John Slusher doesn't have to admit it. When the former Nike executive signed on to oversee LA28's business operations last year, he was somewhat wary of the private organizing committee's lofty financial goals. Sales were “incredibly slow.” There was momentum around the first Olympic Games in Los Angeles for more than 40 years, but there are not many results.
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Weeks after celebrating the anniversary of his collaboration with the group responsible for organizing and running the 2028 Games, Slusher and his team made a $2 billion gift.
By announcing 15 partnerships in 2025, LA28 has reached its goal of reaching $2 billion in corporate sponsorships by this year, which Slusher said puts the group on track to meet or exceed its $2.52 billion goal for domestic partnerships, which serve as the largest funding source for the 2028 Games.
“Every business line, whether it's sponsorship, licensing, ticketing, hospitality, they're all pretty damn cool right now, if you will,” Slusher said in a recent interview with The Times. “I think there's a lot of momentum and a lot of excitement around the business going forward. And I think we're all very focused on creating an amazing, financially responsible Games.”
Since the bid to host the Games began in 2016, LA28 has pledged to stage and run the event using private funds. The estimated budget for the first Olympic Games in Los Angeles since 1984 is $7.15 billion. Following last year's Paris Olympics, the focus has shifted to the United States as the country begins a major decade of major sporting events, including the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the 2028 Olympics and the 2034 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City.
“There is still a lot of work to be done, and I can assure you that the team is not resting,” U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee Chief Executive Officer Sarah Hirshland said during a media conference call. “But the reality is that this success positions the LA28 Games to be very successful while creating significant commercial value for Team USA for many years to come. We are very happy with where we are.”
Slusher, the CEO overseeing revenue for LA28 and U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Properties, said the group remains focused on sales for core sponsor categories, including quick-service restaurants, retail, technology and finance. Ticket registration will begin on January 14th. There will be 14 million tickets available for the Olympic and Paralympic Games, breaking the record for the most tickets sold for the Games. LA28-related volunteer opportunities in the community have already begun, and applications for the Games will open in summer 2026.
From record business growth to launching volunteer and community ticketing programs earlier than ever, our north star continues to deliver financially responsible Games that have a significant impact on Los Angeles and beyond,” LA28 CEO. Reynold Hoover the statement says. “We work every day to make the Games more accessible than ever to the millions of people who want to participate in a meaningful way.”
LA28 announced ticket donation program with the hope of making tickets available to local fans through community groups. Rams were the first participants to donate $5 million. Tickets will start at $28, and LA28 plans to sell a third of tickets under $100.
Tickets and hospitality are expected to cover $2.5 billion of LA28's total budget, the Games' second-largest source of revenue.
Study conducted by the Southern California Association. Governments estimate the Games will generate between $13.6 billion and $17.6 billion in additional gross domestic product in the six-county region between 2024 and 2029. The study took into account LA28's $7.15 billion budget, expected visitor spending and some of the transport infrastructure investment associated with the Games.
Although everything except four Olympic venues are outside of Los Angeles County, the study estimates that five other Southern California counties—Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, Ventura and Imperial—could still capture about 33% of the economic benefit from visitor spending and work provided in other parts of the region. Orange County, which will host volleyball at the Honda Center and surfing at nearby Estles, could generate between $2.88 billion and $2.44 billion in gross domestic product from the Games, the second-highest total behind Los Angeles at $8.96 billion to $11.97 billion.
The study was limited to short-term gains in the five years after the Games, not taking into account any “legacy effects.” There will be no permanent construction for the 2028 Games, but the planning agency says transport infrastructure built to support the Games could benefit the region for decades into the future.
The responsibility for updating transportation largely falls on the city, which is relying on federal grants to expand the subway system and add more buses for the Games. Improvements at Los Angeles International Airport are coming slowly, with the People Mover train's opening date pushed back again to June 2026.
In addition to the money used for infrastructure improvements, Los Angeles is also at risk of absorbing the first $270 million in potential cost overruns from LA28. If the private organizing committee's debt increases, the next $270 million would go to the state and the rest would go back to the city.
