CDZ How Would You Enhance/Fix the Olympics?

Something I was unaware of and another reason to have the games rotate between cities that already have the infrastructure (or most of it anyway) present is the alarming number of nations that remove poor and undesired people to purchase and clear land to build venues. This is highlighted over and over in the following video... It happened at least 4 times in this count-down.

 
The question is about fixing the games themselves; please do not go off on athlete behavior. You did stupid things when you were young too. Also, keep in mind this is the CDZ.... Please try to stay on topic and stay civil.

Two things come to mind on how to "fix" the games.

First off, it's no secret that the stadiums quickly become useless once the games leave town. They often fall into disrepair and become a sore spot with the local populous.

Here is a slideshow by ABC News


So my solution would be to do what the NFL did so successfully for several years with the Super Bowl. They rotated it from Miami to the Rose Bowl to New Orleans. Everyone loved it; the hotels were close by, the venues were mint.... Just rotate the Summer Olympics through 3 or 4 cities that have the infrastructure already in place and, of course, are willing to hold the Olympics. Los Angeles and Paris come to mind for example.. University Stadiums, roads, multi-cultural populations, airports, etc... are already in place. There doesn't need to be a lot of new construction for venues. And maybe every fifth Summer Games have a NATION put together a responsible bid that takes into account what will happen after the games leave. By utilizing a whole nation, you prevent a city from building a bunch of soccer stadiums it doesn't need for example. You may not have a great swimming venue in Toronto...but they may have a great one in Montreal; use it!

Secondly, the Winter Olympics should be expanded to include an awful lot more sports (more about this later) taking many from the Summer Olympics. Is there any reason that the martial arts, Basketball, Boxing, or handball can't be in the Winter Olympics? The largest benefit will be that these sports may (and should in my opinion) get more exposure.

Here are the 24 Winter Olympic events...
View attachment 517883

Vs the 50 Summer Olympic events...
View attachment 517881
Even it out. Weightlifting can be done at a Winter Olympics, right?

----

What else would I do? Glad you asked....

  • I would stop the repeat Olympians who compete/medal for more than two Olympic Games. You get two in the same event and your are done. I say two Olympics because I would give someone a mulligan in case you don't do well. But I don't want to penalize someone who does well either. So you get two games in the same events....that's it. Now, if you're a swimmer who competes only in the 100M Backstroke for example in 2000 and 2004...feel free to come back in 2008 competing in the 2008 Olympics in the 200M Backstroke or any sport other than the 100M Backstroke. If you can make the team...no problem there.
  • I would have a lot more sports than is currently in the Olympics. I'd stop calling them sports for one thing. I'd say events or activities. If there is an activity that someone does on five continents (I think that is the acid test) that both genders can participate in...sure. Go for it. I wouldn't have poker or gambling...and no...not ballroom dancing. Cornhole...sure. Darts...sure. Axe throwing? Sure. Even Log Rolling. I'm not sure when the Olympics became some sort of "us" and "them" proposition as to where you need to start at the age of 5 and work daily until you're 16 to go to the games. I reject that premise. So I believe that other activities should be included and encouraged.
  • Limit athletes to either their nation of birth or make it to where they will have to had to have been a citizen of the nation they are competing for...for a certain amount of time....5 plus years I'd say. If America only sends two decathletes to the Olympics and you're the third best...you are an alternate. Sorry. You don't get to go as a Canadian because your Mom was Canadian or whatever.
  • Needless to say this as well...if you have outdoor plumbing, you compete as a man; indoor plumbing, you compete as a woman.
Some thoughts there.

What are yours. Please leave the politics out of it for a change.

In terms of the games location, I'd have it all over the world. People with facilities in place already can bid for different parts of the games. Swimming in Spain, Athletics in Andorra, Football in France, whatever.

In terms of sports, I'd say each country gets to choose a list of sports. Like 10 sports.

If say five countries all choose a sport then it becomes a sport. So sports from all over the world will get in, and random sports will disappear
 
In terms of the games location, I'd have it all over the world. People with facilities in place already can bid for different parts of the games. Swimming in Spain, Athletics in Andorra, Football in France, whatever.
Interesting idea.... So would it be regional places accepted? Could you have swimming in Switzerland, taekwondo in Trinidad, Judo in Japan permanently.... Or are you talking about swimming in Switzerland, football in France, rugby in Romania (having all of them in Europe) followed by badminton in Brazil, taekwondo in Trinidad, archery in Argentina (South American nations) at the next Olympics
In terms of sports, I'd say each country gets to choose a list of sports. Like 10 sports.

If say five countries all choose a sport then it becomes a sport. So sports from all over the world will get in, and random sports will disappear
I'd be against this. I like the random sports myself.

