al Games Developments: Olympics, World Cups, and Commonwealth Games with Rob Livingstone
in this episode, host Nii Wallace-Bruce discusses various developments in the international sports landscape with guest Rob Livingstone from GamesBids.com. The conversation covers the new IOC President Kirsty Coventry, her upcoming responsibilities (01:26), and potential changes in the bidding process for future Olympic Games, particularly for 2036 (02:27).
Later, they also explore the challenges and implications of shifting the Summer Olympics schedule due to climate change and broadcasting conflicts (04:23), as well as the legacy impacts of major sporting events like the Men's and Women's World Cup (10:11). The geopolitical factors influencing upcoming events, particularly in the US (07:43), and the bids for the 2030 Commonwealth Games are also examined.
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Rob Livingstone:
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Opening and closing music courtesy of Jeremiah Alves - "Evermore".
Transcript
I am your host Knee Wallace Bruce.
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:We are in the month of April.
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:There are quite a few developments
in the sporting world relating to
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:the Olympics, the World Cup and more.
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:So we're gonna get into that
with friend of the show, Rob
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:Livingston from games bids.com.
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:Make sure you check out his work,
check him out on social media,
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:at games bids, and also himself
at Livingston spelled backwards.
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:Rob, how you doing?
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:Rob: I am.
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:Great, thanks.
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:Thanks for having me on once again.
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:PSP: It's a pleasure to have you back now.
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:Rob, we have a new IOC President.
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:It is Kirsty Coventry, the former
Olympic swimming champion, from Zimbabwe.
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:She's going to be the first
female president in IOC history.
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:Where does that leave the IOC?
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:Moving forward now that Thomas
Buck has indeed retired.
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:Rob: It's gonna be official for
her in June when Bach formally
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:steps down and does the handover.
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:But not really a far handover.
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:It looks like she.
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:It to be, or at least has been
positioned to carry on what Thomas Bock
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:has been doing for the last 12 years.
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:She has a lot of the same goals and
working with a lot of the same people.
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:So I don't see a lot of
changes moving forward.
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:Obviously, the looks a bit different
and it makes the organization
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:look a little more progressive
now with a younger and a female.
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:President, but I think the policies
and the direction of the IOC will
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:remain pretty much on the same course.
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:PSP: Okay.
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:Interesting.
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:Now, with that in mind , there's
a bit for her to, to get into when
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:she takes over in June, what would
you say are the key priorities for
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:her when she becomes president?
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:Officially?
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:Rob: There, there are a number
of things that and once again,
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:continuing on with box Legacy.
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:I focus closely on the bids and,
that's gonna be a big part of it.
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:Lots of cities and countries
lining up for the:
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:That's gonna be.
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:On the table and something
to be dealt with fairly soon.
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:There's all kinds of things like gender
equity and anti-doping the Russia issue
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:ideas about paying athletes to compete.
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:There's a lot of things going
on and it'll be interesting
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:to see how she digs into them.
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:I can't see a real standout but
it's gonna be a lot for her to do.
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:PSP: Now you touched on 2036.
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:For our listeners who may not
be aware, the:
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:will be held in Los Angeles.
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:We're gonna get to that a bit later on.
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:2032 will be held in
sunny Brisbane, Australia.
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:2036 though is up for grabs.
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:The bids are coming in, there's
discourse amongst potential hosts.
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:What are we seeing with the
potential summer 20, 36 bids?
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:Rob?
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:Rob: We don't have any kind of timeline.
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:That's the way the IOC works.
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:They just decide what they want to do
when having said that, the number is
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:double digits of interested parties
looking to host a future Olympics.
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:And obviously some of those are 2036.
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:A number of those are gonna be 2036.
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:They're already working
and having discussions.
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:It's the most prominent
spoken about one is India.
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:They've been working on
it for a couple years.
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:They're the most vocal about it.
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:And I think Kirsty Coventry being the
new IOC President bodes well for India
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:because she's got a great relationship.
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:With prominent people there and it looks
like it could go in that direction.
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:But of course, we can't overlook Saudi
Arabia, Qatar both really interested
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:in moving forward with a bid.
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:And there's been a lot of discussion
within the IOC recently about.
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:Relaxing the summertime
calendar for the summer game.
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:So the prime months of July and August
they say due to climate change, that
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:those months may not be good anymore.
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:Maybe too hot for most places,
and they talk about pushing it
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:into the fall, September, October.
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:But I think that's more about
leaving the window open for Saudi
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:Arabia and Qatar, which, they've
bid in the past do bid in:
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:And they were left off the short
list because they proposed the
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:games in October and the IOC said,
Nope, we want it in July and August.
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:Now they're looking to relax that.
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:Paints a whole new picture
for the bid process.
