The LA2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games are preparing to redefine what global sporting ceremonies can represent in the 21st century.
With the appointment of award-winning producer Ben Winston and Olympic ceremonies veteran Scott Givens to jointly lead the Opening and Closing Ceremonies, LA28 is signaling a transformative shift from traditional, protocol-heavy presentations to grand, cinematic, internationally resonant entertainment events. The decision is strategic, deliberate, and deeply reflective of Los Angeles’ identity as the global hub of storytelling and media.
Winston and Givens will collaborate through FulFive, a joint venture created specifically to produce the LA28 ceremonies. FulFive merges Winston’s creative pedigree rooted in Hollywood’s contemporary visual culture with Givens’ unmatched logistical mastery in Olympic ceremony delivery. The structure is intentional: Winston will shape the narrative vision, emotional arc, and artistic identity of the ceremonies, while Givens ensures that these ideas translate into precise, reliable, and flawlessly executed live experiences on the world’s biggest stage.
The scale of the LA28 ceremonies demands such a partnership. The Opening Ceremony will be hosted across two major stadiums simultaneously the historic LA Memorial Coliseum, host of the 1932 and 1984 Olympic ceremonies, and the modern state-of-the-art SoFi Stadium in Inglewood. The dual-venue concept has never before been attempted at the Olympic Games. The challenge is both artistic and technical: audiences in two different locations must feel connected to a single unfolding story, while global broadcast audiences experience a seamless live narrative.
This approach is rooted in Los Angeles’ own layered identity where old meets new, legacy meets innovation, and tradition intersects with global pop culture. The Coliseum represents Olympic heritage, while SoFi symbolizes the future of live entertainment. The ceremony will ask these two venues to “speak” to one another through synchronized staging, digital integration, and narrative cohesion.
Winston’s track record suggests he is well prepared to treat the ceremony as a multimedia blockbuster rather than a static stadium spectacle. He has produced The Grammys, Adele’s globally broadcast concert specials, and Elton John’s farewell performance at Dodger Stadium. His style blends live performance with intimate storytelling and moments of cultural symbolism elements likely to shape LA28’s artistic identity.
Moreover, Winston has already previewed his approach through the Paris-to-LA Olympic Handover event at the conclusion of the Paris 2024 Games. The handover featured an ambitious lineup including Tom Cruise, Snoop Dogg, Dr. Dre, Billie Eilish, H.E.R., and the Red Hot Chili Peppers seamlessly integrating live performance, filmed sequences, and mass-audience concert formats. Importantly, the production was designed not only for television broadcast but also for social amplification a strategy that generated millions of online interactions. This demonstrated a new model for Olympic ceremonies as both live events and global digital content experiences.
Meanwhile, Scott Givens provides the operational counterbalance. With experience working on 15 Olympic Games and more than 60 global ceremonies, Givens ensures that every symbolic detail—from the Parade of Nations to anthem protocol remains aligned with the International Olympic Committee’s standards. His presence guarantees that creative ambition does not outweigh technical feasibility.
The dual-venue ceremony has already required significant structural adjustments to the Games’ broader schedule. Since SoFi Stadium will be used for the Opening Ceremony, LA28 has reversed the traditional competition order, placing athletics in the first week and swimming in the second a decision approved by World Athletics and World Aquatics. This change ensures that SoFi can accommodate both the ceremony and the swimming schedule while maximizing venue capacity and broadcast impact.
Beyond spectacle, the LA28 ceremonies are tied to a civic mandate. The Games are built around the idea of “LA28 for All”, a commitment to ensuring that the cultural and economic benefits extend across Los Angeles’ diverse communities.
The ceremonies are expected to combine global entertainment with authentic local cultural representation engaging neighborhood arts organizations, youth performance groups, and citywide artists alongside worldwide icons. The challenge is to avoid a ceremony that feels like a Hollywood export and instead deliver one that reflects the soul of Los Angeles itself multilingual, multiethnic, and constantly reinventing.
Digital integration will play a crucial role. LA28’s partnerships with companies such as Google and YouTube aim to allow spectators both in stadiums and worldwide to contribute reactions, participate through interactive features, and generate viral content alongside the official broadcast. The Games are positioning themselves not only as a televised event but as the most participatory Olympic experience ever staged, using technology to dissolve the boundary between audience and performance.
As the world moves toward 2028, the LA28 ceremonies are shaping up not simply to open a global sporting competition but to redefine how cultural mega-events can connect audiences emotionally, physically, and digitally.
If Winston and Givens succeed, Los Angeles will not just host the Olympics it will reshape the meaning of the Olympic stage for the next generation.
