Small Businesses In LA County Get Shot At Official 2028 Olympic Merchandise Deals

LOS ANGELES, CA — Small businesses in Los Angeles County can be an official licensee to use LA28 emblem on products they make locally through a program announced Tuesday.

The Los Angeles Organizing Committee for the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games shared details Tuesday of its Made for Two-Eight licensing program. Businesses who are selected for the program will be authorized to use LA28 intellectual property on their merchandise and sell approved products through official LA28 platforms during the license term.

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The agreement would begin around mid-July 2027, the one-year-out mark from the Olympic Games, and run through the end of the Paralympic Games in August 2028. Each license is category-specific, time-bound and subject to other customary terms and conditions.

As part of the announcement, LA28 said Homeboy Industries received a licensing agreement to produce apparel and other accessories.

"Our goal from day one has been to ensure the economic benefits of the Games reach our local neighborhoods," LA28 CEO Reynold Hoover said in a statement.

"Made for Two-Eight puts the LA28 brand directly into the hands of our diverse local manufacturers. When visitors arrive from around the globe, they won't just experience the Games, they'll take home the authentic creativity of Angelenos," Hoover added.

LA28 said the program is designed for Los Angeles County-based businesses that create "distinctive, tangible products sources and made in Los Angeles." Licenses will be awarded through a competitive process, and applicants must meet three requirements:

• Products must be manufactured or created at a physical facility located within Los Angeles County, with prioritization for business in the city of Los Angeles;
• Product materials should be sources from Los Angeles County. Selection will prioritize products sourcing all or virtually all materials where feasible in Los Angeles County, with additional prioritization for materials within the city of Los Angeles; and
• Businesses must qualify as a small business under the U.S. Small Business Administration size standards.

Applications will first open exclusively to businesses that manufacture or create products at physical facilities located within the city of Los Angeles. After this exclusive period, applications will then open to other eligible businesses across Los Angeles County.

"We are excited to launch our Made for Two-Eight licensing program designed exclusively for small, local businesses, and built to be as accessible as possible for them to take part," LA28 Senior Vice President of Consumer Products Peter Zeytoonjian said in a statement.

"Fans will find products at our retail locations that were designed, sourced and made in Los Angeles, and local makers will gain a new channel to reach customers from around the world," Zeytoonjian added.

Applications will open on RAMPLA.org on Oct. 30 and close in February 2027. Each application will be reviewed by LA28 to verify eligibility and select licensees, with awardees to be announced in July 2027. Standard terms and conditions for each category will be published when formal applications open.

When registering for RAMP, enable notifications and subscribe to the Sports and Entertainment Announcements and Opportunities notification to receive emails for LA28 announcements. LA28 further encourages interested businesses to connect with their local Chamber of Commerce, which will share the latest program information as it is released.

City News Service