I also think you'd have alliances get together and install the sports anyway. I'm shocked that cricket isn't in the Olympics.
 
The question is about fixing the games themselves; please do not go off on athlete behavior. You did stupid things when you were young too. Also, keep in mind this is the CDZ.... Please try to stay on topic and stay civil.

Two things come to mind on how to "fix" the games.

First off, it's no secret that the stadiums quickly become useless once the games leave town. They often fall into disrepair and become a sore spot with the local populous.

Here is a slideshow by ABC News


So my solution would be to do what the NFL did so successfully for several years with the Super Bowl. They rotated it from Miami to the Rose Bowl to New Orleans. Everyone loved it; the hotels were close by, the venues were mint.... Just rotate the Summer Olympics through 3 or 4 cities that have the infrastructure already in place and, of course, are willing to hold the Olympics. Los Angeles and Paris come to mind for example.. University Stadiums, roads, multi-cultural populations, airports, etc... are already in place. There doesn't need to be a lot of new construction for venues. And maybe every fifth Summer Games have a NATION put together a responsible bid that takes into account what will happen after the games leave. By utilizing a whole nation, you prevent a city from building a bunch of soccer stadiums it doesn't need for example. You may not have a great swimming venue in Toronto...but they may have a great one in Montreal; use it!

Secondly, the Winter Olympics should be expanded to include an awful lot more sports (more about this later) taking many from the Summer Olympics. Is there any reason that the martial arts, Basketball, Boxing, or handball can't be in the Winter Olympics? The largest benefit will be that these sports may (and should in my opinion) get more exposure.

Here are the 24 Winter Olympic events...
View attachment 517883

Vs the 50 Summer Olympic events...
View attachment 517881
Even it out. Weightlifting can be done at a Winter Olympics, right?

----

What else would I do? Glad you asked....

  • I would stop the repeat Olympians who compete/medal for more than two Olympic Games. You get two in the same event and your are done. I say two Olympics because I would give someone a mulligan in case you don't do well. But I don't want to penalize someone who does well either. So you get two games in the same events....that's it. Now, if you're a swimmer who competes only in the 100M Backstroke for example in 2000 and 2004...feel free to come back in 2008 competing in the 2008 Olympics in the 200M Backstroke or any sport other than the 100M Backstroke. If you can make the team...no problem there.
  • I would have a lot more sports than is currently in the Olympics. I'd stop calling them sports for one thing. I'd say events or activities. If there is an activity that someone does on five continents (I think that is the acid test) that both genders can participate in...sure. Go for it. I wouldn't have poker or gambling...and no...not ballroom dancing. Cornhole...sure. Darts...sure. Axe throwing? Sure. Even Log Rolling. I'm not sure when the Olympics became some sort of "us" and "them" proposition as to where you need to start at the age of 5 and work daily until you're 16 to go to the games. I reject that premise. So I believe that other activities should be included and encouraged.
  • Limit athletes to either their nation of birth or make it to where they will have to had to have been a citizen of the nation they are competing for...for a certain amount of time....5 plus years I'd say. If America only sends two decathletes to the Olympics and you're the third best...you are an alternate. Sorry. You don't get to go as a Canadian because your Mom was Canadian or whatever.
  • Needless to say this as well...if you have outdoor plumbing, you compete as a man; indoor plumbing, you compete as a woman.
Some thoughts there.

What are yours. Please leave the politics out of it for a change.
Go back to the original program of 1896. Only 43 events.


Rope climbing???

Greg
 
Interesting idea.... So would it be regional places accepted? Could you have swimming in Switzerland, taekwondo in Trinidad, Judo in Japan permanently.... Or are you talking about swimming in Switzerland, football in France, rugby in Romania (having all of them in Europe) followed by badminton in Brazil, taekwondo in Trinidad, archery in Argentina (South American nations) at the next Olympics

I'd be against this. I like the random sports myself.

I also think you'd have alliances get together and install the sports anyway. I'm shocked that cricket isn't in the Olympics.

Well, you'd be able to do whatever.

You'd still get random sports, but they might just be different. They'd be what people actually want. Right now it's arbitrary what gets in the Olympics and what doesn't.

Yes, cricket might get in the Olympics because people would then vote tactically. Why not?
 
Well, you'd be able to do whatever.

You'd still get random sports, but they might just be different. They'd be what people actually want. Right now it's arbitrary what gets in the Olympics and what doesn't.

Yes, cricket might get in the Olympics because people would then vote tactically. Why not?

It seems random but it isn't. All "new" sports will have both a female and male competition I heard once. There is some rule about it having to be played in a major organized fashion on 4 continents or something like that. They should do a better job explaining it.

