L.A. Council Grills Olympic Officials Over LA28 Ticket Prices

City leaders raise concerns over affordability and local business access for 2028 Olympics

Apr. 14, 2026 at 10:54pm

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A fragmented, cubist-style painting depicting the iconic Olympic rings broken down into sharp, angular shapes in a bold color scheme, conceptually representing the tensions over ticket prices and local economic impact of the upcoming games.City leaders demand more affordability and local business access for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.Los Angeles Today

In a heated meeting, Los Angeles city council members confronted LA28 officials over high ticket prices and service fees for the 2028 Olympic Games. Councilwoman Katy Yaroslavsky criticized the 24% surcharge, while Councilmember Hugo Soto-Martinez expressed concerns that the organizing committee, which includes 'MAGA Republicans,' is not doing enough to prioritize local businesses and make the event affordable for constituents.

Why it matters

The 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles are a major civic event, and city leaders want to ensure that tickets are accessible to residents and that local businesses benefit from the economic opportunities. There are concerns that the current ticketing structure and governance of LA28 may not align with these priorities.

The details

During the council meeting, Yaroslavsky said the Olympic tickets are not affordable, with a $28 ticket having a 24% surcharge. She pressed LA28 CEO Reynold Hoover for details on how much of those fees are going back to the organizing committee. Soto-Martinez criticized the LA28 board for including 'MAGA Republicans' and said the city, as the financial backstop, is not seeing enough confidence that the event will benefit local constituents and businesses.

  • The L.A. 2028 Olympic tickets went on sale for the first time prior to this council meeting.
  • The master operating agreement between the city and LA28, which was supposed to be executed in October, has still not been signed.

The players

Katy Yaroslavsky

A Los Angeles City Councilwoman who raised concerns about the affordability of Olympic tickets and the high service fees.

Reynold Hoover

The CEO of the LA28 Olympic organizing committee, who was questioned by city leaders about ticket pricing and local business access.

Hugo Soto-Martinez

A Los Angeles City Councilmember who criticized the LA28 board for including 'MAGA Republicans' and said the city is not seeing enough confidence that the event will benefit local constituents and businesses.

LA28

The organizing committee for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.

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What they’re saying

“'One of the drivers of the unaffordable tickets was the surprising 24% surcharge. How much of those fees are going back to LA27? Of that 24%, what's coming back to you?'”

— Katy Yaroslavsky, Los Angeles City Councilwoman

“'The tickets are not affordable, even about a $28 ticket, of which there were hardly any left when I got lucky enough to get in there. There was hardly anything that was affordable.'”

— Katy Yaroslavsky, Los Angeles City Councilwoman

“'You're not a nonprofit. The city of L.A. is the financial backstop to everything that you are doing. And I don't think that has resonated or permeated through you or to this whole board when we have all these MAGA Republicans sitting on that board, you're not coming here giving us confidence that you're doing the right thing for the city of L.A. We have to go to our constituents and say that we are fighting for them to make sure that they're gonna get as much business as they can out of this event.'”

— Hugo Soto-Martinez, Los Angeles City Councilmember

What’s next

The city and LA28 are still working to finalize the master operating agreement, which would help ensure local businesses get priority for Olympic-related contracts.

The takeaway

The heated exchange between city leaders and LA28 officials highlights the ongoing tensions around making the 2028 Olympics accessible and beneficial for Los Angeles residents and businesses. As the games approach, there will likely be continued scrutiny and negotiations to address these concerns.