With USATF’s revenue remaining flat for a decade despite inflation and a historic Nike deal, and now facing both internal upheaval and legal disputes, what specific strategic missteps or missed opportunities, such as in media rights, grassroots development, or commercial innovation, have contributed to the federation’s stagnation, and what structural reforms are realistically possible before LA28 to reverse course?
USATF just completed is highest ever revenue producing year in 2024. Not sure where you get flat? Is that fact or a narrative you are trying to push due to unnecessary hatred towards the organization or individuals that lead it? Get off the band wagon, because it’s going to overturn soon.
USATF's revenue is largely FLAT. for the last decade
In the most recently reported annual financials, as reported by ProPublica, USATF's revenue was $35 million in 2023. Their revenue in 2016 was $35 million. That's the definition of flat. If you factor in inflation, it was down 21.2%.
Is that crazy? Not really. USA swimming's revenue is largely similar over the last decade. To me, what is unacceptable is the executive compensation. USATF's executive compensation is 11.6% of revenue. For USA Swimming, it's 4.9%.
Since 2013, the IRS has released data culled from millions of nonprofit tax filings. Use this database to find organizations and see details like their executive compensation, revenue and expenses, as well as download tax fil...
Since 2013, the IRS has released data culled from millions of nonprofit tax filings. Use this database to find organizations and see details like their executive compensation, revenue and expenses, as well as download tax fil...
So the execs pocket nearly one out of every eight dollars of revenue as compensation for their hard work to (1) lose money year over year, (2) utterly fail at hosting WRRCs despite much smaller orgs like oh i don't know the LATVIAN ATHLETICS ASSOCIATION managing it just fine, (3) screw up three separate north american track meets in the same season, (4) nearly drop the ball on USATF juniors too, ...anything else? Oh right (5) deal themselves into totally self-serving corrupt gigs! Wonderful.
More of the same BS. Our sport is slowing dying. The athletes are performing despite the endless drama, egos, infighting and mismanagement. They deserve better.
It's nice that Phil has student interns in charge of TUSA, USATF, RS, FT, Cit Rag, Dyestat, and so on. Phil brings in outside foreign students too to give everyone a real hands-on education. But did he have to fire so many people? RS and the timing people just got fired after many years. Maybe Phil should transfer HF to his Nike NFL/NBA/NHL/MLB design unt in NY/LA that pays seven figures, six figures for new hires.
roman emperor Claudius once said " let all the poison which lurks in the mud hatch out"
I'm pretty sure he also had Syphilis. But he was underrated. Dope book and just as dope BBC miniseries. Young Sir Patrick Stewart was doing all the plowing backstage at the history playes
USATF just completed is highest ever revenue producing year in 2024. Not sure where you get flat? Is that fact or a narrative you are trying to push due to unnecessary hatred towards the organization or individuals that lead it? Get off the band wagon, because it’s going to overturn soon.
Revenue is only one aspect of the bottom line. What were their expenses?
People blame Max, but the Stevens Sports Act of 1978 stipulate Oly orgs have to take care of Youth, Masters, etc. as a non-profit maintenance function, as opposed to a for-profit small town A-League baseball club. Max has to take care of everyone not just LDR and HP. His job is more akin to the Lions CEO or American Legion CEO vs an NBA team CEO.
People blame Max, but the Stevens Sports Act of 1978 stipulate Oly orgs have to take care of Youth, Masters, etc. as a non-profit maintenance function, as opposed to a for-profit small town A-League baseball club. Max has to take care of everyone not just LDR and HP. His job is more akin to the Lions CEO or American Legion CEO vs an NBA team CEO.
Sure, but that's not where much of the money is being spent. Youth and masters might cause headaches for Max sometimes but they are not the reason USATF is broke.
A large chunk of our expenses have been spent on events, elite athlete support, large executive salaries, and self-inflicted litigation. The first two are things we should be spending money on, the second two are things we have overspent on.
14
0
I can hand you a $20 bill and no one will ever know
People blame Max, but the Stevens Sports Act of 1978 stipulate Oly orgs have to take care of Youth, Masters, etc. as a non-profit maintenance function, as opposed to a for-profit small town A-League baseball club. Max has to take care of everyone not just LDR and HP. His job is more akin to the Lions CEO or American Legion CEO vs an NBA team CEO.
Sure, but that's not where much of the money is being spent. Youth and masters might cause headaches for Max sometimes but they are not the reason USATF is broke.
A large chunk of our expenses have been spent on events, elite athlete support, large executive salaries, and self-inflicted litigation. The first two are things we should be spending money on, the second two are things we have overspent on.
After 2021 Tokyo, USATF was taken over by Nike Beaverton. USATF fired a boatload of people who had been there for decades. High school and college kids were given the chance to learn sports management. Max may make seven figures per year but Phil Knight has eleven figures in the bank. Phil Knight can pay off all red balances at USATF, WA, DL, UK Athletics, NCAA T&F has with his Bit Coin stash secretly, completely hidden and secret.
People blame Max, but the Stevens Sports Act of 1978 stipulate Oly orgs have to take care of Youth, Masters, etc. as a non-profit maintenance function, as opposed to a for-profit small town A-League baseball club. Max has to take care of everyone not just LDR and HP. His job is more akin to the Lions CEO or American Legion CEO vs an NBA team CEO.
Sure, but that's not where much of the money is being spent. Youth and masters might cause headaches for Max sometimes but they are not the reason USATF is broke.
A large chunk of our expenses have been spent on events, elite athlete support, large executive salaries, and self-inflicted litigation. The first two are things we should be spending money on, the second two are things we have overspent on.
WC22 and OT24 was the nail in the coffin for USATF. Since then NYGP, Bermuda Games, LAGP have bit the dust. I thought 2025 a post-Olympic year would be bad. But the bleeding from the Eugene sink hole has really made 2025 the worst year for USATF ever.
With USATF’s revenue remaining flat for a decade despite inflation and a historic Nike deal, and now facing both internal upheaval and legal disputes, what specific strategic missteps or missed opportunities, such as in media rights, grassroots development, or commercial innovation, have contributed to the federation’s stagnation, and what structural reforms are realistically possible before LA28 to reverse course?
The Nike deal was historically dumb. An exclusive sponsorship deal with completely flat revenue for 23 years straight? The annual payments have already lost 37% of their value due to inflation since it was inked in 2014! Just wait until 2040, USATF will be running on a shoestring budget.
We would have to change the law to allow USATF to spin off for-profit teams. Ideally we would have East, South, Central, Mountain, West, N California, and So Cal teams or something like that. But then the problem would be Hollywood streamers would buy up everyone and it would become like the NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, etc is today all owned by Hollywood Corps with HQs in New York City incorporated in Delaware. Charity Orgs though are inefficient with hanger on-ners not doing any work, taking selfies on the infield of play. Non-Profits are full of bloat and do-nothings. We see it from the stands as too many volunteers and children of Nike execs cajoling and socializing around and texting during races at T&F meets.
