Will Baseball be at the 2028 Olympics? Exploring additions to Summer event to be hosted in Los Angeles

Baseball will return for the 2028 Olympics. After the success of the 2023 World Baseball Classic, the desire for the game to be played at an international level is clear. While the game was a major event during the 2020 Tokyo Games, baseball was left off the program for Paris 2024, with many questioning the future of the sport in the global event.

Now, after making the case to be included during the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles, baseball will return to the games. The immense coverage and audiences during the World Baseball Classic made it an obvious choice for both the IOC and the Los Angeles organizing committee, as baseball should help bring more eyes to the games.

The last time baseball was part of the international sporting Goliath, the hosts, Japan, finished the tournament with the gold medal, defeating the United States 2-0 in the final. Now, with baseball returning to the games, the United States may be able to get revenge on its own soil.

The Japanese squad that won the gold medal during the 2020 Tokyo Games featured several notable current and former MLB stars, including Masahiro Tanaka, formerly of the New York Yankees, Kodai Senga of the New York Mets, and Seiya Suzuki of the Chicago Cubs.

Although baseball fans hoping to watch their beloved sport in the Olympic Games will need to wait until 2028, the announcement that it will be included is enormous. Fans clearly have a craving for international baseball. According to Forbes, the World Baseball Classic final averaged 5.2 million viewers, while the tournament as a whole drew 1,306,414 attendees.

Baseball is not the only game to be added to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics

Baseball is not the only sport to be joining the 2028 Olympic Games. Baseball will be joined by cricket, squash, softball, lacrosse, and flag football. The decision to add the sports will likely help draw higher viewership across the globe, with cricket being the most notable.

"Flag football, baseball, lacrosse, softball, cricket, and squash will be added to the 2028 LA Olympics (h/t@guardian)" - @BleacherReport

The addition of cricket to the Los Angeles Olympics will help open the door to the Asian market, India specifically, where the game is among the most popular. It will also open the door for potential new fans to discover the game and help it grow in North America.