I'm all for Cricket in the Olympics. I'm also for softball being reinstated permanently; it was gone for a while...it is back this year but won't be in 2024 or something.... That is one thing I would do if I were god of the Olympics.... Pick the sports and stick with them for 20 years (5 games). Every 5 games...have a congress that decides what they will be for the next 20 years.
 
The Olympics “Jumped the Shark” with the admission of Synchronized Swimming.
Up till then there was a core of sports that people recognized. Since then, the gates have been opened to more and more bizarre semi-sports

They need to get rid of team sports and concentrate on individual events

Basketball, Volleyball, Soccer, Softball need to go. Same goes for Tennis and Golf.
They have their own circuit

I'm thinking hacky sack, egg toss, and midget wrestling....
 
Summer Olympics in Athens and Winter Olympics in Oslo…

Make the events more appealing and get rid of the Summer Events.

This will sound crazy but I enjoy the Winter Olympics more than the Summer.
 
It seems random but it isn't. All "new" sports will have both a female and male competition I heard once. There is some rule about it having to be played in a major organized fashion on 4 continents or something like that. They should do a better job explaining it.

I'm all for Cricket in the Olympics. I'm also for softball being reinstated permanently; it was gone for a while...it is back this year but won't be in 2024 or something.... That is one thing I would do if I were god of the Olympics.... Pick the sports and stick with them for 20 years (5 games). Every 5 games...have a congress that decides what they will be for the next 20 years.

Yes, the more places you have hosting events, the more sports you can do. If you look at the Asian games there are sports there that don't exist in the Olympics. Why?

Then sports come and go. Really if a sport is in the Olympics, it should stay unless it really does lose popularity so much.

Cricket as a 20/20 would be good.
 
More cowbell at the commercial breaks.
R (2).jpeg
 
Summer Olympics in Athens and Winter Olympics in Oslo…

Make the events more appealing and get rid of the Summer Events.

This will sound crazy but I enjoy the Winter Olympics more than the Summer.
Athens proved they could not handle it in 2004.
It bankrupted the country
 
The question is about fixing the games themselves; please do not go off on athlete behavior. You did stupid things when you were young too. Also, keep in mind this is the CDZ.... Please try to stay on topic and stay civil.

Two things come to mind on how to "fix" the games.

First off, it's no secret that the stadiums quickly become useless once the games leave town. They often fall into disrepair and become a sore spot with the local populous.

Here is a slideshow by ABC News


So my solution would be to do what the NFL did so successfully for several years with the Super Bowl. They rotated it from Miami to the Rose Bowl to New Orleans. Everyone loved it; the hotels were close by, the venues were mint.... Just rotate the Summer Olympics through 3 or 4 cities that have the infrastructure already in place and, of course, are willing to hold the Olympics. Los Angeles and Paris come to mind for example.. University Stadiums, roads, multi-cultural populations, airports, etc... are already in place. There doesn't need to be a lot of new construction for venues. And maybe every fifth Summer Games have a NATION put together a responsible bid that takes into account what will happen after the games leave. By utilizing a whole nation, you prevent a city from building a bunch of soccer stadiums it doesn't need for example. You may not have a great swimming venue in Toronto...but they may have a great one in Montreal; use it!

Secondly, the Winter Olympics should be expanded to include an awful lot more sports (more about this later) taking many from the Summer Olympics. Is there any reason that the martial arts, Basketball, Boxing, or handball can't be in the Winter Olympics? The largest benefit will be that these sports may (and should in my opinion) get more exposure.

Here are the 24 Winter Olympic events...
View attachment 517883

Vs the 50 Summer Olympic events...
View attachment 517881
Even it out. Weightlifting can be done at a Winter Olympics, right?

----

What else would I do? Glad you asked....

  • I would stop the repeat Olympians who compete/medal for more than two Olympic Games. You get two in the same event and your are done. I say two Olympics because I would give someone a mulligan in case you don't do well. But I don't want to penalize someone who does well either. So you get two games in the same events....that's it. Now, if you're a swimmer who competes only in the 100M Backstroke for example in 2000 and 2004...feel free to come back in 2008 competing in the 2008 Olympics in the 200M Backstroke or any sport other than the 100M Backstroke. If you can make the team...no problem there.
  • I would have a lot more sports than is currently in the Olympics. I'd stop calling them sports for one thing. I'd say events or activities. If there is an activity that someone does on five continents (I think that is the acid test) that both genders can participate in...sure. Go for it. I wouldn't have poker or gambling...and no...not ballroom dancing. Cornhole...sure. Darts...sure. Axe throwing? Sure. Even Log Rolling. I'm not sure when the Olympics became some sort of "us" and "them" proposition as to where you need to start at the age of 5 and work daily until you're 16 to go to the games. I reject that premise. So I believe that other activities should be included and encouraged.
  • Limit athletes to either their nation of birth or make it to where they will have to had to have been a citizen of the nation they are competing for...for a certain amount of time....5 plus years I'd say. If America only sends two decathletes to the Olympics and you're the third best...you are an alternate. Sorry. You don't get to go as a Canadian because your Mom was Canadian or whatever.
  • Needless to say this as well...if you have outdoor plumbing, you compete as a man; indoor plumbing, you compete as a woman.
Some thoughts there.

