enabled better communication between athletes and improved efficiency.
Financial sustainability
The 1984 Games made a profit of over $200 million, making them “the only Olympic Games in history to have a truly positive financial balance,” said Olympic expert and historian Kevin Wamsley. Newsweek.
“This created the myth that the Olympics were profitable, a myth that lasted for decades and led to cities outbidding each other to host the Games. In 1984, an era of the fully commercialized Olympics was ushered in, saving the IOC (International Olympic Committee) from potential bankruptcy and turning it into an organization flush with cash.”
The IOC’s careful management of television rights, combined with its flagship sponsorship program, has enabled the organization to “catapult” itself into financial sustainability, Wamsley said.
“The process of commercialisation of all aspects of the Games, directly linked to the successful promotion of the Olympic Games through televised spectacles, has brought an unprecedented level of exposure to the world,” he added.
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Evolving narratives
The 1984 Olympic Games took place during the Cold War and were naturally shaped by the political conditions that determined the conflict between the USA and the Soviet Union.
“The Games became a focal point for the celebration of Cold War politics, which promoted an era of heightened competition for medals and records in both men’s and women’s sports, which was widely supported by nation states,” Wamsley said.
“The Cold War emphasis on cultural superiority and national unity in all elements of the spectacle, combined with the pervasive and strategic promotion of the Games, made the Olympic Games famous in most parts of the world for the next 20-plus years.”
Although the 2028 Olympic Games will still be competitive in nature, international political concerns are likely to be somewhat less intense.
“Over the last 15 to 20 years, global relationships and narratives have changed significantly and the Cold War emphasis on creating narratives about rivals has dissolved and been refocused. It is certainly not the same world as it was before and after 1984,” Wamsley said.
Olympic participation for women
The 1984 Olympic Games also marked an important milestone for women’s sport, as there were several new events that expanded opportunities for female athletes. These included:
Synchronized swimming
Synchronized swimming made its Olympic debut in 1984, when the competition was exclusively for women. The United States excelled, winning gold medals in both the solo and duet events. The inclusion of synchronized swimming underscored the growing recognition of artistic sports within the Olympic movement and paved the way for disciplines such as breakdancing, which were represented for the first time at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.
Women’s cycling
Another notable innovation was the women’s road cycling race, which was the first time that women competed in Olympic cycling events. American Connie Carpenter secured the gold medal in this inaugural race.
Rhythmic gymnastics
Rhythmic gymnastics also made its debut in Los Angeles. However, the event was restricted to female athletes. Canadian Lori Fung won the gold medal in the women’s individual all-around competition.
Women’s Marathon
The 1984 Games introduced the marathon for women, a long-distance race that had previously been considered too strenuous for them. American Joan Benoit won the gold medal with a time of 2:24:52, a performance that shattered previous misconceptions about women’s endurance capabilities.
Shooting for women
For the first time, women competed exclusively against other women in shooting competitions. American Pat Spurgin won gold in the 10-meter air rifle shooting.
Other women’s events
In addition to these new additions, the 1984 Olympics also featured a wide range of women’s competitions in a variety of sports, including track and field, swimming, and gymnastics. The U.S. women’s team performed exceptionally well, particularly in swimming, where they won 11 of 14 events. Notable athletes included Mary T. Meagher and Tracy Caulkins, who each won three gold medals.
Such an expansion not only provided more opportunities for women to compete at the highest level, but also paved the way for future progress towards gender equality in sport.
New technology
At the 1984 Olympic Games, the Electronic Messaging System (EMS), introduced by AT&T, proved to be an outstanding example of the various technology systems used at the Games.
This system was notable for its groundbreaking use of electronic mail, the first time this technology had been used at an Olympic event. It enabled efficient communication between athletes, coaches and media personnel, revolutionized the way information was exchanged during the event and increased the overall efficiency of the Games’ operations. The success of the system laid the foundation for the widespread adoption of email.
Are you curious about where the next Olympic Games will take place? Newsweek has mapped the venues for the 2028 Games in Los Angeles.
Newsweek has also created a map showing which countries have hosted the most Olympic Games.
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