The United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) is considering opening up the commercial rights of Team USA to private investors through the sale of a stake in a new business entity. The initiative, which is at an advanced stage of development, aims to raise capital and generate new sources of revenue to finance the growth of the American Olympic and Paralympic movement, as the country approaches the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.
The project involves the creation of United States Olympic and Paralympic Ventures (USOPV), a structure that would allow strategic partners to participate in the commercial exploitation of the national team’s rights. The deal would represent a significant shift in the organization’s financial model, which relies primarily on sponsorships, licensing and commercial agreements to support its activities, unlike other Olympic committees that receive government funding.
USOPC seeks private investment to strengthen its commercial rights
The initiative has been in preparation for several months and has already attracted interest from potential investors. According to minutes from USOPC board meetings, its chief executive, Sarah Hirshland, reported that preliminary discussions with potential strategic and financial partners had generated positive responses. According to Sky News, the organization is also receiving advice from investment bank Raine Group, which reportedly estimated that the project could be valued at billions of dollars.
Hirshland explained that the USOPV business model is still under development and declined to provide specific details about the final structure of the operation. However, she noted that the organization has been preparing for this transition for more than two years. The move coincides with the end of its current commercial partnership with LA28, known as United States Olympic and Paralympic Properties. This change opens the possibility of establishing an independent structure to manage Team USA’s commercial assets beyond a single Olympic edition.
Los Angeles 2028 and Salt Lake City 2034 shape the team’s commercial future
The upcoming Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games represent an opportunity to capitalize on international interest in American sports and the commercial appeal of its athletes. The United States regularly ranks among the leading nations in the Olympic medal standings and features internationally renowned figures such as Simone Biles, as well as NBA stars and leading track and field athletes. Following the Los Angeles Games, the country will once again take center stage on the Olympic calendar with the Salt Lake City 2034 Winter Olympic Games, an event that the USOPC also intends to incorporate into its growth strategy.
In this regard, Hirshland stated that the goal is to build a sustainable commercial structure that can integrate both future host cities and the organizations responsible for staging the Games. The USOPC said it is evaluating different alternatives to generate additional resources for athletes and national governing bodies while preserving its mission and governance structure. The initiative reflects a growing trend among sports organizations seeking private capital to develop their commercial assets, although there have also been examples of resistance, such as FIFA and its proposal to create a $20 billion subsidiary to manage the commercial rights to its competitions, a plan that was ultimately abandoned following widespread criticism.
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