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:We've got other cities involved
too, who are looking forward to it.
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:Istanbul once again, they've been
unsuccessful five times, although
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:they're having political issues there
now, which might discount that bid.
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:There's Budapest is
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:That.
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:to it.
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:There's Indonesia.
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:South Korea and some other
bids there that are lining up.
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:It should be interesting.
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:PSP: Mm, absolutely.
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:Now, another development
that happened recently was.
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:The signing of a new
broadcast deal by NBC.
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:Now, NBC is fairly influential when it
comes to the Olympics, winter and summer.
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:But the point you raise about
the calendar shifting to the
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:summer Olympics is interesting.
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:'cause if we shifted to say October,
November, December, that is smack
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:bang in the middle of the NFL
season, which is also a significant.
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:Earner for NBC with their
Sunday night football coverage.
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:How would NBC feel about the
Olympics potentially happening
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:in the middle of the NFL season?
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:Could that be an issue?
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:Rob: That's a great point.
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:Now keep in mind that's 2036.
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:So we're looking at 11 years from now.
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:What will they do?
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:Will they even have a contract with the
NFL or the other sports at that point?
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:Maybe not.
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:Can they shift things
around That's possible.
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:We have to remember that
the way people consume.
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:Sports on television or whatever
kind of platform they use
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:is changing rapidly, right?
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:The whole concept of.
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:TV schedules and watching things
in prime time and that kind
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:of thing, it's out the window.
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:So I think the broadcasters and the
streaming platforms and all of those have
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:the ability to adjust, especially over
the next 11 years to make something work.
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:Maybe they'll work with the leagues
if like for instance, the NFL, if they
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:were to decide to have a contract, a
television contract with them that year.
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:Obviously having several years
notice will help there and I think,
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:we're gonna have a decision on 2036
in the next possibly year or two.
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:So I think it's something that can
be worked out, but obviously it's
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:going to be a concern off the top.
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:PSP: And it is worth noting
the NBC will be broadcasting
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:the NBA in the next season.
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:So 11 years away, I'm sure there's
enough time for the partners to
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:work together with IOC on that.
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:But you raised an interesting point
about prime time because growing up I
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:grew up with the Sydney Olympics and the
times of some of the sports there were
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:adjusted and the same scene in Beijing
to a lesser extent to accommodate.
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:The North American market
primarily through NBC.
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:Do you think now that we have
streaming services like Peacock
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:and others, that this will be
relaxed for:
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:Rob: You're asking about the
scheduling, the events to accommodate
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:the United States viewers.
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:They continue to do that.
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:I know that there was a concern for
LA 28 the Cricket tournament, which is
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:primarily aimed at viewers in India.
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:They were thinking about changing
the location of it the East coast
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:of the United States to better
accommodate Indian viewers.
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:I, I don't know if that
makes a difference.
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:They can have Cricket matches anytime
and try to accommodate Indian viewers.
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:And I think those viewers will
watch it anytime the day anyways.
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:They'll be so excited
to see that tournament.
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:they've accommodated viewers as recently
as in Tokyo and Beijing for the summer
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:and winter games the last few years.
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:Who knows how things are gonna change
over the next 10 years, whether people,
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:cons, how they consume it, and whether
that's an issue, whether people care
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:if they, watch a, some kind of metal
event at eight in the morning as
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:opposed to 9:00 PM all those things.
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:Things are changing so rapidly,
it's really hard to tell.
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:PSP: Yeah, watch this space.
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:Rob: Yeah.
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:PSP: It'd be interesting
to see how it plays out..
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:I'm looking forward to the return of
cricket to the Summer Olympics after.
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:A hundred plus years of
absence, it's gonna be great.
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:And I would, I would definitely
wake up to, to watch this, the 16th
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:tournament when it rolls around.
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:So definitely looking forward to that.
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:Now, one thing that many cloud things
when thinking about the:
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:2034 Winter Games, salt Lake City, the
rld Cup next year for the men:
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:The Women's World Cup,
that'll be in the us.
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:Down the line is the
geopolitical situation.
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:Can you see that being a factor for these
upcoming games, particularly in the us?
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:Rob: Talking about rapid change
there's nothing changing more rapidly
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:than the political situation in the
United States and, among its allies
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:and so it's really hard to tell.
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:Obviously LA 28 is going to be at the
tail end of, trump's administration.
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:So there will be an impact.
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:And the main impact there, I
think will be the immigration.
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:And whether these athletes can travel to
the country to, to compete as promised
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:and as guaranteed the country is
guaranteed through the host agreement.
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:So that's yet to be seen.
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:That's gonna be very critical.
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:And if something happens with LA that
might reflect poorly on salt Lake
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:City for 2034 even though at that
point there likely would be a new
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:administration I don't pretend to
be a political expert in that area.
