November 13, 2025 • 7 mins
The new Olympic schedule was unveiled ahead of the 2028 LA Games, and it's raised questions from experts.
The traditional format has been flipped, with the track and field events taking place in the first week and swimming in the second week - and more women's finals being held on the first day in July.
D'Arcy caught up with the CEO of the New Zealand Olympic Committee, Nicki Nicol, to discuss.
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Sports Talk podcast with Dancy Wildergrave
from News Talk ZEDB.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
We'll join now on News Talks ab by. Nick Nicholsey
is the chief executive officer of New Centad Olympic Committee. Nicky,
Welcome to the program. Crazy day of an announcement today
the Olympic program.
Speaker 3 (00:27):
Very exciting day, Darcy, and thanks for having me. Yes,
just over a thousand days to the LA Olympics, and
now we know exactly what's happening every minute of the
day for that exciting period in July twenty twenty eight.
Speaker 2 (00:38):
It's crazy that they've turned it around. I mean, it's
very American, isn't it Very contrarian the way they've operated.
I'm presuming you guys are aware of this before they
decided to nail it to the flag pole.
Speaker 3 (00:53):
Yeah, we definitely kept across the progress that's been made.
But from a preparation and planning perspective, the earlier we
get all this information, it's great for us, it's great
for our athletes, and it's great for our sports. So
we're really thrilled to have this level of detailed out already.
And I think importantly we know why LA are doing
this because they don't they're not using government funding. It's
commercially driven and so they've got certainty as they start
(01:15):
to think about tickets and fans and all those other things.
So from our perspective, it's great to be this far
ahead of curve.
Speaker 2 (01:21):
The reaction in general across the Olympic world or the
athletes that you deal with the fact that the swimmers
don't start the competition off there coming in second, has
anyone rejected this concept.
Speaker 3 (01:35):
No, we've known for a little while. Their athletics were
swapping around so a week one and week two. But
really the reason is because they want to use Sofi
Stadium for the swimming, So they're putting two Olympic sized
pools onto the field. It's so far, you know, think
of huge Super Bowl venue, and then they are using
so far for the opening ceremony, so they've got to
put a flow down so the athletes can parade. So
(01:57):
they're then the week after the opening ceremony to get
the pool ready. But imagine the pool with thirty eight
thousand people watching our swimmers. So yeah, very citing, big ideas,
and that's what we're seeing with.
Speaker 2 (02:08):
LA based on pragmatism that I like, and of course
a massive opening day for New Zealand athletes too. There
should be a number of athletes performing on the first
day of the game. So you're going to get eyeballs
from this side of the world, an't you, NICKI.
Speaker 3 (02:25):
We're going to hit the ground running from day one
week right July the fifteenth, we're going to have the
woman's one hundred meter final, so you know we'd love
to have Kiwi there, women's shot put final, women's rugby sevens.
You know, that's just a little taste of what day
one women's trifle and so there you go. There's sort of,
you know, the amazing way for us to start as
the LA campaign.
Speaker 2 (02:47):
I don't suppose you know a great deal about training
when it comes to one hundred meters, but I expect
that it would kind of level the playing field somewhat.
Three heats in the morning and a seemi in a
final in the afternoon, so who can keep their intensity
it's probably going to walk away with the metal.
Speaker 3 (03:01):
Yeah. I think you probably need to talk to someone
like Zobie a lot more than myself. I will not
attest to being that knowledgeable on woman's one hundred meters.
But we've got a pretty amazing athlete with us and
others of course that will be trialing.
Speaker 2 (03:12):
It's so many involved and exciting to have it in
the States. Your expectation around the size not eyeballs globally
in the TV. But I'm led to believe they've I
read somewhere today that there's fourteen million tickets up for grabs.
That doesn't sound right or am I wrong?
Speaker 3 (03:30):
Oh? Look, no, you would be right. That's what they're quoting.
If you think of all the different venues, sixteen days,
number of different sessions. You know, these are large venues.
