Photo: U.S. Ski and Snowboard
U.S. Ski & Snowboard is still looking to add sports to its roster. Following a failed takeover as surfing’s governing body (and an ongoing run at skateboarding), the organization is now making a bid at taking control of the U.S. Biathlon Association.
The U.S. Biathlon Association’s (USBA) board of directors is set to vote on the plan Wednesday. As the AP reports, CEO Jack Gierhart told members that the offer was considered due to the fact that the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee is cutting 22 percent of its funding and sponsors are pulling back. In return, USSS CEO Sophie Goldschmidt promises to “help take biathlon to the next level.”
Last year’s move by the USSS to become the governing body of surfing immediately proved to be controversial, with widespread opposition from both surfing organizations and members of the general surfing public. Both the WSL an ISA voiced their support for USA Surfing, the current governing body that was forced to abdicate its control over the sport following a series of financial and governance issues. Ultimately, USSS withdrew, citing “public attacks and uninformed legal threats instead of constructive dialogue and engagement” from the rival organization.
The move to acquire U.S. Biathlon has unsurprisingly been met with similar pushback, though it is unclear if it will be enough to sink the effort as it did with surfing. “The overwhelming consensus is that everyone is terrified of destroying the longterm future of the organization for possible short-term financial gain,” wrote biathletes Jon Schafer and Marc Sheppard in an analysis of the potential merger. Biathlon, a sport that combines cross-country skiing with rifle marksmanship, seemingly makes more sense than surfing did, though, as it is snow based.
For its part, U.S. Biathlon maintains that it will maintain its identity under the merger. “U.S. Biathlon will retain its authority and responsibilities under the Ted Stevens Act, with the U.S. Biathlon Board continuing as the governing body responsible for governance of the sport of biathlon in the United States,” wrote the organization in a press release, adding that “U.S. Biathlon will retain ownership and use of its brand assets, including its marks and intellectual property, while enabling U.S. Ski & Snowboard to assist with the creation of additional revenue through its extensive commercial program. This structure will preserve the U.S. Biathlon identity while creating additional revenue opportunities to support our athletes and the growth and sustainability of the sport.”
