WSJ: USA Track & Field Dominates the Olympics. It’s Also Been Bleeding Cash

Does the article dig deeper on the reasoning behind the salary? Like possibly for example, as suggested around here, it was a kickback-deal for getting Nike’s preferential collaring (defacto ownership) of this so-called ‘sport’?😆

Maybe the javelin problem could be solved by, I dunno, using different stadiums to hold their events ??😆

So just don't bother with events in the only purpose-built athletics stadium in the country, where like it or not, the public actually care the most about the sport? All because the javelins are a pain to get onto the field? Maybe you should work at the USATF homie.

Who contributes the most money to USATF???

Who watches Track and Field Meets in person?? Just High School kids and College kids?? Does the USATF know demographics?

Article was good. Put into print something j had heard (late payments for LA grand Prix).

Feel like it missed one big one- the Nike contract isn’t indexed for inflation.

Siegel’s bonuses used to be guaranteed? Unbelievable.

Crazy he got an extension in the middle of this. The Board needs to do their job.

If USATF is doing great the do a better job communicating how.

The one thing I want to know more about is this:
The U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee, which oversees individual sports bodies, late last year instructed USATF to hire an outside law firm to undertake an independent review. That review is ongoing, the USOPC said.

An independent review of the finances? Is this common?

The article notes celebration of the Nike deal in 2014. I remember it was universally reviled. A 20 year deal for 'almost' 500 million, meaning at most $21.7 million per year. Way back when it was openly known that the last 10 years of the deal would be a cheap discount for Nike, Thanks to Covid and the inflation since then, this amount is a puny amount of revenue. Now USATF has dug itself into a hole and will remain there for at least another 5-6 years.

The revenue of the organization is in the low $30 million. Siegel being paid over $1 million annually is ridiculous.

"haven't had a leader" and "javelin access woes" are both the fault of USATF. They have been delegating responsibilities to the wrong people for the wrong reasons since ever. Mitchell is a prime example for that.

blaming USATF for the jav cart situation at Hayward is hilarious. Should USATF be responsible for all the stadium dimensions at every track and field complex in America?

Also, I hate that I have to go to Hayward every year to coach at USA’s, would love to go to Drake or Penn or even Texas, literally anywhere thats different and doesn’t take a full day to get to and from. But they’re also the only place that usually bids, and Hayward is definitely the best tf stadium in America.

USATF has a ton of flaws at the top. But the ground floor is getting better. They’ve made a few strategic hires that have really moved the needle. Unfortunately they’re only able to move small rocks off the mountain of poo that folks like Max have built over the years.

Point being, everyone complains but few do anything about it. Want a different location for nats? Help put together a bid. Want athletes to be paid more? Attend more meets or engage with the athletes on socials. Disagree with a policy somewhere? Get on a committee and advocate for it. Nothings getting better unless we, as fans of the sport, do something about it.

You are incorrect. But keep living in your delusion. Keep buying the drivel your corporate overlords feed you.

Max Siegel's problem isn't that does not behave like a for-profit CEO. His problem, in regards to USATF, is that he does behave like a for-profit CEO.

Extraction of resources for personal gain and the gain of the few is for-profit CEO and for-profit behavior. For-profit corporations don't allow the wealth and benefits to trickle down to their workforce or benefit the consumers who buy their goods/services.

Kind of like how some argue USATF benefits from the hard work of the athletes, but does little to benefit those athletes or the numerous volunteers who help support the organization.

Your argument fails, is ignorant, and is part of the problem. But, hey, doubt I could convince you or your ilk otherwise—you will believe what fat cats in power tell you to like the good sheep you are.

To be honest, though, I do not think USATF is as bad as folks make it out to be. Yes, I am not a fan of the behavior of some at the top. However, USATF does benefit athletes—or, at least, it benefits a select few elites.

There is certainly need for improvement, and I fear the current approach is not sustainable. Then again, can you show me a better run track and field governing body? If so, how does the size of the nation it covers compare to the USA?

What USATF and its people try to do is difficult. It is not easy. They do well, even if they could do better.

Nevertheless, the idea a "for-profit" entity could do even better, or be more efficient? Laughable. You have not worked in enough large companies or organizations if you believe that.

