TORONTO, Ont. – With all eyes on the 2012 London Olympic Games, a lesser known sporting event is preparing to capture international attention in Toronto, Ont., in three years, with the 2015 Pan Am Games.

The Pan Am Games are second in size only to the Olympic Games — 36 sports and 8,000 athletes from across North and South America.

Sports marketing expert Richard Powers, at the Rotman School of Management, told 680News they’re a big deal.

“Toronto — this is our opportunity to showcase the city to the world,” Powers said.

But he understands if they’re not on everyone’s radar at the moment. “We’ve got a a lot of time to go here. Once the facilities start rising — they see the new veldrome being build, the aquatic centre — that will get people’s attention,” he added.

Many of the events are Olympic qualifiers.