Rights Holder Spotlight

RIGHTS HOLDER SPOTLIGHT

Adam Andrasko

What is your title and how long have you held the position with USA Artistic Swimming?

CEO – 3.5 years

What is your current organizational structure under the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee?

As an organization we are a stand alone 501c3. As the recognized NGB for artistic swimming we are directly connect to the USOPC in multiple ways. The governance of the Ted Stevens Act/Empowering Olympic and Paralympics Act, SafeSport, and a few additional categories. This also means that we are the entity responsible for developing and selecting the National Team and in turn receive a level of support from the USOPC.

What is the % breakdown of your revenue? (memberships, sponsorships, event income over expenses, program fees, grants, etc.)

https://www.teamusa.org/usa-artistic-swimming/about-usa-artistic-swimming/governance-reports Our 990 can be found here, but to make it easy 60% is membership, 30% is events/certifications/programs and the remainder is sponsorship/philanthropy/USOPC Grants

What have been your biggest challenges thus far in 2022?

The impacts of COVID are still relevant in our membership numbers. That is a big factor in the way we are able to operate, but I have an incredible team and throughout the trials and tribulations we have been incredibly nimble, creative and smart. I don’t see anything as a “biggest” challenge. That said, I would be remised not to suggest that operating everyday as a small NGB is not a big challenge. Expectations are incredibly high from multiple constituents and margins (revenue and human resources) are incredibly small.

Recently you began paying your National Team members. How were you able to make that happen and what has been the response from the athletes?

This is an important area for those that follow Olympic sport to understand. As the NGB we fully fund the training of our national team. Approximately $800k of $1.7 million funds the national team training, travel, coaching, etc. We don’t have the funds to directly pay the athletes.

This is where the USOPC connection comes into play. Part of our approximately $170k of approximately $350k National Team Funding from the USOPC is used to fund our athletes. Paying athletes a nominal amount to pursue their dreams is a big step for USAAS, but I used the term nominal with purpose. We are not even close to paying our athletes the amount they deserve. Fortunately our athletes have seen success at international competition in 2022 and as a result they will receive prize money that I hope will get them above the poverty line. USAAS will strive to do more, but as I have previously shared the margins are narrower than most businesses could imagine.

In a competitive Olympic landscape, how do you set your sport apart?

The sport is called ARTISTIC Swimming. The sport name requires us to be creative. Every member of the 9 person staff lives that each day. We think differently, we act differently, we are simply different and being different has made us more successful than most imagined this organization could be.

Remember we were the best in the world. We were very far from that 3.5 years ago, but because of incredible athletes, coaches, members, volunteers, employees, we are back in the to conversation and if you sit in my seat, that is what is most amazing.

What are you looking for most in a destination RFP response?

If you have a pool prioritize a USA Artistic Swimming event. We have proven numbers, our athletes are fantastic humans, our staff will make it easy on you and the venue. Artistic Swimming national and international events are an easy win for any city that has a pool. Support it and we will come.

How does the dynamic work between the office in Colorado and the National Team training in California?

It is approximately 1,000 miles from COS to LA. We are one team. We Move As One is the organization slogan and the staff lives it. We each have our specific roles, but everyone sees how they impact each other. The athletes and coaches know who the office staff is, they realize that their work, generates revenue that supports their work. The simple synergy is that everyone is giving all that they have. That is all a leader can ask for and I am so fortunate to be a part of a company that has athletes, staff and beyond that do that.

Recently USA Artistic Swimming and FINA created a Virtual World Series event via webcast. How did that concept come to fruition as the logistics between the international governing body and countries across the globe had to be tedious?

To date there have not been three virtual world series events supported by FINA. The USA has hosted or cohosted two of the three. COVID had far more negatives than positives, but through the pandemic we were forced to do things differently and that is what the Virtual events were.

Because the nature of our sport does not require us to compete directly against an opponent we are able to video the routines and have them judges in this format. That makes it sound easy. Tedious is the word that you used, but I would say collaborative is the leading word. Athletes needed and wanted to compete.

This opened the door. We coordinated a detailed schedule, pulled together a plan that we “believed would work” and we executed, evolved and executed again. This endeavor deserves a tip of the cap to every athlete, videographer, team leader and staff member involved. Especially those that were on the front line of it. I reflect on this endeavor and think how fortunate this sport is to have people who are so willing and capable of executing a wild idea. And they make it look so simple. It wasn’t, but it was successful.

You currently have an opening for the USA Artistic Swimming Foundation Executive Director. Presently, fundraising for all causes has evolved breeding all kinds of virtual opportunities. How do you see this vacancy growing the sport of artistic swimming?

I see philanthropy as the best revenue resource for all NGBs. This position has the opportunity to put the story of Olympians, grass roots athletes, human improvement, healthy lifestyle and more in front of people who have the capacity to give and want to give to the purest American sport dream, or to simply make their community, our country or the world a better place.

Getting to know Adam

Where would you most like to live?

I am a small town kids (Hawk Run, Pennsylvania, it even sounds small), so to live in Colorado Springs that is an ideal place for me, but with most things in my life, the path may take your somewhere else and it is my responsibility to make that place as good as it can be.

What is the most prized possession you have in your office?

I have four photos in my office that I look at every day. Wedding photo, Witt photo (oldest son), Vann photo (youngest son) and a photo of the three of us. I look at those every day and realize that what I do is important, but that is most important. Those reminders are important.

What do you enjoy doing outside of work, what are your hobbies?

I have too many. I fly fish, golf, play softball, officiate wrestling and there are a few more that take less time. Rio (my wife) would definitely call me a hobbyist. As usual she is right.

What is your favorite sporting event annually?

I am and will forever be a baseball guy, so the World Series. Yes I played football in college and officiate wrestling now, I work in Olympic sport, but baseball will always be the sport that pulls me in the most. That is not to say that I’m not pulled in by nearly every sporting event that there is.