From July 14 to 17, media rights holders gathered in Los Angeles to attend the World Broadcaster Briefing (WBB), the key meeting organized by Olympic Broadcasting Services (OBS) ahead of the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Los Angeles.

The visit provided a strategic opportunity for OBS, the LA28 organizing committee, and broadcast rights holders to assess the progress of preparations on site, tour various competition venues, and learn about the future location of the International Broadcasting Center (IBC). All this is part of a coverage plan that promises to revolutionize the way the Games will be experienced.

Innovation, sustainability, and Olympic spirit

During the plenary session, OBS CEO Yiannis Exarchos underscored the organization’s commitment to unprecedented coverage. “In Los Angeles, the Olympic spirit is not just a tradition, it’s part of the city’s DNA. As a global epicenter of technology, sports, and storytelling, LA28 offers us an unparalleled opportunity. Together with our audiovisual partners, we are determined to redefine how the Games are experienced: in a deeper, more connected, more human way.”

For his part, LA28 CEO Reynold Hoover celebrated the progress made: “Our team is ready to move forward with determination. We have finalized the venue plan, secured eight major commercial partners, published the competition schedule, and announced a historic milestone: for the first time, there will be more women than men competing in the Olympic Games.”

A tour of the LA28 venues

The delegation visited some of the most iconic venues of the future Games, while OBS presented its technical vision for LA28, based on a fully virtualized system with IP and IT infrastructure, cloud workflows, and flexible, interconnected production. Among the most notable advances are the use of artificial intelligence for content processing, wireless cameras with 5G technology, and a focus on sustainable design to reduce the production footprint.

“You and your teams will bring the Games to the world on new platforms, with new sports and for new audiences,” said Jim Bell, senior vice president of broadcast and media for LA28, closing the meeting. “Expectations are high. It’s big, it’s complex, and it’s important. That ambition fits with a city like Los Angeles: bold, creative, and built on the art of storytelling.”