Originally published at Sports Business Journal
After Team USA triathletes claimed two medals at the Tokyo Games, doubling their all-time medal haul, USA Triathlon is aiming to further build upon the record year, according to SBJ's Chris Smith. Increased interest in the sport may help further diversify sources of income, as USA Triathlon CEO Rocky Harris believes the short-distance races can make for more compelling broadcast events.
“We believe the mixed relay can become one of the most attractive endurance sports to watch on television, which is important because we want to turn our sport from primarily a participatory sport to one that has viewers and spectators, too,” said Harris, who points to the recent success of Ironman, Professional Triathletes Organization and others.
Harris: “An increase in TV viewership will drive a broader interest in the sport, and we are working to position ourselves for LA 2028 where we can capitalize on mixed relay as must-watch TV to influence kids, similar to what swimming and gymnastics have been able to successfully do over the years.” He added that Team USA members who competed in Tokyo will play a role in further promoting the organization’s athlete development pipeline and opportunities at the collegiate level.
