OKC has a whitewater kayaking facility, so they are going to hold that event there and softball. I'd definitely go see the whitewater event if I lived within 100 miles.
I don't watch judo much but I found the rules last time made it frustrating. I understand they plan to remedy that. You can even touch your opponent's legs a little.
Yeah, it was and has been an absolute mess. The combination of high pressure and countries with less than respectful judo programs has led to an absurd amount of gamesmanship, or some would say, cheating. A lot of the judokas who played fair got beat by guys just manipulating the rules in Paris.
Just for those not following closely, I’ll give an example. The rules state you must always be attacking. A feint once or twice (at most) could be considered tactical, at least that’s how it’s reffed, but some guys were just feinting repeatedly, tiring out their attacking opponent who followed the rules, and then nuking them as time ran out. Or foul baiting, which is a great strategy considering your third foul is a disqualification.
Despite all this, I still think it’s one of the most enjoyable sports at the Olympics, and would be awesome in person. It’s very old school, lots of tradition and understated pageantry.
I definitely want to go to swimming, but I fear it's going to be insanely expensive. I went to trials in 2024 it was $$$. I know people who paid to see swimming Paris and it was $$$$$$. So LA is going to be $$$$$$$$$. Maybe I will be rich by then ...
In some cases, there were relatively few of those cheap seats available. I think every single time I looked for swimming tickets, they were hundreds of euros if they were even available (swimming was even more popular than it might've been since Leon Marchand was swimming so well, winning four individual golds for the host nation).
Huh, people were quoting me much higher prices than that, and some of them were family members of athletes. Trials got into the hundreds per session, at least for finals (evenings).
The way swim meets work is there are two sessions a day, several prelims, early heats, and occasional semi-finals during the late morning/early afternoon, and then most semis and all the finals at night. Evening sessions at trials 2024 (Indy, in an NFL stadium that held for that meet, I believe, 27K) were over $200. I wasn't in the very best seats but mine were pretty good and I think the most expensive session was $220. That was not the final weekend either, which I assume was the most expensive. It was a nine-day meet, and I went to six (or really 5.5, as I departed before the evening events on the sixth day).
They are back in that same venue for 2028 (Lucas Oil Stadium, home of the Colts), and USA Swimming considers 2024 to have been such a huge success that no doubt they will jack the price significantly. However, to the best of my knowledge, it never did sell out.
I fully expect that LA 2028, seats at night will cost four figures minimum.
My first ever Olympics trip was in 2024. It was a great experience, although I fear that Los Angeles will be much more challenging from a logistics and transportation standpoint.
I liked most of what I saw. Archery ended up being much more fun than I expected. Beach volleyball and track were great (my enjoyment of track was very much aided by the US men's outstanding performance in the distance events).
I didn't see swimming, but I went to water polo and in a big arena you can end up very far away from the pool. It's fine to watch the NFL or rugby sevens or soccer in a huge stadium, but basketball or swimming? Probably not so much.
Golf was fun, but it probably wouldn't be any better than a typical PGA event at Riviera. I went to the first day of the men's event and it was probably almost as good a field as a major and seemed much less crowded than the majors I've watched on TV.
Rowing wasn't as good as I expected. You don't usually have a great view of what's going on except when the action is right in front of you for thirty seconds or so. Then you just have to watch a TV screen.
In short, things I'd most want to see again: beach volleyball, track & field, golf, archery.
Things I'd most want to see that I didn't see: swimming & gymnastics (although those will probably be extremely expensive), flag football, tennis, indoor volleyball.
I'm not sure how many of the events in the northwestern area I'd want to see. 3x3 basketball could be interesting if the USA men actually use some good NBA players.
As for the swimming dates, they were switched with track to accommodate having the Opening Ceremonies at SoFi, then reconfiguring the stadium with the pool.
"Rowing wasn't as good as I expected. You don't usually have a great view of what's going on except when the action is right in front of you for thirty seconds or so. Then you just have to watch a TV screen."
I went to the Henley Regatta in 1987. It was great to see the English upper class in full regalia, but, yeah, as a spectator sport it was: Here they come! [Cheer for 30 seconds.] Oh, well, there they go.
That was how I experienced my one Indy 500. There are some cars and--they're gone. Three minutes later, repeat. Pace car comes out, wait. Then whip your neck around after they restart and pass you again. That and all the debauchery on the infield. And the noise, which sounded like 10 billion angry bees.
The best track races are the 800, 1500, and steeplechase. Short enough to keep your attention but long enough so that the runners can leave their assigned lanes and start positioning like madmen.
Swimming in a football stadium turned out to work rather well. They reconfigured the stadium to make it more accessible. Added seats that would otherwise be "on the field" for instance. It's better to be a little higher up anyway so you can see the whole length of the 50m length. Basically they used half of Lucas Oil, had a huge curtain dividing it, and behind that were the warmup/warm-down pools which you could not see. I had a press pass which allowed me back there.
Come to Oklahoma!
https://okcfox.com/news/local/2028-okc-olympic-games-ticket-registration-opens-heres-what-you-need-to-know-softball-canoe-slalom-lottery-oklahoma-cleveland-canadian-county
OKC has a whitewater kayaking facility, so they are going to hold that event there and softball. I'd definitely go see the whitewater event if I lived within 100 miles.
I plan on going to see Judo for sure, indoor volleyball, and badminton. Swimming is my favorite, but I think it'll be too pricey for the good events
Swimming will be in the giant Sofi football stadium. What's swimming going to be like if you are sitting in a nosebleed seat?
Wow, two people posting for judo. I started taking classes a few years ago and I figured no one else in America was interested.
