TheETG position on the turmoil related to the Youth committee chair an executive committee folks……..

We hired our last 3 CEO’s largely around the common theme of bringing in more sponsors. The “no brainer” areas to pursue first in bringing in more sponsors obviously are companies that make things that we use in our sport or provide services that we use in our sport.
Starting blocks, timing systems, online race registration sites, etc, etc, etc.

No committee chair, no person on an executive committee in USA Track & Field should be surprised to find out at some point that company X has been granted -exclusive- rights to be the “official provider” of product X or service Z to USA Track & Field and any and all official USATF competitions.

— In my view the CEO of USA Track & Field doesn’t need to consult with committee chairs prior to signing a contract with a company as a “official provider”. We’ve fired CEO’s for failing to sign enough companies to contracts. We can’t now demand to have a thumbs up or down input and micro-manage the CEO’s job.

— In my view the CEO is wrong if he suspends anyone for violating the “official provider” exclusivity contract without first giving that committee chair and executive committee members a request that they cease and desist.

— In my view, if the CEO contacted the committee chair and executive committee members and issued a request that they cease and desist violating the “official provider” exclusivity contract……he isn’t required to ask twice. He isn’t required to grant a hearing to get their side of the story. The CEO has done his due diligence. Whatever happens after that ain’t on him.

If folks persist after being asked to cease and desist, whatever happens next is on them.

If they feel they were doing the right thing, they should own it.
When you choose the behavior you choose the consequences.

We can’t have 20 CEO’s all with authority to decide that an “official provider” will be a kinda sorta “official provider” with somewhat exclusivity rights.

If we don’t like the companies that the CEO has chosen as an “official provider” there is recourse in all manner of ways other than to persist in violating the exclusivity clause of a contract…..and by way of those actions, telling other companies that you might go rogue on them as well if they are so foolish as to sign a contract with USA Track & Field.
Your actions tell companies that the CEO has no control or authority because any one or more committee chairs might decide for themselves what companies they’ll do business with.