Someone who works in a cubicle at a Fortune 500 company filling out a team report form to go along with their division report form and is reading this in another window is smirking at your foolishness. Go be you, sweet summer child . . . go be happy in your ignorance.

100% agree with this post. The article and sources were from a few salty individuals. I won’t lower to their levels so feel free to speculate who they are.

The problem with the article is that it does not focused on the line items leading to the lose, without any substance as too what the expenses are. The organization spent more money then ever on the Olympics, resurfaced the track at USATF pre-games camp site, flew in personal coaches and support staff for the athletes which has never been done and paid the athletes more in support dollars then ever before. They are also repaying the debt for the World Championships that should have never have been their problem but bailing out others and a chunk of the loses was also distributed team gear to the athletes and coaches. Even though it is in kind items it still has to be reported as a lose when it leaves inventory moves out of their hands.

People should really get the facts before making comments. Could things be better? Hell yeah! However, the organization is healthier then it has ever been and has only seen positive growth over the past 10-15 years. The hatred that people show towards and organization because they don’t like their leaders is disgusting. Be part of the solution, if you want things to change show up and vote, volunteer and purchase tickets to attend meets.

Nothing is bleeding except hatred, won’t share my opinion on why the hated is there since it will cause to many nasty responses.

Yeah, OK Max.

Sign of the times. That's all. USATF replaced jobs with retried HS coaches on a Pro Bono no expenses basis, outsourced other jobs to India for 1/10 the cost. Swag is held by Amazon Fulfillment warehouses.

True. The U.S. is great in track & field despite USATF's bungling, bloated salaries for its leaders and incompetence.

Agreed. In a mostly-volunteer organization in which multiple event bids have fallen through, state organizations have trouble getting feedback from the national one, and volunteers have such a problem getting direction or feedback—why is leadership making so much money?

I can understand paying good fundraisers because of what they can bring in, to some degree, but that also seems to be an issue. Yet, the leadership is still making so much money?

The two big metrics of paying leadership—(1) competence in operational management, and (2) fundraising/financial growth/stability—both seem to be stagnant or failing.

Which leads to this big question: What the heck is the Board doing?

Completely agree that this is on the board at this point. They have failed to hold Max accountable for years and have fallen for his powers of persuasion, which are very strong and what he spends most of his energy on. Instead of holding him accountable, they have allowed his spending to get out of control and paid HIM millions more than he deserved. I hope the USOPC investigation is damning and we can steer back on course. I don't see anyone holding Max (and Renee) accountable at this point but the USOPC.

Nike Does.

Sort of shocked to see who is on the board:

usatf.org

USA Track & Field | Board of Directors

Open link

Some people I respect.

But it's a large board, 21 voting members if I'm reading correctly and my guess is with a large board there is a lot of inertia. No one wants to go out on a limb and rock the boat and be the "bad guy", so things just continue as they have in the past.

I was on a large community board in my old town. They put on local events and it was a great thing. Most of the stuff I agreed with but there were a few things I wondered about, but generally I felt they weren't worth stirring the pot on.

Just found this. Looks like a case study on USATF:

store.darden.virginia.edu

USA Track & Field: Getting Its Governance on Track

This public-sourced case set in May 2020 examines various corporate governance issues that have arisen for the nonprofit USA Track & Field (USATF). The case’s protagonist is board member Tricia Myers who considers how the boa...

Open link

.

Think this might be a free overview:

ideas.darden.virginia.edu

USA Track & Field: To Field Challenges, You Need the Board on Track | Darden Ideas to Action

Governance: It’s easy to focus on issues as they arise, rather than long-term vision and getting ahead of problems. A case that shows the importance of focusing on mission, strategy and communication with stakeholders: USA Tr...

Open link

I disagree with the majority of posters here. Max is a "caretaker" fraternal CEO of a volunteer organization like the Lions Club, VFW. Mason's, etc. He's supposed to promote and preserve Youth, Masters, Paras, etc in addition to LDR and High Performance.When he 1st began as CEO, folks were excited that a former Hollywood exec would take us to million $salaries and Billion $ TV Productions rather that fake indie TV from low-balling donors. But Max stayed true to the mission of preserving the ENTIRE organization.