The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has approved multiple changes for the upcoming 2020 Summer Olympics. The games held in the Olympics have been modified many times since the first one was held in 1896; for the upcoming 2020 games, a few more sports have been added including karate, skateboarding, and surfing. However, two other additions- which have gained the most attention- are baseball and three-on-three basketball.

One sport in particular that was introduced in 1904, but was discontinued after North Korea won the gold in 2008, was baseball.  Finally the IOC has decided to bring the sport back.  However, a lot of the top players in countries such as the United States and Cuba, may not be able to represent their national team due to scheduling.  Unless Major League Baseball (MLB) creates a two-week break in the season, or allows players to leave their teams for those two weeks, many of the top players will be unavailable for the Olympics.  Thankfully, the IOC and the MLB still have over two years to figure out this conflict.

The other sport that will be featured in the 2020 Olympics is three-on-three basketball.  This is significant for the IOC because three-on-three basketball will give the Olympics a stronger urban atmosphere than it has ever had before.  Three-on-three basketball experimented with youth tournaments since 2010 and is rapidly gaining international interest.  What makes it different is that shots behind the arc count as two points, while shots made inside the arc count as one.  Three-on-three basketball will give an alternative to five-on-five basketball, which has previously in Olympic years been dominated by the U.S.

 With baseball making a comeback and the addition of three-on-three basketball, the Olympics look to draw in more viewers than ever before.