Softball will be in the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo
 

IOC approves addition of five sports for 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

It is for the 2020 games only, but it is a start... MLB's refusal to pause the season during the Olympics may make baseball a 2020-only sport, and I wonder if the cost of a venue would be supported for softball without baseball.

Yeah!

There are bigger and better stadiums in Japan than there are here

This is the stadium which will be used in 2020 for softball. In Japan, they share facilities, so large crowds for softball is not unusual.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meiji_Jingu_Stadium

My musing about venue cost was for the 2024 Olympics and beyond...

That's why I firmly believe that this would not have happened if the games were not in Tokyo where baseball and softball are extremely popular and, IMO, given a lot more attention in Japan than in the U.S.

In 2024, I believe the games have a shot to continue if in the right city. Obviously, if Los Angeles is awarded the games, softball is in. With the rest of the cities in Europe, all with baseball/softball programs, it is probably a 50/50 proposition as to whether they would accommodate those sports.

I just got the call!!!!! YES!!!!! I'm in!!!!!



personal assistant to Jennie Finch! Every umpires dream assignment

This is really true based on how baseball and softball were returned to the Olympics. For the first time in 2020, the IOC is allowing host countries a certain number of additional sports to be included for their time hosting the Olympics. Baseball and softball are being included along with karate, sport climbing, surfing and skateboarding.

The two key factors in this are that these decisions are only for the 2020 Olympics and do not represent a change in the core Olympic sports. They are also not impacting the other Olympic sports athlete quota's, as these will be additional athletes on top of the current quota.

It will be very interesting to see how the baseball / softball organization does in attempting to influence the 2024 Olympics and beyond.

The cities in the running for the 2024 Olympics are Los Angeles, Rome, Paris and Budapest.

In my opinion, the two strongest candidate for the 2024 Olympics is LA. Why? LA has a long history of successfully hosting the Olympic Games, having done so previously on two different occasions. Also, there have to be safety concerns creeping into the minds of the IOC members who will vote on the host city. Finally, of the 4 cities bidding for the Olympics, three of them are in Europe, which last hosted the games in 2012. The United States has not hosted the Summer Olympics since 1996 in Atlanta, and that is also the last time North America has hosted. The world is generally broken up into regions, Europe, Asia, North America, South America, Oceania. Since North America lost hosted the Summer Olympics, they have been hosted in Ocenia (2000 -Sydney), Europe (2004-Athens), Asia (2008-Beijing), Europe (2012 -London), and S. America (Rio this year). Add in Asia again in 4 years and every region will have hosted at least once since N. America last hosted except for Africa, which has had 1 bid city (Cape Town, South Africa) since the last time the United States hosted the Olympics.

There is one huge thing that could be a negative to the bid for L.A. to host the 2024 Olympics. That negative could be politics. The current election cycle will determine who will be The President of the United States when the bid selection takes place. I could see a situation where the rest of the world would be very afraid to have a major event like the Olympics held in this country, based on who could potentially be president for a second term when the Olympics are held.

Considering the IOC's record, I don't believe the political atmosphere is even a slight consideration. As long as the host promises a shitload of money and makes the backroom accommodations to the members, they are in. Remember, a good part of such consideration would probably depend upon an obscene bid for television rights.

In the past I think I would have agreed with you, however, I think there are some changes coming. Let's not forget that certain agencies, like the Department of Justice, have been going after crooked international sporting agencies when it impacts the United States. I don't think the political stance of the United States impacts the IOC itself, but lets not forget that the IOC is made up of representatives from a lot of different countries. Depending on the leadership of the United States, pressures within certain countries could be swayed to vote either for or against another country. For example, I don't see Russia voting in favor of the United States hosting the 2024 Olympics because the United States and Russia have a very strained relationship (getting worse even in sports now).

NBC has already agreed to a contract extension through the 2032 Olympics for exclusive American broadcast rights to the Olympics.

I don't think the IOC really cares about the US justice system and is arrogant enough to continue their ways. Nor do I believe Russia has that much weight and isn't necessarily in good standing with the IOC after all the doping issues this year.

I've always, and probably will continue to believe that these types of contracts and the obscene amount offered for these games is part of the problem with the IOC. Also, IMO, the Olympics have been going downhill since they not only allowed, but actually recruit professionals to take part.

While I tend to agree, plenty of USA athletes back in the day were about as "amateur" as Power 5 Conference football players are "students".

And, taking this to the extreme, those Soviet-bloc athletes were, in fact, professional athletes in every sense of the word being employed by the state (e.g. Soviet Army) as full-time athletes.

I complete agree. The days of Amateur Athletes ended decades ago. Even before the Cold War, soldiers were a primary source of Olympic Athletes.

Track and Field athletes were getting appearance fees for decades, but much of that money was put into a "retirement fund" with the only allowable deductions being used for training and "basic" living expenses. This started after the issues in 1932 when a famous runner was barred from the Olympics because he collected appearance fees despite the protests of his competitors (who he regularly beat handily).

And I don't care, it has become absolutely ridiculous. The soviet bloc is gone, there is only one germany and the US would still do well under the previous questionable circumstances. I got over that bullshit years ago.

Hell, the pro US basketball players are coddled, do not stay with the other athletes which is the way it has been since the first "Dream Team".

IMO, one of the worst things they do is tout the medal count. What I do watch, I watch to appreciate the sport and skill of all the athletes

And this is why I would love to be eligible to be selected for the 2024/2028 Olympics. Just want to watch the game at its highest level up close and personal. Not going to happen but dammit I'll try to get my hat in for that 0.000...000...0001% chance. I mean, I buy Powerball tickets every now and again, so you can't say I'll ever give up hope :D