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When the US hosts the Summer Olympics in July 2028, you’ll have a fresh slate of sports to watch while slack-jawed on your couch. Yesterday, the International Olympic Committee officially greenlit cricket, flag football, baseball/softball, lacrosse, and squash for the 2028 Summer Games in Los Angeles. It’s a first for flag football and squash, and a return for cricket and lacrosse, which had short-lived Olympic debuts more than 100 years ago. There’s no guarantee that these sports will stick after 2028 (though some recent newcomers like surfing have since become permanent). Still, some additions could make a splash: The addition of cricket is projected to increase the value of India’s Olympics broadcasting rights by as much as $200 million. The NFL is backing the inclusion of flag football, which could hand Olympic organizers a big sponsorship boost while also promoting American football’s global growth. Major League Baseball has not allowed its players to compete in past Olympics, but the LA 2028 committee is reportedly in talks with the league to let pro players hit the international diamond. Olympics executives also need to decide if they will allow the North American indigenous lacrosse team, the Haudenosaunee Nationals, to compete in the sport they created.—ML https://lnkd.in/eA4kqZXU