It's amazing how humans have become so passionate about developing their physical abilities that we've created advanced sport disciplines that are worth professionalizing.
This passion has led to organizing sporting events where the best athletes from each country compete to determine who has the top competitors.
Ideally, sports should be the only way nations engage in conflicts.
These competitions are called the Olympics, and they have such a rich history that we have both the modern Olympic Games, as we know them, and the ancient Olympic Games, which were religious celebrations in honor of the Greek god Zeus.
Today, the professionalization of sports, the large number of athletes, and the media and community attention have turned this spectacle into a significant business that truly moves money.
Let's take a financial look at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, the latest edition of this athletic event.
How much did the Paris 2024 Olympics cost?
Envato/Rawpixel
Financial projections estimate that this edition will be the least expensive since Sydney 2000, with an estimated cost of $9.6 billion, while Sydney's costs were a little over $5 billion.
The economic impact is expected to range between $7.4 and $12 billion, something Emmanuel Macron is keen on seeing for the sake of his popularity.
How were the Paris 2024 Olympics funded?
Where did the $7.4 to $12 billion come from? Estimates show the following percentages by source:
- 42% from the organizing committee
- 30% from tourism
- 28% from construction-related activities
Envato/davideangeliniphoto