Former USA Swimming Exec Matt Farrell to Head U.S. Figure Skating
U.S. Figure Skating on Tuesday hired Matt Farrell as its Chief Executive Officer. Farrell spent 13 years as USA Swimming’s Chief Marketing Officer.
Farrell has spent more than 30 years in various management positions, a large part of that with sporting bodies within the Olympic movement, including with the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee. His longest stint was with USA Swimming, where he worked from 2005-18.
Farrell led USA Swimming’s sponsorship, marketing, social media, PR, digital strategies, event marketing and strategic planning. He started as a managing director and was promoted in 2008 to CMO.
Farrell previously worked for the USOPC (then the USOC) in the late 1990s as a manager of online projects, then from 2000-05 as its associate director of its entertainment properties, including partnerships with Yahoo! and NBC, as well as the program to revive the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame.
“I’m incredibly honored to step into this role at such an exciting time for U.S. Figure Skating,” Farrell said in a U.S. Figure Skating press release. “With an historic Worlds behind us and the 2026 Olympics in Milano Cortina ahead, there’s a fresh sense of momentum and possibility across the sport. In the months to come, I’m eager to collaborate with our amazing athletes, passionate fans and dedicated partners to keep growing the community we all care so deeply about.”
Farrell also worked in marketing at Warner Brothers Home Video division. He left USA Swimming to spend two years at the Golf Channel and was most recently the president of Farrell Sports, working with various new sporting ventures, including League One Volleyball and various pickleball expansions. He also worked with the USOPC, USA Wrestling and USA Football in that capacity. He and his wife, 1984 Olympic silver medalist gymnast Michelle Dusserre Farrell, live in Colorado Springs, where U.S. Figure Skating is headquartered.
“It’s clear that Matt brings the expertise and vision needed to lead U.S. Figure Skating through the lead-up to the 2026 Olympics and beyond,” said interim CEO Sam Auxier, who is stepping down to resume his role as president. “His proven leadership within the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic movement, combined with his deep knowledge of the sports industry and bold, strategic thinking will help accelerate the sport and the organization into a new era of growth and success. I would like to thank board members Jackie Chang and Tina Lundgren for all of their work co-chairing the CEO search committee that led us here.”
Farrell takes control of the organization with less than a year to the 2026 Olympics in Milan Cortina.
