As the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Games continue, Sports Business Journal convened a roundtable of corporate partners and Olympic leaders to assess operations on the ground — and what these Games signal for LA28 and beyond.
OBE’s President of Onboard Sports Advisory, Dave Mingey, joined the discussion alongside leaders from U.S. Figure Skating, GMR Marketing, and Airbnb.
Throughout the duration of the Games, SBJ is spotlighting a different question from the roundtable each day — offering a rolling look at how the movement is evolving in real time.
One early takeaway: Milan represents the first full test of the IOC’s more sustainable, distributed model under Agenda 2020+5. That shift changes how the Games are delivered — and how they’re experienced.
With venues spread across regions and a consciously lighter footprint, the atmosphere doesn’t rely solely on organizers. It’s increasingly shaped by partners on the ground.
Dave noted:
“The commercial partners deserve a lot of credit for bringing that traditional Olympic energy and vibe.”
In a more regionalized Games — and with two domestic Olympics ahead in LA28 and Utah 2034 — the role of brands as energy-builders and cultural connectors will only grow.
Read the full Sports Business Journal roundtable and follow the daily questions here: