LA 2028’s Tech Partnership Playbook

On the day of our interview, the counter app on Matt Wikstrom’s phone read 1,059—as in 1,059 days until the Los Angeles 2028 Summer Olympics opening ceremonies. For the chief partnership officer of United States Olympic and Paralympic Properties, the counter is a relentless reminder that unlike other sports properties that can rebuild after a bad season, the Olympics gets just one shot—and every single day counts.

“It's like preparing for your birthday or Christmas for years,” says Wikstrom of the pressure of orchestrating the largest peacetime gathering in world history. Fittingly, the LA 2028 organizing committee will balloon from 150 employees in January 2025 to more than 4,500 when the Games open, all working toward raising over $7 billion to fund the Olympics, with partnerships accounting for $2.5 billion of that total.

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The No-Builds Advantage

What sets LA 2028 apart is its “no-builds” strategy of using existing—and iconic—venues rather than constructing new ones. The Coliseum will become the first venue to host three Olympic Games, while SoFi Stadium will host both opening ceremonies and swimming. These massive venues, as well as the Rose Bowl and Dodger Stadium, enable LA to sell nearly 15 million tickets, topping Paris’ 12 million.

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AI-Powered Experience

LA 2028’s technology strategy reflects its California DNA, with artificial intelligence woven throughout the Games rather than confined to a single partnership. Unlike traditional Olympic sponsorships with exclusive categories, AI is considered too dynamic to be monopolized by one company. Instead, all partners will integrate AI into their contributions. With operational partners like Deloitte constructing core technology infrastructure, LA 2028 is building a lasting digital legacy for future Olympics.

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Two Partnership Playbooks

LA 2028 operates with two distinct partnership models. First are embedded partners who play operational roles in Games delivery, such as AECOM managing the overlay to convert the football stadium back to track and field, or the technology companies building AI-driven systems powering seamless fan experiences.

The second model capitalizes on Team USA’s 200 million fans. “There’s no better way to unite the country around your brand than Team USA,” Wikstrom says, pointing to Delta’s Team USA livery planes as an example of leveraging “not red or blue, but red, white and blue.”

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The Power of Story

Unlike FIFA’s digitally branded sidelines, Olympics venues are “clean,” making intellectual property the primary value. “There is no stronger brand than the Olympic rings,” Wikstrom says. Partners must craft narratives rather than rely on traditional exposure metrics.  Saatva, for example, will provide its award-winning mattresses and bedding for athletes for the LA28 Games, ensuring they get the restorative sleep critical to recovery and overall well-being during the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

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Olympics Legacy

Wikstrom says the Games represent the next evolution of Olympic commercialization, introducing naming rights for temporary venues and offering partners one-stop access to LA 2028, Team USA and NBC amplification.

Thinking ahead to the organization’s ultimate dissolution, Wikstrom reflects on the unique nature of the mission: “We’ll all go our separate ways, but the legacy of LA2028 Olympics will live on for years to come.”