Who would YOU like to see as the CEO of USATF ?

Mary Wittenberg

I've heard some inside folks say they were interested in Ueberroth, too

Eddie Grant wrote:

Peter Ueberroth.

David Stern.

Both took struggling sports-related enterprises (olympics and nba, respectively), and turned them into monumental successes. Both know how to utilize current talent/personalities, media, etc. Both (I've heard) are TandF fans. Both grew up when TandF was more universal/well-known in the common household. Both in the twighlight of their careers and could be interested in leading a resurgence of TandF in the US as part of their legacy.

sjc wrote:

vin.

Diesel?

nah, they could never get him

I would like to see a TV station CEO/Prez or Division I Athletic Director take the helm of USATF. Mike Garrett, or give me some names...

Here are my top 3 picks:

1. Tom Selleck-can do that thing with his eyebrows, and he drives a ferrari

2. Tupac-will raise the profile of T&F from the grave

3. Lauren Fleshman-couldn't do any worse than her predecessors, and is easy on the eyes

A Possible Fix for USATF - Just one person's idea

1. Divide the organization into a minimum of four units each responsible to CEO, who is answerable to Board of Directors - as is the case with most businesses that are public.

2. Division consists of Yourth Sports, Masters, Amateur and Professional. Each unit will have a Director fully versed in that area of expertise. The only involvment in road running is collecting dues from those who race in RRC sponsored events. Let RRC be otherwise independent, they do a good job.

3. All Divisions under the auspices of USATF are accountable to CEO and adhere to principles and policies set up by CEO and Board of Directors.

Goals for each group

Youth Sports - participation - monies allocated to Youth Sports is primarily based on increases in participation within each "francise" be it state or area, if more than one youth :francise" in state (NoCal - SoCal). Directors develop standard programs based on principle that any activity taking longer than 1.5 hours is boring and takes away from developing the sport. (Note main competition is soccer, a sport where you don't see tents set up prior to games.

Masters and Amateur Participation and Competition- Create State Championships and Regional Championships that provides opportunities for Masters and Amateurs to compete in meaningful competition. No meet shall last longer than 3 hours, so meet organization is paramount. No prize money or gifts beyond $100 resulting in no need for expensive drug testing. Emphasis is on fun competition (think Sunday morning softball leagues).

Professional - Run by high profile individual with serious background in management of talent and meet management. Create a series of 6-10 meets around locales in US that appreciate track and field and have events where a minimum of 10-12 athletes compete at professional level. Accountability is based on attendance figures, with meet promoters being rewarded for increased attendance, and certain levels of attendance (10,000 - 20,000). Monetary purses for top 5 in those events that have a minimum of 10-12 legitimate competitors. This money is beyond any other funding an athlete gets. Limit number of events to keep meet short and interesting. Thus, meets should last no longer than 2 hours with event broadcast live or delayed tape within 24 hours. All meets will be posted live on webpage of USATF. Posting of winnings and performance listings by event of top 5 on a weekly basis. Create track and field categories (Sprints, Distance, Jumps, Throws) overall winner money winner in each category wins extra $100,000 at end of season.

The CEO does not have to be a major track and field personality, rather he or she needs to have been involved in Olympic sports of one kind or another that has grown over the past 10-20 years. This person is the policy maker, promoter, fund raiser and creater of ideas. Each Division head, however, needs to have expertise in their division. So, the goal should be that there is a hiring of a CEO and a hiring, under the guidance of the CEO and Board of Directors, of at least 4 Division leaders.

All answer to the Board of Directors, since the Board is the group that is elected to oversee all operations. However, the CEO has the autonomy and ability to move in new directions, with the Board's approval, to develop and grow USATF.

This is a quick version of some of my thoughts and ideas...

This is what happens when you have a lot of time on your hands....:-)

I vote Rojo for CEO. You might think I'm joking, but fewer people are as in-touch with the actual pulse of American interest in the sport. He has also shown a willingness to talk to everyone in the business and probably has a bigger network than most track and field people who have gone through life mostly concerned with their own career.

1st of all unload the USATF Board of Directors and replace them with accomplished Professional Sports or TV Media executives. The CEO should be a proven TV channel CEO or Sports League / Team CEO. Split off pro athletes from the rest and have the Pro division HQ on Wilshire Blvd & Westwood Blvd in the middle of the Los Angeles sports/TV industry.

I don't know about these particular ideas, but I think you're onto something here. To me, the person is less important than what a new CEO should do. These goals and vision give some indication of who the CEO should be.

Carol Lewis, assuming they pay you in burgers

The better question is who in their right mind would want this job, considering the board of directors and Hightower's reputation? It's a no-win situation for whoever takes the job.

Several people have mentioned good candidates, and some have also mentioned that those same candidates would only take the job if they lost their mind! My point exactly.

I think an even better question is, does it really matter?

The USATF still has to operate under the USOC. Which still operates under the quaint paradigm of quasi amateurism. It's not like the next person who comes is going to have the kind of authority over an organization like David Stern or Roger Goodell. Most people couldn't name the organization that governs professional (or otherwise) track and field in the US.

All of the participation in t&f/xc/road racing goes on regardless of what the USATF does. The US continues to produce world class t&f athletes regardless of who is in charge at USATF, regardless of new strategic policies/plans laid down by USATF, regardless of which crony or power tripper is in charge whatever committee at USATF. "Grassroots" development in the US is done at the high school level by high school coaches and coaches associations.

TV Exec wrote:

1st of all unload the USATF Board of Directors and replace them with accomplished Professional Sports or TV Media executives. The CEO should be a proven TV channel CEO or Sports League / Team CEO. Split off pro athletes from the rest and have the Pro division HQ on Wilshire Blvd & Westwood Blvd in the middle of the Los Angeles sports/TV industry.

Do you ever tire of spouting this same line of crap in every thread? I thought not.

Shoebacca wrote:

I vote Rojo for CEO. You might think I'm joking, but fewer people are as in-touch with the actual pulse of American interest in the sport. He has also shown a willingness to talk to everyone in the business and probably has a bigger network than most track and field people who have gone through life mostly concerned with their own career.

Thanks for the compliment but I want to officially state, "Not interested." Sadly, the $600,000 salary the job offers is just way too far below what I plan on making each of the next few years.

I'm pretty confident the big salaries football coaches get will soon spread to Ivy League cross country coaches.

I would agree that the big problem is not the CEO but the board of directors and volunteer committees. To call some of them dead weight is an insult to dead weight.

Yanqui wrote:

Plus, she has small children and I'm pretty sure she wants to raise them in NYC.

Anyone who thinks NYC is a place to raise children is bent beyond repair.

Harry Groves.

LOL

Frank Shorter

easily the best choice, not that he would consider it, would be Tracy Sundlun. Look what he did with Elite Racing/Competitor Group in a relatively short time...