You know, these are some of the largest stadiums that
they have in the world. Plus they will have a
number of things like the golfer. Obviously you get lots
of athletes, lots of supporters and things like that. So
it will be big and it will be, you know,
(03:51):
the biggest they've done. I'm not sure if that number
includes Paralympics as well, which obviously follows on about two
weeks later, so you know, a big, big focus and
obviously for us, a great time zone for us in
New Zealand to be supporting our athletes, which is amazing
as well.
Speaker 2 (04:06):
What about New Zealand Olympic Committee, What are you guys
up to the moment? What kind of preparation do you
have to roll through ahead of events? So big are
you handling the jandalo k Nikki.
Speaker 3 (04:16):
Yeah, I mean we've been working very closely already with
our plans for Los Angeles. I've been up there three
times this year already, and a big part for us
is actually how we host our partners, our commercial partners
and our donors, and how we bring a little bit
of a taste of newsline to LA. So that's been
a big focus for us, as well as all the
planning and preparation in the Olympic village that our operations
(04:38):
team do as well. So that's a big focus in it,
and we've had to do a lot of that this
year because next she's a busy year. We've got Winter
Olympics in just eighty five days and the Commonwealth Games
in about two hundred and fifty days, so big year
and twenty five to do a lot of the planning
because we'll sort of have to pick things up again
in seat of late twenty six twenty seven. For LA.
Speaker 2 (04:56):
We'll touch on the winters shortly, and this is an
all seriousness retraveling for the fans and for the athletes.
We know what's happening with the Republican administration over there.
Is there any are there any concerns about traveling around
the States and getting people there? Have those fears been
allayed because it has been difficult for a number of people.
Speaker 3 (05:21):
Yeah, I think the thing we're hearing and we're talking
to our colleagues and the organizing committee, the US Sylympic
Committee all the time, just to make sure that we're
being really thoughtful of our preparation and planning. As I say,
I've been up there a few times and experienced no issues,
but you do need to make sure that our paperwork
and all our accreditations and all those sort of planning
preparation things need to be done well in advance so
(05:43):
people are vetted. We've asked all of our athletes in
our sports to make sure they're really thoughtful about sharing
their views around what's happening in the States, because we
do know that social media posts are being screened, so
we do want people to have a voice, but we
do want people to be cautious because this is a
new environment. That none of us have worked in the past.
So those are some of the things that we're already
(06:05):
doing now to make sure that our athletes can turn
up and have the best experience and obviously compete to
the very best.
Speaker 2 (06:11):
Oh on stop over to Britain to the States, only
about four months ago, I set fire to all my
social media. It's the most sensible thing I could do,
Nicky Nettle. Let's look at the joy of Northern Italy
the Winter Olympics. They're very very close for already confirmed
some athletes for that, haven't you.
Speaker 3 (06:29):
Yes, we've selected eight already and we have another selection
in January, so we're hoping to have a team just
under twenty. But it will depend on final quota spots
and the athletes, many of them are already away in Norman,
Europe or the States trying to qualify and get those
extra points that will see in us taking a really amazing,
competitive and experienced team.
Speaker 2 (06:51):
And is that basically the theory you're running on. Like
a lot of these sports, you want to know that
the athletes you select have got a realistic chance of
hitting their straps and finishing not on the podium, but
in the top eight, top ten.
Speaker 3 (07:07):
Yeah, top sixteen is our criteria, which is, I suppose
the casual way of describing an algorithm that sits behind it,
but certainly to earn the quota spots by each of
these sports as well, because there are some of them
are quite small fields. You know, that is a pretty
high benchmark and so you know, the athletes are trying
to put themselves as well as they can, which then
helps demonstrate to us that they have met that criteria.
(07:29):
So that's really the big focus for them. They've got
a great coaches and high performance sports system, particularly across
our snow sports and ice athletes, and you know, as
I say, most of them are away at the moment
doing the MAHI to make sure that they're putting themselves
in the best place for selection.