Judo and wrestling. Especially Judo.
I don't watch judo much but I found the rules last time made it frustrating. I understand they plan to remedy that. You can even touch your opponent's legs a little.
Yeah, it was and has been an absolute mess. The combination of high pressure and countries with less than respectful judo programs has led to an absurd amount of gamesmanship, or some would say, cheating. A lot of the judokas who played fair got beat by guys just manipulating the rules in Paris.
Just for those not following closely, I’ll give an example. The rules state you must always be attacking. A feint once or twice (at most) could be considered tactical, at least that’s how it’s reffed, but some guys were just feinting repeatedly, tiring out their attacking opponent who followed the rules, and then nuking them as time ran out. Or foul baiting, which is a great strategy considering your third foul is a disqualification.
Despite all this, I still think it’s one of the most enjoyable sports at the Olympics, and would be awesome in person. It’s very old school, lots of tradition and understated pageantry.
Gymnastics, basketball, tennis, beach volleyball, skateboarding
I definitely want to go to swimming, but I fear it's going to be insanely expensive. I went to trials in 2024 it was $$$. I know people who paid to see swimming Paris and it was $$$$$$. So LA is going to be $$$$$$$$$. Maybe I will be rich by then ...
Paris started at $26 for heats and $92 for swimming heats.
Sofi stadium will hold 38,000 for swimming.
In some cases, there were relatively few of those cheap seats available. I think every single time I looked for swimming tickets, they were hundreds of euros if they were even available (swimming was even more popular than it might've been since Leon Marchand was swimming so well, winning four individual golds for the host nation).
Huh, people were quoting me much higher prices than that, and some of them were family members of athletes. Trials got into the hundreds per session, at least for finals (evenings).
The way swim meets work is there are two sessions a day, several prelims, early heats, and occasional semi-finals during the late morning/early afternoon, and then most semis and all the finals at night. Evening sessions at trials 2024 (Indy, in an NFL stadium that held for that meet, I believe, 27K) were over $200. I wasn't in the very best seats but mine were pretty good and I think the most expensive session was $220. That was not the final weekend either, which I assume was the most expensive. It was a nine-day meet, and I went to six (or really 5.5, as I departed before the evening events on the sixth day).
They are back in that same venue for 2028 (Lucas Oil Stadium, home of the Colts), and USA Swimming considers 2024 to have been such a huge success that no doubt they will jack the price significantly. However, to the best of my knowledge, it never did sell out.
I fully expect that LA 2028, seats at night will cost four figures minimum.
Oh, well, looks like I'll be going to Modern Pentathlon.
Modern Pentathlon ... the Affordable Spectator Sport!
Come to think of it, it's possible that my memory is bad and that the $220 got me a full day (prelims + finals).
Unlike the NCAA meet, for which you can get an all-session pass ($130 last year, $180 this year).
My first ever Olympics trip was in 2024. It was a great experience, although I fear that Los Angeles will be much more challenging from a logistics and transportation standpoint.
I liked most of what I saw. Archery ended up being much more fun than I expected. Beach volleyball and track were great (my enjoyment of track was very much aided by the US men's outstanding performance in the distance events).
I didn't see swimming, but I went to water polo and in a big arena you can end up very far away from the pool. It's fine to watch the NFL or rugby sevens or soccer in a huge stadium, but basketball or swimming? Probably not so much.
Golf was fun, but it probably wouldn't be any better than a typical PGA event at Riviera. I went to the first day of the men's event and it was probably almost as good a field as a major and seemed much less crowded than the majors I've watched on TV.
Rowing wasn't as good as I expected. You don't usually have a great view of what's going on except when the action is right in front of you for thirty seconds or so. Then you just have to watch a TV screen.
In short, things I'd most want to see again: beach volleyball, track & field, golf, archery.
Things I'd most want to see that I didn't see: swimming & gymnastics (although those will probably be extremely expensive), flag football, tennis, indoor volleyball.
I'm not sure how many of the events in the northwestern area I'd want to see. 3x3 basketball could be interesting if the USA men actually use some good NBA players.
As for the swimming dates, they were switched with track to accommodate having the Opening Ceremonies at SoFi, then reconfiguring the stadium with the pool.
Did you see the men's 1500m running race?
"Rowing wasn't as good as I expected. You don't usually have a great view of what's going on except when the action is right in front of you for thirty seconds or so. Then you just have to watch a TV screen."
I went to the Henley Regatta in 1987. It was great to see the English upper class in full regalia, but, yeah, as a spectator sport it was: Here they come! [Cheer for 30 seconds.] Oh, well, there they go.
That was how I experienced my one Indy 500. There are some cars and--they're gone. Three minutes later, repeat. Pace car comes out, wait. Then whip your neck around after they restart and pass you again. That and all the debauchery on the infield. And the noise, which sounded like 10 billion angry bees.
The best track races are the 800, 1500, and steeplechase. Short enough to keep your attention but long enough so that the runners can leave their assigned lanes and start positioning like madmen.
Swimming in a football stadium turned out to work rather well. They reconfigured the stadium to make it more accessible. Added seats that would otherwise be "on the field" for instance. It's better to be a little higher up anyway so you can see the whole length of the 50m length. Basically they used half of Lucas Oil, had a huge curtain dividing it, and behind that were the warmup/warm-down pools which you could not see. I had a press pass which allowed me back there.
I have to say the obvious answer is the Plunge for Distance https://www.unz.com/isteve/everything-youve-ever-wanted-to-know/
Women's Beach Volleyball, Steve!
And Golf at the Riviera, obviously.