The Los Angeles Olympic and Paralympic Games announced a trio of major corporate partnerships last month, bringing on board Starbucks, T-Mobile and ticketing providers as the 2028 Games continue building momentum toward a privately funded model.
LA28 said that AXS and EVENTIM will serve as official ticketing providers, with single tickets starting at $28 when registration opens in January 2026. On Location will handle hospitality packages on a first-come, first-served basis beginning in early 2026.
"The LA28 Games will be an opportunity to purchase a ticket to history," said Reynold Hoover, CEO for the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games. "Whether you're a local family attending your first Olympic or Paralympic event or a global traveler joining us for a once-in-a-lifetime experience, there really will be something for everyone."
Starbucks joined as the official coffee partner, planning to provide specially designed coffeehouses in the Olympic and Paralympic Village and at competition venues. The Seattle-based company will also partner with NBCUniversal to support multi-platform coverage of both the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Games and LA28.
"Core to our mission is a commitment to inspire and nurture the human spirit — one person, one cup, and one neighborhood at a time," said Tressie Lieberman, executive vice president and global chief brand officer of Starbucks Coffee Company.
T-Mobile for Business was selected as the official telecommunications provider, tasked with deploying 5G network solutions across more than 110 connected locations, including over 40 competition venues throughout Southern California. The carrier will provide services for more than 15,000 staff and ensure connectivity for broadcast operations linking the International Broadcast Center to all venues.
"T-Mobile for Business will play a crucial role in connecting Games stakeholders to the action as events unfold," said David Michael, chief information officer for LA28.
The announcements cap a big year for LA28, which finalized its comprehensive venue plan in April 2025 after receiving International Olympic Committee Executive Board approval. The plan spreads events across Southern California while maximizing existing facilities to avoid costly new construction.
Notable venue changes included relocating beach volleyball from Santa Monica to Long Beach's Alamitos Beach after negotiations with Santa Monica broke down over community benefits and financial guarantees. Long Beach will now host 11 Olympic sports total.
Other major venue shifts saw basketball moved to the new Intuit Dome in Inglewood, gymnastics to Crypto.com Arena downtown, and swimming relocated to SoFi Stadium to accommodate larger crowds. The Rose Bowl in Pasadena will host men's and women's soccer semifinals and finals.
In a historic first, LA28 secured IOC approval in August 2025 to sell naming rights for Olympic venues. Comcast obtained rights for a temporary squash venue at Universal Studios, while the Honda Center in Anaheim will keep its commercial name during indoor volleyball competition — breaking decades of Olympic tradition requiring generic venue names during competition.
The International Olympic Committee finalized LA28's sports program in April, featuring 36 sports with the addition of baseball/softball, cricket, flag football, lacrosse and squash. The Games will include 11,198 athletes, marking the first Olympics where women outnumber men at 50.5% of competitors.
The competition schedule, released in July on the three-year countdown, revealed an innovative dual-venue opening ceremony split between the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum and SoFi Stadium on July 14, 2028. In a departure from tradition, track and field will be held in the first week with swimming in the second week to optimize global broadcast schedules.
LA28 has faced scrutiny over potential cost overruns despite its privately funded model. The Host City Contract makes Los Angeles liable for the first $270 million in debt, with California covering the next $270 million. City Council President Marqueece Harris-Dawson warned that Los Angeles "absolutely cannot afford" to be left with Olympic debt.
By year's end, LA28 reported securing 12 new domestic sponsors in 2025 and tracking toward roughly $2 billion in sponsorship revenue against a $2.5 billion goal. The organizing committee has not drawn on public funds and continues to cite the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics' $200 million surplus as its model.
Concerns have also emerged over homelessness, environmental sustainability and transit project delays, though organizers maintain their commitment to the "most sustainable Games in history."
The Paralympic Games ticket sales will begin in 2027, with both competitions using Visa as the official payment method for all transactions.