# Is this the beginning of the end of the Olympics games?



## Beaver101 (Nov 14, 2011)

*Why no one wants to host the 2022 Olympics:*

https://ca.sports.yahoo.com/news/why-no-one-wants-to-host-the-2022-olympics-225450509.html



> ... The effect is the *bidding for the 2022 Winter Games, which is now down to just two cities*. The final vote comes next summer.
> 
> There's Beijing, China, which doesn't actually sit within 120 miles of a usable ski mountain, and there's Almaty, Kazakhstan, which in its bid touted itself as "the world's largest landlocked nation."
> 
> ...


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## Cal (Jun 17, 2009)

I wouldn't want to host them with my tax dollars..... (cough....again)


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## sags (May 15, 2010)

Maybe it is time to split up the events in different places.

I would take the ice hockey, figure skating and speed skating events.

We could handle those right here in Southwestern Ontario,........ with out spending any money.


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## steve41 (Apr 18, 2009)

We thought that the short skiing events would be equally inexpensive in Vancouver. We ended up having to truck snow in from Manning Park.


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## m3s (Apr 3, 2010)

steve41 said:


> We ended up having to truck snow in from Manning Park.


The trucks weren't enough. We ended up renting the Sikorsky Skycrane to fly in snow, at about $10k/hour, not to mention the environmental impact.


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## Beaver101 (Nov 14, 2011)

Cal said:


> I wouldn't want to host them with my tax dollars..... (cough....again)


 ... same here ... no thanks.

And more on this - 


> *Here's The Absurd List Of Hosting Demands For The 2022 Olympics That No One Wants*
> ...
> *In addition to complete autonomy and control over everything from the order of the Opening Ceremony to the style of the signage to advertising in public spaces, the IOC asks for some perks for its members that verge on parody.
> *
> ...


https://ca.finance.yahoo.com/news/heres-absurd-list-hosting-demands-153517578.html

... and this for the "spirit of the Games and international sports"? ... I would also run as far away as possible too ... :distant:


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## Guban (Jul 5, 2011)

I am surprised that it has taken this long. The IOC bidding process seems sooooo corrupt that it should have been flagged long ago! Beaver's list includes what is (silly and) public. What about all of the bribes that happen behind the scenes as the IOC members get wined and dined and gifted. Showing the IOC members a good time places the bid city higher up the ladder!

Knowingly spending money to improve the sporting facilities, transportation infrastructure and housing in our city doesn't seem so bad to me, but paying bribe money just strikes the wrong chord with me.


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## humble_pie (Jun 7, 2009)

lol quickly skimmed some media story & got out of it that the IOC also demanded a cocktail party to be hosted by the King of Norway. The delicious detail was that the King would have to pay for his own party (does norway even have a king?)

even more scrumptious, england's Royal was said to have hosted such a cocktail party, on demand from the IOC, for the london olympics. Did the auld quane pay, now? i bet she didn't attend ...


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## swoop_ds (Mar 2, 2010)

I wish the whole thing would just die already. A bankrupt world doesn't need a gigantic bogus event that sucks the life out of the city/nation that hosts it.

Or it atleast has to get a lot more 'realistic' with a lot less expenditure on random useless garbage. I hate that we spend one penny of tax money on any of this.

/rant


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## andrewf (Mar 1, 2010)

The world is bankrupt now? I hope our Martian creditors have diversified their bond holdings...


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## My Own Advisor (Sep 24, 2012)

andrewf said:


> The world is bankrupt now? I hope our Martian creditors have diversified their bond holdings...


Funny!


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## tygrus (Mar 13, 2012)

I hope so. One of the biggest wastes of money out there.

I am thoroughly convinced that sports are a way for the elite to distract the unwashed masses. I mean how else do you get people in extreme poverty to forget their miserable lives and go watch soccer.


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## lb71 (Apr 3, 2009)

andrewf said:


> The world is bankrupt now? I hope our Martian creditors have diversified their bond holdings...


I, for one, welcome our new Martian overlords.


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## indexxx (Oct 31, 2011)

lb71 said:


> I, for one, welcome our new Martian overlords.


I'd like to remind them that as a trusted Netizen, I can be helpful in rounding up others to toil in their underground boiler rooms...:biggrin:


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## HaroldCrump (Jun 10, 2009)

All this talk about Mars and Martians makes me want to watch _Total Recall_ again...what a great movie !


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## Beaver101 (Nov 14, 2011)

*Toronto will not bid for 2024 Summer Olympics*

http://www.thestar.com/news/city_hall/2015/09/14/torontos-olympic-bid-decision-waits-until-the-last-minute.html


> ...
> The decision was made after Tory received a lack of corporate enthusiasm and without firm support from the province. Key potential sponsors have also been lukewarm to backing a Toronto bid to host the mega event. ...


 ... Halleluyah! :welcoming:


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## sags (May 15, 2010)

I don't know...............but if feels like these types of mega-events are dead.

People in Canada are more interested in the winter Olympics anyways. Hockey and figure skating..........the Jamaican bobsled team and Eddie the Eagle.

Both were immensely popular at the 1988 Calgary winter Olympics.


