While the 2028 Olympic Torch Relay will start at the home of the last U.S. city to host the Games, other cities are involved in deliberating about the chance to have the torch run through the cities while also going through an 18-page document outlining what would be expected of them from the LA28 organizers.
The document is marked confidential but the essential Olympic site The Sports Examiner found a copy posted publicly from city council in Fresno, California.
After the torch relay begins in Atlanta, at least two other cities have already started plans to host a portion of the relay. Savannah City Council in Georgia has approved an agreement with the LA28 organizers and in Florida, Naples City Council authorized the city manager to purchase a one-day special event insurance policy to host the relay.
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Any city that wants to be part of the torch relay must organize and operate the event with the assistance of LA28, per the document about the relay. A city must, for its own cauldron lighting, have a clean site for the event which means “free of commercial, political, social, and/or religious messaging, advertising, and signage.” LA28 must also have space at the site for its activities, and all commercial and non-commercial activities at the lighting site must be approved by LA28.
The local cauldron lighting must be free of charge for the public and “ensure there is no commercial messaging by speakers and entertainers other than those approved by LA28.” There also are security and costs that must be covered by the city instead of LA28.
Depending on how long the relay will be in a city, LA28 will determine the number of torchbearers who will carry the torch through the city. LA28 will provide that number to the city and, “Torchbearers must be selected based on LA28 criteria and shall be subject to a security background check. Torchbearer slots are merit-based and cannot be sold, exchanged for donations or value of any kind, or given away as a prize. … Elected officials and/or political candidates will not be eligible for torchbearer selection.”
Any city that hosts a torch relay date are also responsible for “ensuring that no other major events are staged in the City Jurisdiction on the day of the Relay” and that “LA28 possesses the exclusive right in connection with the Relay to make sponsorship, marketing, merchandising and concessionaire arrangements.”
The Olympic flame will be lit in Olympia, Greece, the birthplace of the Olympic Games, before making its journey through all 50 U.S. states in the spring of 2028. The full route for the Olympic Torch Relay will be announced in 2027.
The Paralympic Torch Relay will follow the conclusion of the Olympic Games in August 2028, with the flame originating in Stoke Mandeville, United Kingdom, the birthplace of the Paralympic Movement. The Paralympic Torch Relay’s U.S. starting location will be announced at a later date.
Sports ETA Goes Overseas
The Sports Events and Tourism Association brought 20 U.S. destinations to Lausanne as part of the SportAccord Forum and inaugural SportAccord City Forum at the Olympic Museum, building on Sports ETA’s strategic alliance with SportAccord.
“Returning to Lausanne for a second year reflects the importance of building strong, lasting relationships with the international sports community,” said John David, President & CEO of Sports ETA. “Our members came to Lausanne ready to engage, listen and connect with International Federations and Olympic stakeholders.”
The delegation included representatives from Cincinnati; Cleveland; Columbus; Detroit; Fort Worth; Houston; Hershey-Harrisburg, Pennsylvania; Indianapolis; Kansas City; Las Vegas; Miami; Nashville; Oklahoma City; Orlando; Phoenix; Pittsburgh; Portland; Raleigh-Durham; Salt Lake City; and Washington, D.C.
USA Bobsled/Skeleton Extends Partnership with Park City Lodging
USA Bobsled/Skeleton has announced a four-year extension through 2030 of its partnership with Park City Lodging, Inc., to provide accommodations for athletes, coaches and staff during training and competitions in Utah.
A locally owned vacation rental company serving the area since 1984, Park City Lodging manages 250 homes and will continue to provide accommodations for athletes, coaches and staff throughout their time in Utah, from fall preseason sliding and sled testing through North American Cup competition each winter.
The Utah Olympic Park track is hosting the 2029 IBSF Bobsled and Skeleton World Championships, and it is slated to host sliding events at the 2034 Olympic Winter Games.
“Park City Lodging has been a valued partner of USABS, and we’re excited to continue our relationship for another four years,” said USABS CEO Aron McGuire. “Their support provides our athletes and staff with a reliable place to stay while we’re in Park City for training and competition. We appreciate their continued commitment to our team and look forward to working together in the years ahead.”
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