Casey Wasserman Discusses His Role and Future of LA28 Amid Controversy
The number of politicians involved increased daily. Major figures from his talent agency joined in urging Casey Wasserman to resign as LA28’s chairman after his emails with Ghislaine Maxwell surfaced in the Epstein files in February. Four months after the issue emerged, potentially jeopardizing his role in leading Los Angeles’ first Olympics since 1984, Wasserman maintained he viewed the situation differently.
When asked if he thought about resigning and if he spoke to Mayor Karen Bass, who was among local politicians demanding his resignation, Wasserman responded, “No and yes.” Speaking on Thursday, Wasserman noted his regular interactions with Bass, saying they talk weekly or more frequently.
“Our conversations remain between us,” he stated, marking his first public comments in months. “They are thoughtful and productive, aligned with a shared vision for delivering exceptional Games for the city and community.”
Bass is currently campaigning for a second term in a primary election. She has progressed to November’s runoff, while Spencer Pratt and City Councilmember Nithya Raman vie for the second spot on the ballot. Additionally, California is set to elect a new governor with Republican Steve Hilton and Democrat Xavier Becerra leading the race.
Addressing political changes, Wasserman highlighted that the organizing committee has experienced four presidential administrations since bidding for the Games in 2015. “Political transitions, whether occurring or not, are part of life,” Wasserman remarked. “We have maintained and expect to continue strong relationships with local, state, and federal partners. The focus must be on relationships and connectivity, not just individuals, and our team excels in this regard.”
Wasserman was chosen to oversee the Olympics by former Mayor Eric Garcetti and has stayed under the radar since being linked to the Epstein files. The controversy emerged during the 2026 Milan-Cortina Games, where he presented to the International Olympic Committee but refrained from additional public comments. Afterwards, he put his talent agency for sale and faced calls to step down from local politicians.
The LA28 executive committee supported him, issuing a statement praising his “strong leadership over the past 10 years” following an external investigation. Additionally, during a Thursday news conference, Wasserman sat with Reynold Hoover, LA28 CEO, and Jacie Prieto Lopez, LA28 VP of communications, confirming the executive backing.
IOC coordination commission chair Nicole Hoevertsz expressed significant confidence in LA28, declaring, “This was the best CoCom ever.” Her statement emphasized that the LA28 team is prepared, and the Games are progressing successfully, managed by a qualified and capable team.
Following the seventh coordination commission visit since Los Angeles received the Games in 2017, Hoevertsz and IOC Olympic Games executive director Christophe Dubi praised LA28’s record sponsorship dollars and ticket sales as indicators that the 2028 Games are moving in the right direction. LA28 has secured $2 billion in sponsorship and licensing deals, nearing its $2.5 billion goal. Anticipated as the primary revenue source, domestic sponsorship is crucial for funding the privately organized Games. The second-largest revenue contributor, ticketing and hospitality, is off to a strong start with over 4 million tickets sold during the first ticket release.
A second ticket release will begin in August. Those yet to register can sign up at tickets.la28.org before July 22 to enter the lottery.
Currently, ticket sales are focused on general venue sections rather than specific seats. LA28 CEO Hoover explained that as they finalize seating arrangements, fans will receive their seat assignments. Echoing FIFA World Cup experiences where ticket categories changed close to the event, raising frustrations, Hoover assured fans that LA28 would avoid similar situations.
“We’re not pulling a bait and switch on you,” Hoover told The Times.
He noted LA28 observes FIFA World Cup operations, especially for spectator transport. However, he acknowledged that the scale of eight World Cup matches in Los Angeles doesn’t compare to the 2028 Olympics. The upcoming Olympics will be the largest, hosting nearly 11,000 athletes, followed by the longest and the first Paralympics in L.A.