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:Things change by the day.
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:Obviously there's gonna be some
concern because we don't know
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:which way it's gonna change.
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:But I think somehow things
will smooth over somehow.
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:It'll work out, it usually does.
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:But we'll just have to hope for the best.
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:PSP: Now there has a precedent where,,
FIFA has stepped in to amend hosts.
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:Based on uncertain conditions.
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:Has the IOC ever done anything like that?
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:Rob: obviously there were wartime changes.
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:The I think it was.
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:19, the 1940 Olympics
obviously were canceled.
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:I think they were to take place
in Tokyo obviously due to the war.
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:So there were wartime
changes in:
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:But other than that and obviously
the recent delay of the Tokyo
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:2020 games because of Covid.
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:Other than that not any significant
change that I can recall.
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:PSP: Okay, well hopefully that continues.
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:Continuity.
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:Yes.
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:It's great to see the world come
together, and sport is definitely one
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:of the ways that we can come together
and celebrate the goodness of humanity.
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:Now, another thing that brings us
together is the football, the round
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:ball game that's coming to a city
near you in North America when Mexico,
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:the United States and our own Canada
host the Men's World Cup in:
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:There's.
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:The US could essentially host
the, the World Cup tomorrow.
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:They, they don't need to do a
whole lot with their stadiums.
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:I know in Canada there are
upgrades happening in Toronto.
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:There, there are also some
renovations happening in Mexico.
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:Using your experience with the Olympics
as well, how important is the, the
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:legacy aspect when hosting such
games for a city and or a country?
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:Rob: It's interesting in in North America
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:PSP: America.
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:Rob: World Cup football, soccer,
whatever you want to call it
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:in this context is growing.
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:Obviously not at the level it
is in the rest of the world.
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:So this will be critical
as far as a legacy of.
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:Of young people participating and having
an interest professional matches and
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:attending and watching on TV and streaming
it and tho those sorts of things.
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:That's going to be a critical
legacy for the:
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:If you look at infrastructure
don't believe, I mean in
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:Canada and Toronto, the.
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:Additional seating to the
stadium is just temporary.
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:So there's really no physical legacy.
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:Obviously upgrades in Mexico will be
beneficial there, but Mexico already
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:has a thriving soccer community there,
so that's not an issue for them.
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:And, the most important legacy,
I think is just the growth of
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:the sport in North America.
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:And more just, letting a match under it
because it's already starting to move.
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:It's already starting to grow,
and I think this will just help,
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:push it even that much further.
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:PSP: For sure.
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:As someone who lives in the greater
Toronto area, would you like to see
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:more done in terms of a legacy project?
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:You mentioned the stadium.
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:I believe it has been amended
from the original plan.
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:We can talk about that another day
'cause I have many thoughts on that.
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:But do you feel like, particularly
thinking about the way the:
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:PanAm games led to some project for
sport, do you feel like there should
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:be more done in terms of legacy
projects for the city of Toronto?
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:Rob: I don't think, it would
be great someone that enjoys
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:sport and likes to see grow and
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:Road and I,
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:in my own community I
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:PSP: uh,
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:But I don't think.
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:Rob: a political will to do anything.
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:There's a lot of emphasis especially
in Toronto and cutting costs and that
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:kind of thing, and there's a concern.
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:Of, how much is already being spent.
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:A lot of people resent that the games or
the World Cup is actually coming here.
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:Yeah, it'd be great to see more
legacy projects, but I really
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:don't think we should be expecting
anything significant to come.
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:PSP: I'll continue to dream.
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:Let's talk about the Women's World Cup.
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:the bids were locked in for 20 31, 20 35.
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:We're gonna see the US hosting
and the US has been a leader in,
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:in women's soccer for a while.
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:The team's, I guess, going through a
little bit of a rebuild on the field,
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:but off the field, they're good to go.
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:In terms of hosting, what do you
see when it comes to:
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:2035 for the Women's World Cup?
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:Rob: It's gonna continue the growth.
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:I think that the in United States
anyways, and potentially, I think if
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:that tournament grows, they said it's
gonna grow to 48 teams for the women.
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:They could also hold matches in Mexico
the Caribbean and even possibly Canada.
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:, They didn't.
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:Describe exactly how they
would expand that tournament.
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:But those are possibilities.
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:But once again I think it'll
just continue with the growth
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:that the 2026 men's tournament
will, push and start to develop.
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:Really it's just continue the.
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:Growth.
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:Obviously the women's for both Canada and
the United States are, top in the world.
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:So there doesn't need to be a lot
more grassroots activity to get
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:young people involved, but it's only
gonna help generate more interest.
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:And maybe there'll be, more
interested in professional leagues
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:here and that kind of thing.
