A major Olympic Games broadcaster has held talks with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) about whether LA 2028 is still going ahead following the fires in Los Angeles.
Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) has the rights to broadcast the Summer and Winter Olympics from 2026 to 2032 in 50 territories in Europe, including the United Kingdom, with the respective Games being shown on Eurosport.
Scott Young, a group senior vice president of content, production, and business operations for WBD Sports Europe, confirmed on Thursday the broadcaster has held discussions with the IOC.
“We have had conversations and there is no noise or discussion right now that it will have any impact on LA 2028,” Young said at a UK roundtable attended by The Athletic. “The tragedy of these fires in Los Angeles is the focus right now and nobody is looking too far down the road.
“No infrastructure was significantly impacted, so they are not looking to rebuild anything that was required for the Olympic Games. The priority now is around the people, rebuilding homes and the infrastructure that has been damaged.”
Reuters and NBC are among the outlets that have reported that the Olympic venues were not damaged by the fires and broadcasters, such as WBD, work closely with the IOC’s Olympic Broadcast Service (OBS) and will be in regular contact with the organisation.
The fires in Los Angeles began more than two weeks ago and have left a trail of destruction across multiple neighbourhoods in the area, with at least 28 people killed as a consequence of the tragedy and more than 50,000 placed under evacuation orders or warnings.
On Wednesday morning, a new wildfire — the Hughes Fire — started north of Los Angeles and, according to the BBC, spread to more than 10,000 acres in a handful of hours.
The Hughes Fire started on Wednesday (Apu Gomes/AFP via Getty Images)
Asked if WBD has any concerns about the debate taking place on whether the Californian state should be spending money on the Olympics when rebuilding the destroyed areas of Los Angeles is going to be costly, Young said it is not for them to decide.
“That is a discussion for the local organising committee,” he responded. “We acquire the rights for the Olympic Games and we don’t have a say in where the Olympic Games are held. That’s a debate for those in California and the United States.”
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On January 13, Gavin Newsom, the Democratic governor of California, appeared on NBC’s Meet the Press show and made clear that he wants LA 2028 to go ahead.
“Donald Trump, to his credit, was helpful in getting the Olympics to the United States of America, to get it down here in LA,” Newsom told NBC.
“We thank him for that. This is an opportunity for him to shine, for this country to shine, for California and this community to shine—all that opportunity and that pride and spirit that comes not just from hosting those three iconic games and venues, but also the opportunity, I think, to rebuild at the same time.”
Casey Wasserman, LA 2028’s president and chairperson, released a statement on January 16, following a meeting with President Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago, Trump’s Florida residence, and said they will “deliver a safe and successful Games our nation can be proud of.”
“The strength of our communities and our unity in tough times make this city extraordinary, and when Los Angeles welcomes the world in 2028, our spirit will shine brighter than ever before,” Wasserman’s statement added.
The IOC has been approached for comment.
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(Top photo: Etienne Laurent/AFP via Getty Images)