Speaker 1 (07:46):
For more from Sports Talk, listen lived to News Talks.
They'd be from seven pm weekdays, or follow the podcast
on iHeartRadio.
You're listening to the Sports Talk podcast with Dancy Wildergrave
from News Talk ZEDB.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
We'll join now on News Talks ab by. Nick Nicholsey
is the chief executive officer of New Centad Olympic Committee. Nicky,
Welcome to the program. Crazy day of an announcement today
the Olympic program.
Speaker 3 (00:27):
Very exciting day, Darcy, and thanks for having me. Yes,
just over a thousand days to the LA Olympics, and
now we know exactly what's happening every minute of the
day for that exciting period in July twenty twenty eight.
Speaker 2 (00:38):
It's crazy that they've turned it around. I mean, it's
very American, isn't it Very contrarian the way they've operated.
I'm presuming you guys are aware of this before they
decided to nail it to the flag pole.
Speaker 3 (00:53):
Yeah, we definitely kept across the progress that's been made.
But from a preparation and planning perspective, the earlier we
get all this information, it's great for us, it's great
for our athletes, and it's great for our sports. So
we're really thrilled to have this level of detailed out already.
And I think importantly we know why LA are doing
this because they don't they're not using government funding. It's
commercially driven and so they've got certainty as they start
(01:15):
to think about tickets and fans and all those other things.
So from our perspective, it's great to be this far
ahead of curve.
Speaker 2 (01:21):
The reaction in general across the Olympic world or the
athletes that you deal with the fact that the swimmers
don't start the competition off there coming in second, has
anyone rejected this concept.
Speaker 3 (01:35):
No, we've known for a little while. Their athletics were
swapping around so a week one and week two. But
really the reason is because they want to use Sofi
Stadium for the swimming, So they're putting two Olympic sized
pools onto the field. It's so far, you know, think
of huge Super Bowl venue, and then they are using
so far for the opening ceremony, so they've got to
put a flow down so the athletes can parade. So
(01:57):
they're then the week after the opening ceremony to get
the pool ready. But imagine the pool with thirty eight
thousand people watching our swimmers. So yeah, very citing, big ideas,
and that's what we're seeing with.
Speaker 2 (02:08):
LA based on pragmatism that I like, and of course
a massive opening day for New Zealand athletes too. There
should be a number of athletes performing on the first
day of the game. So you're going to get eyeballs
from this side of the world, an't you, NICKI.
Speaker 3 (02:25):
We're going to hit the ground running from day one
week right July the fifteenth, we're going to have the
woman's one hundred meter final, so you know we'd love
to have Kiwi there, women's shot put final, women's rugby sevens.
You know, that's just a little taste of what day
one women's trifle and so there you go. There's sort of,
you know, the amazing way for us to start as
the LA campaign.
Speaker 2 (02:47):
I don't suppose you know a great deal about training
when it comes to one hundred meters, but I expect
that it would kind of level the playing field somewhat.
Three heats in the morning and a seemi in a
final in the afternoon, so who can keep their intensity
it's probably going to walk away with the metal.
Speaker 3 (03:01):
Yeah. I think you probably need to talk to someone
like Zobie a lot more than myself. I will not
attest to being that knowledgeable on woman's one hundred meters.
But we've got a pretty amazing athlete with us and
others of course that will be trialing.
Speaker 2 (03:12):
It's so many involved and exciting to have it in
the States. Your expectation around the size not eyeballs globally
in the TV. But I'm led to believe they've I
read somewhere today that there's fourteen million tickets up for grabs.
That doesn't sound right or am I wrong?
Speaker 3 (03:30):
Oh? Look, no, you would be right. That's what they're quoting.
If you think of all the different venues, sixteen days,
number of different sessions. You know, these are large venues.
