How the L.A. '84 Olympics Changed Everything How the L.A. '84 Olympics Changed Everything Heading into the 1984 Olympics, no city wanted the Games. Afterward, everyone did. But L.A. '84 was more than a triumph of logistics: from technology to television to women's sports, nothing would ever be the same. Author: Jun 3, 2021 John W. McDonough/Sports Illustrated It had to be the least compelling competition in the history of the Olympic movement. The bid to host the Games often becomes a pitched battle, pitting one world capital against another world capital—often with significant capital changing hands. But the derby to host the 1984 Summer Games came down to two disparate municipalities: Los Angeles and . . . Tehran.