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:So just more of that.
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:PSP: It'll be interesting to see how the,
the format of, that World Cup tournament
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:goes, because as you mentioned, there
is potentially increase to 48 teams to,
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:to match the men's tournament, which
will be the first World Cup at 48 teams.
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:I think.
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:I think it's good to, to
have more teams involved.
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:2026 will be a litmus test
though in terms of meaningful
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:games and competitive parity.
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:Nevertheless, let's give it a try.
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:Let's see what happens.
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:I would love to see Canada involved
in:
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:Canada has a professional women's
league the Northern Super League.
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:It's perfect timing, but.
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:I have to see if Canada's soccer can
come to the party, if there might be
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:some state support for that as well.
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:Questions to be asked in the meantime,
I guess, of the next few years.
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:But Rob, there was also some interest
from Canada, for the Commonwealth Games.
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:We have the Centenary
games coming up in:
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:What are we seeing there?
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:'cause I believe it's Canada,
Nigeria, and India involved.
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:Is that right?
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:Rob: Yeah it's a developing situation.
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:Canada's always been hinting around.
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:2030 Commonwealth Games.
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:It's that, centenary edition where
it was first held in Hamilton as
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:a British Empire Games Hamilton's
been sniffing around those games
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:for quite some time, but ultimately
turned it down as being too costly.
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:Even having an exclusive shot
at:
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:But now since Glasgow took over the 2026.
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:Games and we'll be delivering
kind of a light version.
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:Suddenly other areas are getting
more interested because it's more
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:economical, it's more feasible and
they can have a larger footprint.
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:So that's what's happening in Canada here.
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:Hamilton wants to be involved,
but they're not gonna do it
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:themselves and Ontario and other
municipalities and places in Ontario.
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:want to get involved as well,
but Ontario doesn't wanna do it.
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:On its own either.
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:They didn't bid for 2026
because the provincial
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:government didn't wanna fund it.
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:Especially during the World Cup year.
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:events could be spread across Canada.
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:Canada's a big country.
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:I'm not sure exactly
how that's gonna work.
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:Other provinces are interested.
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:But that might be the only way
a bid from Canada successful.
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:We have Nigeria Abuja bid, I believe
for:
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:And they're.
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:Trying again.
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:That will be interesting.
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:And India definitely they're in it.
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:It's part of their overall project
to, prepare for an eventual Olympics.
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:I think they're still looking
at the:
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:Maybe instead the 2030
Commonwealth Games or maybe both.
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:They might have the capacity to do that.
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:The only concern there is when they
hosted in:
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:were considered less than ideal.
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:There was some corruption there,
there were delays in construction.
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:A lot of headaches there.
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:So whether they can get past
that or not, we'll have to see.
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:And Commonwealth Sport said,
they'll decide by the end of
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:the year where it's gonna go.
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:PSP: Over the last hundred years
of Commonwealth Gains Action,
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:we've seen many champions.
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:One of those champions was
in fact, Kessie Coventry.
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:She won gold in 2002 from
memory in Manchester.
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:Does it help in any way, shape or
form that she's the IOC President?
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:Does that help the Commonwealth
Gangs movement at all?
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:Rob: I don't really see any benefit there.
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:Obviously the Commonwealth
Games are part of the, larger
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:umbrella that the IOC administers.
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:But I don't see any direct
connection where she can help.
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:Yeah, it'd be interesting to see if she
ever does do anything, but I don't think
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:there's any, real connection there.
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:PSP: Fair enough.
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:I must submit, like you are
very interested in seeing, what
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:she does when she takes on the.
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:The post of present in June.
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:I'm sure there's a lot to look forward
to in terms of her direction, her vision,
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:but we'll have to watch this space.
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:In the meantime, there'll be plenty
of sport to watch and there'll be
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:plenty of updates on bids and the like.
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:Rob, why don't you remind our audience
once again where they can find your work?
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:Rob: They can come to games bids.com.
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:Obviously that's a website
where I publish most of my work.
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:And, the usual social media channels
you mentioned at Off the Top at Games
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:bids on on x, on Instagram, on blue Sky.
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:Now, else are we?
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:YouTube?
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:Not so much there, but
or my personal account.
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:You also mentioned that off the top
you pronounced it very well, IL I think
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:PSP: Nice.
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:Rob: living stone backwards on X.
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:And those are the main
places to find my work.
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:PSP: There we go.
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:Fantastic.
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:And that's the final word from
rob Livingston of games bids.com.
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:Definitely check out his work,
make sure you read and I.
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:You'll definitely be smarter for finding
out more about the games, bids, movements,
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:and more across sports and the beyond.
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:This is another episode of PSP.
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:I'm your host, Neil.
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:Bruce, wishing you well
and be safe out there