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## gibor365 (Apr 1, 2011)

> I don't know...............but if feels like these types of mega-events are dead


 It depends on the event! Everyone wants to host FIFA World Cup or UEFA, of FIBA ... Huge interest and huge profits, also all newly built arenas are needed. But who the Hell needs those Panam games ?! There are no good athletes who wants to participate... and what to do with those unneeded facilities.... who gonna use new Milton's velodrome?!


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## Moneytoo (Mar 26, 2014)

Wow looks like people were having fun in this thread a year ago...


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## andrewf (Mar 1, 2010)

Who has made a profit hosting World Cup, etc?


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## gibor365 (Apr 1, 2011)

http://www.capitatranslationinterpreting.com/countries-benefit-hosting-world-cup/


http://sports-facts.top5.com/the-worlds-top-5-most-watched-sporting-events/?page=2


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## andrewf (Mar 1, 2010)

That's the same kind of thing people say about the Olympics. Countries lose money on WCs in direct terms. You can't recoup $10 billion on shiny new stadia with ticket revenue and sponsorship.


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## gibor365 (Apr 1, 2011)

Much more contries want to host FIFA World cup and Olympics. "shiny new stadias " is much beeter investment that useless velodromes and similar... There are a lot of sport events in Olympics that not many want to watch at all, completely different from FIFA World Cup.


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## tygrus (Mar 13, 2012)

IMO, it won't be economics that will be the end of the olympics because there is plenty of bribe and tax payer money to float around.

What will end it is advances in drugs and genetics and when we have the athletes all involved in performance enhancing activities, it will be a debacle.

But maybe we will just accept unlimited enhancements and just cheer like zombies. Most sports fans are.


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## andrewf (Mar 1, 2010)

If FIFA WC is so lucrative, why is it only being hosted as vanity projects by non-industrialized or developing countries? SA, Brazil, Russia, Qatar?


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## gibor365 (Apr 1, 2011)

because FIFA wants diversification:
Bids for FIFA WC 2018:
Belgium & Netherlands,England, Russia, Portugal & Spain - Russia won

Bids for FIFA WC 2022: Australia, Japan, Qatar, South Korea, United States - Qatar won.

btw, Canada confirmed interest in bidding for 2026 FIFA WC. 
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2026_FIFA_World_Cup
I'd like Canada to win, but absolutely don't care about Olympics

P.S. Also I wouldn't call Russia non-industrialized country


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## andrewf (Mar 1, 2010)

Canada is extremely unlikely to host the WC, since we can't justify building $10 billion worth of soccer stadia.


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## gibor365 (Apr 1, 2011)

andrewf said:


> Canada is extremely unlikely to host the WC, since we can't justify building $10 billion worth of soccer stadia.


I don't agree with you.


> country’s spending of more than $11 billion on infrastructure upgrades and stadiums to get ready for the tournament, with games spread across 12 cities in a country larger than the continental United States


 We nned much less infrastructure upgrades than Brazil. And if Brazil, SA and Russia can afford it, Canada cannot?! Are we so poor?! 
Actually Canada has not bad chance! It's likely that WC 2026 will be hold in CONCACAF, Mexico and US already hosted....


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## Beaver101 (Nov 14, 2011)

gibor said:


> I don't agree with you. We nned much less infrastructure upgrades than Brazil. And if Brazil, SA and Russia can afford it, Canada cannot?! *Are we so poor?!
> *Actually Canada has not bad chance! It's likely that WC 2026 will be hold in CONCACAF, Mexico and US already hosted....


 ... if Canadians are so rich, why bother to have a TFSA? Why worry about deteriorating healthcare services, from young to seniors? Why complain about the unfair tax system we have? ...why? why? why? .... or would you care to pay for $$$$,$$$$,$$$$s for such events that last only for a couple of weeks and that you would probably be watching from the comfort of your home tv? Or maybe be off the internet at work?


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## andrewf (Mar 1, 2010)

gibor said:


> I don't agree with you. We nned much less infrastructure upgrades than Brazil. And if Brazil, SA and Russia can afford it, Canada cannot?! Are we so poor?!
> Actually Canada has not bad chance! It's likely that WC 2026 will be hold in CONCACAF, Mexico and US already hosted....


The problem is that Brazil and Russia might actually use those stadia more than once. There are no major pro teams to support big soccer stadia in Canada.


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## tygrus (Mar 13, 2012)

IMO, the days of attending sport events of any type are gradually coming to a close. Its going to be easier and cheaper and more convenient to just watch from home on the best technology. I don't care how many people are cheering in the stands, it pales in comparison to HD and ultra HD. And soon virtual reality headsets will be incorporated to immerse yourself even further into the game, maybe even participate in the game.


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## gibor365 (Apr 1, 2011)

andrewf said:


> The problem is that Brazil and Russia might actually use those stadia more than once. There are no major pro teams to support big soccer stadia in Canada.


it should encourage creating more soccer teams who gonna play in MLS, we had none several years ago, now Canada has 3 teams. BMO field is always full when FC Toronto plays also in MLS or friendly games with international teams... Also , those stadia are multifunctional and can be used for many other sports



> IMO, the days of attending sport events of any type are gradually coming to a close


 Oh really?! Go buy tickets on Maple Leafs when they're in PO picture or on BPL...
THis is the same like telling that days of live performances are over :biggrin:


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## lost in space (Aug 31, 2015)

Interesting for the summer Olympics they have 4 strong bids, and if Hamburg wins they'll have somewhere to stick the refugees!


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