What are yours. Please leave the politics out of it for a change.
I tend to disagree. I have noticed more and more events every olympics. I never checked but a freind told me every nation can add events when they host. As a result the events are bloated with all sorts of crap. Softball for example yeah we love it in the US and maybe a few other nation but it seems a lame excuse to get another medal. Then there's stuff like Curling. Looks like a bunch of drunk Canadians started sliding cinder blocks across a frozen lake and dreamed up a game while doing so. Kinda like people in cincinnati did with cornhole. I think it be more interesting if they stuck to the classics which every nation can compete in rather than a lot of obscure sports largely ignored anyways.

I would also go back to barring pros in the events. Dream teams suck and the events should be for dedicated amateurs. As one US coach one said now that we have dream teams we seldom have a chance to dream. We just cheer on the people we cheer on in pro sports anyways.

This may be related to the first one but something ( i dont know what exactly ) needs to be done to address the events which are not real sports. By that I mean events which are judged. Real sports have an unambiguous way of determining who wins and loses. The score or the first one over the finish line or with the shortest time determines who wins. When an event is decided throuhg a panel of judhes it is ambiguous no matter how much the judges claim to be neutral. Many might remember the scandal when the Russians won the gold over the candians in fugure skating some years ago. The canadians turned in a flawless performance while the russians fell on their ass. Granted i dont know shit about figure skating but it is a safe presumption that the idea is to do difficult maneuvers while staying and landing on the skates. This incident called into question the whole idea of events which are judged of which there are many in both the winter and summer olympics. I recognize that the competitors in these events can be incredible athletes. For example cheerleading is more dangerous than football and the cheerleaders tougher athletes. But when they compete some person or people judge the winner which ALWAYS leaves room for doubt over who won.

Trimming the olympics down might also make it cheaper. Many cities world wide have olympic stadiums rotting away because they were used one time and never again. It seems ridiculous to waste so much money on olympic villages which never really deliver on the promise of boosting the local economy.
 
The Olympics “Jumped the Shark” with the admission of Synchronized Swimming.
Up till then there was a core of sports that people recognized. Since then, the gates have been opened to more and more bizarre semi-sports

They need to get rid of team sports and concentrate on individual events

Basketball, Volleyball, Soccer, Softball need to go. Same goes for Tennis and Golf.
They have their own circuits
Basically agree but I think it jumped the shark long before that with curling, and snowboarding and white water rafting.

The olympics keep getting bloated with more and more events but get worse as they do.
 
Trimming the olympics down might also make it cheaper. Many cities world wide have olympic stadiums rotting away because they were used one time and never again. It seems ridiculous to waste so much money on olympic villages which never really deliver on the promise of boosting the local economy.

The way it worked in the past, Cities fought over the Olympics. The prestige and immense profits seemed worth it. The Olympics would go to whoever offered the Olympic Committee the biggest bribes

Now, Cities see how much money they have to invest in single use facilities that are worthless after the games. They lose billions of dollars and the prestige is not what it used to be.

Pick five major cities on different continents and rotate
 
Pick five major cities on different continents and rotate
Couldn't agree more but I would say that like every fifth olympics...perhaps include a non-rotation city/state For one thing; it's fair. For another thing, an Olympics can really boost the profile of a city. But there has to be some actual sustainability behind the bids. Like, just for an example, lets say Boston is going to put in a bid to host the Summer Olympics in 2040. A natatorium to be built for swimming and diving, instead of being built at 1234 Main Street in Beantown will, instead, be built on the campus of UMASS and they will use it for Big East tournaments, swimming classes, continuing education, training life guards, etc... Something like that...all new construction (or most of it anyway) will have to have a concrete "after life".

I still prefer the idea of, instead of having swimming and diving in Boston at a new facility, perhaps they could have it at (again hypothetical) the new swimming/diving venue Yale opened up a few years earlier or maybe the new venue opened up in NYC or Philly. But it's a good idea to have sustainability be a concern from the start.
 

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