Milano Cortina 2026 - The Verdict

[Brekkie Boy]

Superb games - just looks stunning on TV and for the first time in a long time felt like put the Winter into Winter Olympics.   Finally for me after 32 years Lillehammer has been bettered - and from a sporting point of view Team GB's three golds were great but the contribution the host nations athletes made really lifted the event.   Holding sports events in countries that care about the sport and have history in the sports makes all the difference.

 

Only downers really are that Milan didn't bring much to the party and though it looked stunning the closing ceremony in Verona seemed odd too.   But then that's all a small price to pay for the snow events to return to Cortina.

[baron-pierreIV]

Of course, Milano-Cortina "looks" better than previous Games because: (1) it generally was blessed with good weather; (2) it had state-of-the-art technology which allowed for never-before-seen-or-used broadcast technology (what? 800 cameras supposedly); and (3) its many events are all tailored for exciting and dynamic broadcast.  Plus, many of us have larger screens at home -- which we never had for previous editions of the Games, so, of course, Milano-Cortina comes out smelling like a rose.  

[Sir Rols]

Every new edition of the games comes out shinier than what went before, and Milano-Cortiba’s coverage was simply next level - 4K, mostly great weather against a spectacular Alpine backdrop, the breathtaking drone footage (and am I right in thinking they even managed to muffle down the drone buzz by the second week?). A stunning broadcast achievement.

It’s great that @Brekkie Boy was so taken by it. That’s what you want. Each new edition entrancing the audience and reawakening a passion for the games or sparking a new love for them by those just starting to become acquainted with them.

For myself, as I’ve mentioned, they didn’t give me the same magic, wonder and joy that Lillehammer, Vancouver or even Sochi (before the grim reality behind it irredeemably tainted it) gave me, but I put that on me rather than the games themselves.

[baron-pierreIV]

So far, M-C26 ends up in the red.  

Inside The Games • Milano Cortina balance sheet in the red 
And I don't think the Paralympics will put the final figures in positive territory.  

I don't know how CONI can now think of a Rome bid when the seemingly "successful" M-C Games are a dud at the box office.  Luckily, northern Italy is a relatively "rich" area, so the Lombardy and Veneto regions can absorb these losses.  Oh, and after the Paras, they are still going to have the YOG Winter next year.  I am sure the budget for that will be impacted.  It was totally dumb of the M-C COJO not to have used Torino venues.  Totally dumb!! 

[cfm Jeremie]

1 hour ago, baron-pierreIV said:

It was totally dumb of the M-C COJO not to have used Torino venues.  Totally dumb!! 

Dear mister almighty and so so smart, please explain which Torino venues could have been used and how this would have resulted in cost savings.