Why Olympic opposition matters

Case study: Berlin.

Berlin city officials wanted to host the 2000 Olympic Games, which ultimately went to Sydney and turned out to be a huge success there. A major reason the bid failed was due to local opposition to hosting the Games. In the 1993 selection process, Berlin placed fourth (out of five) in the first round of voting but finished last in the next round, which meant elimination from the voting. Its rivals were Sydney, Beijing, Manchester and Istanbul. The Chinese were furious after their final-round loss, especially since they had the most votes in the first three rounds! They regrouped and won eight years later. The British changed their bid to London and won 12 years later.

Opposition works. Solid local support of the Games is a major component of a city's bid. Strong opposition is embarrassing, and the International Olympic Committee doesn't like it. In Chicago's initial proposal, the City proudly proclaimed, "There is no organized local opposition." Well, there is now.