You know, these are some of the largest stadiums that
they have in the world. Plus they will have a
number of things like the golfer. Obviously you get lots
of athletes, lots of supporters and things like that. So
it will be big and it will be, you know,
(03:51):
the biggest they've done. I'm not sure if that number
includes Paralympics as well, which obviously follows on about two
weeks later, so you know, a big, big focus and
obviously for us, a great time zone for us in
New Zealand to be supporting our athletes, which is amazing
as well.
Speaker 2 (04:06):
What about New Zealand Olympic Committee, What are you guys
up to the moment? What kind of preparation do you
have to roll through ahead of events? So big are
you handling the jandalo k Nikki.
Speaker 3 (04:16):
Yeah, I mean we've been working very closely already with
our plans for Los Angeles. I've been up there three
times this year already, and a big part for us
is actually how we host our partners, our commercial partners
and our donors, and how we bring a little bit
of a taste of newsline to LA. So that's been
a big focus for us, as well as all the
planning and preparation in the Olympic village that our operations
(04:38):
team do as well. So that's a big focus in it,
and we've had to do a lot of that this
year because next she's a busy year. We've got Winter
Olympics in just eighty five days and the Commonwealth Games
in about two hundred and fifty days, so big year
and twenty five to do a lot of the planning
because we'll sort of have to pick things up again
in seat of late twenty six twenty seven. For LA.
Speaker 2 (04:56):
We'll touch on the winters shortly, and this is an
all seriousness retraveling for the fans and for the athletes.
We know what's happening with the Republican administration over there.
Is there any are there any concerns about traveling around
the States and getting people there? Have those fears been
allayed because it has been difficult for a number of people.
Speaker 3 (05:21):
Yeah, I think the thing we're hearing and we're talking
to our colleagues and the organizing committee, the US Sylympic
Committee all the time, just to make sure that we're
being really thoughtful of our preparation and planning. As I say,
I've been up there a few times and experienced no issues,
but you do need to make sure that our paperwork
and all our accreditations and all those sort of planning
preparation things need to be done well in advance so
(05:43):
people are vetted. We've asked all of our athletes in
our sports to make sure they're really thoughtful about sharing
their views around what's happening in the States, because we
do know that social media posts are being screened, so
we do want people to have a voice, but we
do want people to be cautious because this is a
new environment. That none of us have worked in the past.
So those are some of the things that we're already
(06:05):
doing now to make sure that our athletes can turn
up and have the best experience and obviously compete to
the very best.
Speaker 2 (06:11):
Oh on stop over to Britain to the States, only
about four months ago, I set fire to all my
social media. It's the most sensible thing I could do,
Nicky Nettle. Let's look at the joy of Northern Italy
the Winter Olympics. They're very very close for already confirmed
some athletes for that, haven't you.
Speaker 3 (06:29):
Yes, we've selected eight already and we have another selection
in January, so we're hoping to have a team just
under twenty. But it will depend on final quota spots
and the athletes, many of them are already away in Norman,
Europe or the States trying to qualify and get those
extra points that will see in us taking a really amazing,
competitive and experienced team.
Speaker 2 (06:51):
And is that basically the theory you're running on. Like
a lot of these sports, you want to know that
the athletes you select have got a realistic chance of
hitting their straps and finishing not on the podium, but
in the top eight, top ten.
Speaker 3 (07:07):
Yeah, top sixteen is our criteria, which is, I suppose
the casual way of describing an algorithm that sits behind it,
but certainly to earn the quota spots by each of
these sports as well, because there are some of them
are quite small fields. You know, that is a pretty
high benchmark and so you know, the athletes are trying
to put themselves as well as they can, which then
helps demonstrate to us that they have met that criteria.
(07:29):
So that's really the big focus for them. They've got
a great coaches and high performance sports system, particularly across
our snow sports and ice athletes, and you know, as
I say, most of them are away at the moment
doing the MAHI to make sure that they're putting themselves
in the best place for selection.
Speaker 1 (07:46):
For more from Sports Talk, listen lived to News Talks.
They'd be from seven pm weekdays, or follow the podcast
on iHeartRadio.
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