In a recent analysis by The Sports Examiner, the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee’s 2024 Demographic data on membership totals across all national governing bodies (NGBs) shows that USA Swimming ranks fifth-largest in the country, based on the 2024 self-reported membership figures.
Swimming trails USA Softball, USA Tennis Association, and USA Volleyball in the rankings.
Top 10 NGBs by membership totals (national team members):
- USA Softball – 1,000,000 (128)
- USA Tennis Association – 700,934 (29)
- USA Hockey – 627,690 (138)
- USA Volleyball – 476,185 (263)
- USA Swimming – 413,729 (108 in 2023)
- USA Wrestling – 344,500 (139)
- USA Triathlon – 301,861 (18)
- US Figure Skating – 245,986 (411)
- USA Gymnastics (2023) – 195,040 (142)
- USA Track and Field 129,178 (286)
In 2019, USA Swimming ranked 2nd, only behind the US Tennis Association (411,675 to 620,292).
Softball, which holds that top spot, took a massive leap during the pandemic, with over 120,000 teams across youth and adult leagues nationwide. They reported 563,808 in 2020, then were shown as 104,686 in 2021, 132,639 in 2022, and then one million in 2023 and 2024 (per the Sports Examiner)
It is worth noting that participation in high school, NCAA, or other sports-sponsoring levels is not accounted for in the data.
Both swimming and track & field, though, contribute heavily to the U.S.’s Olympic medal haul, but can be found well outside the top spots.
Sports like soccer, basketball, golf, and baseball show zero members. The reason for that is that their “licensed players” are part of other organizations (youth, adult leagues, clubs, NCAA, professional leagues, etc.). The U.S. Soccer Federation is estimated to have 4.2 million members.
It’s a massive failure of USA Swimming that a merger with YMCA Swimming hasn’t happened yet.
1,000,000 softball members? not 999,999 or 1,000,001? Seems fishy…
No surprises here. Softball no doubt took the leap during the pandemic due to it being an “outside” sport. Wonder where lacrosse ranks? Got to be up there as well. Tennis and hockey have the draw of being “professional sports” while some of the other popular sports have their competitions defined in terms of games/matches which have time limits. This “time” factor is the big draw for many families and where USA Swimming needs to continue to get creative. Pool availability continues to be a challenge in many states. Even though ice rinks are a limited commodity, somehow hockey seems to skirt that problem with big numbers. Families that love swimming will continue to swim. Drawing new ones in continues… Read more »
I mentioned this elsewhere. When Hinchey was fired, complaints were loud on both the National Team side and the grassroots side. We’ve seen lots of attempts to improve things on the National Team side. What has been done on the grassroots side? The HOD agreed to raise club dues significantly, but are we paying more for the same?