Could the Summer Games be coming back to Hollywood?

Five cities -- Houston, Chicago, San Francisco, Los Angeles and Philadelphia -- are still in the running to be named the U.S. candidate city for the 2016 Olympic Games.

Why is this important? Simple. By the time 2016 rolls around, it will have been 20 years since a North American city hosted a Summer Olympics. With Canada hosting the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver and without a Mexican city posing a serious bid, it’s likely that the U.S. candidate will be a strong favorite to host the Games of the XXXI Olympiad.

There’s little doubt that any of the five U.S. cities would host a fantastic Olympics. But is there a favorite? A sleeper? What about the other cities in the mix? Here’s what you need to know, at least for now, about what it might take to land the biggest sporting event in the world. (Obviously subject to change by the minute over the next three years)

The USOC has said that it still hasn’t decided whether to submit a bid? Is this true?
I would be stunned if there isn’t an American bid submitted to the IOC. Let’s assume for the sake of this article that the USOC decides to submit a bid.

Why should we expect a bid?
Geopolitics is the name of the game when it comes to picking an Olympic host city. And in the case of the 2016 bid, geopolitics favor a North American city. Since Atlanta, the Summer Games will have been to Oceania (Sydney), Asia (Beijing) and Europe twice (Athens and London). Unless an African or South American city can bring a legitimate bid to the table (more on that later), it’s hard to imagine an American city not being the favorite.

Who’s the early favorite?
As far as I’m concerned it’s Los Angeles. In the past 15 years, L.A. has played host to both the Super Bowl and World Cup final. Throw in the Rose Bowl, Oscars, NBA All Star Game, etc. and it’s hard to imagine a city with more big-event experience. Oh, and L.A. has hosted the Olympic Games twice, the last being in 1984.

There are other reasons why L.A. has to be considered the early favorite. Peter Uberroth, who led the wildly successful 1984 L.A. Olympics, is now Chairman of the USOC. And L.A.’s status as the nation’s No. 2 television market definitely counts for something.

If not Los Angeles, who?
New York narrowly beat out San Francisco to be named the 2012 U.S. candidate city a few years ago. Both bids were well organized having both local and political support. It’s pretty easy to picture an NBC “Bugler’s Dream” opening over San Francisco Bay. It’s also hard to argue with the weather, cultural diversity or international reputation of San Francisco.

What about the others?
It’s hard to argue against the push cities like Chicago, Philadelphia and Houston have made, but there are also several questions. With little international reputation would the IOC ever pick Houston? What would Chicago and Philadelphia do with a 90,000 seat Olympic Stadium after recently spending hundreds of millions of dollars on NFL facilities? Why would the IOC pick Philadelphia if they didn’t bite on New York?
 
Home Field Advantage?
Two U.S. Olympic Training Centers are located in Southern California: one in Chula Vista, the other in Carson. An Olympics in Los Angeles would be a dream for U.S. athletes, as many would be able to live and train in an simulated Olympic environment years before the Opening Ceremony.

TV! It’s all about TV…
NBC will pay more than $2 billion for exclusive broadcast rights to Vancouver 2010 and London 2012. In addition to dubbing itself “America’s Olympic Network,” NBC, led by Dick Ebersol, has a very good relationship with the IOC. Without a North American city in the running to host the 2014 Olympic Winter Games, there could be a push to award a North American city, specifically an American city, 2016 in order to maintain that relationship and maximize growing television revenues.

Close and Compact
Sydney and Athens both had a central “Olympic Park” setup where several venues were all located within walking distance of each other. Both Beijing and London have similar setups with the Olympic Stadium, Aquatic Center and several other smaller venues located in the same area.

Though there was an Olympic Park in Atlanta, (Centennial Olympic Park) it was not a competition venue. Instead, most of the venues were scattered throughout various locations in the downtown area.

Of the U.S. cities, Philadelphia would seem to have the best setup as Lincoln Financial Field, the Wachovia Center, Citizens Bank Park and the Spectrum all in sit in the same sports complex.

Who Else Could Bid?
Tokyo, which hosted the 1964 Olympics, should be named as the Japanese candidate later this summer. There are also a few European possibilities, but most of them are aware of the long odds and likely are using a bid to set themselves up for a run in 2020. Madrid, Moscow, Milan and Rome are four cities that have expressed interest.

The biggest challenge for any American bid could come from an African or South American city. Though African and South American cities have put forth bids, neither continent has hosted an Olympic Games. A possibility of an African or South American Olympics could intrigue many IOC voters, much like Beijing did when it beat Toronto to host the 2008 Olympic Games five years ago.

Jake Duhaime covered the 2006 Olympic Winter Games for Atomic Sports Media. His views do not represent those of the United States Olympic Committee and he has no part in picking the host city of the XXXI Olympiad. He can be reached at jake.duhaime@atomicsportsmedia.com.

© Copyright by Atomic Sports Media, Inc.

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