USOPC First Billion-Dollar NOC, Swimming Among Highest Funding Priorities

The USOPC concluded 2024 with more than $1 billion in total assets — a milestone no other National Olympic Committee has ever reached, according to The Sports Examiner.

Fueled by a record Olympic-year revenue, positive investment returns, and solid sponsor support, the USOPC 2024 year-end audited financials paint a picture of a healthy and quickly recovering organization. For Olympic and Paralympic sports like swimming, that’s good news – not only has the money returned, but funding priorities are also becoming more athlete-centred.

• Full USPOC Financial Statements

As of December 31, 2024, USOPC consolidated total assets reached $1.018 billion according to its newly released audited report, up from $971 million for the previous year. The milestone has Team USA’s governing body reach the billion-dollar mark, making it the first National Olympic Committee in history to do so.

As of year-end, net assets – what the USOPC has after paying off all obligations — had increased by almost $126 million to $644.8 million.  Liabilities also dropped by over 24% at the same time, indicating sound financial standing as the LA28 cycle gets underway.

Driving the revenue explosion were the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games: USOPC’s financials show revenue alone at $515.1 million in 2024, part of a quadrennial total of $1.55 billion.

The largest sources of revenue were:

• Broadcast rights: $213.6 million in 2024
• Sponsorships and licensing: $188.8 million
• Investment income: $43.1 million
• Contributions: $28.7 million
• Other program revenues: about $7 million

In addition to staging several special events around the Olympic Games, including Olympic Trials, USOPC registered a net loss on events of $3.5 million in 2024 after spending $50 million, compared to $46.5 million in revenue.

The Swimming Picture

USA Swimming was among the top five National Governing Bodies (NGBs) for total financial support from the USOPC in 2024, its typical spot over the last few quads. Only behind USA Track and Field for the top spot.

The top-earning NGBs:

Per USOPC documents and calculations by The Sports Examiner, more than $9 million in financial support was directly and indirectly for USA Swimming, with support coming from a mix of direct NGB grants, athlete health insurance, training facility use, and sport advancement and operations support.

Paralympic swimming also received substantial support: $6.13 million total in athlete services, grants, and support services.

Athlete Support

Despite its billion-dollar balance sheet, the USOPC’s priorities are clear. Its focus on athletes remains at the heart of what it does. Of the USOPC’s combined $385.6 million in expenses in 2024, more than 60% ($233.9 million) supported Athlete Excellence, including:

• $69.4 million to NGBs and adaptive sport organizations
• $38.0 million in direct athlete grants
• $17.2 million in medical care and health insurance for athletes
• $14.7 million to other sports communities

In all, the USOPC issued a record $139.3 million in grants in 2024, and over $501 million in the quad.

Driving much of that growth was the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Endowment (USOPE), which currently administers $661.2 million in total investments. The endowment returned $43 million in 2024 alone, accounting for a substantial increase in financial strength.

USOPC’s long-term debt also remains at $151.9 million. However, financial strength and increasing investment returns have helped the USOPC’s position immensely.

LA28 and Beyond

The USOPC is already looking ahead to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic and Paralympic Games, with board-appointed LA28 Team USA Fund for Athletes now sitting on $11.7 million in unreserved assets – a financial base from which to expand in the years to come.

With healthy finances, an improving sponsorship picture, and a growing focus on investment in both Olympic and Paralympic athletes, the USOPC appears well-positioned for the next quad.

The swimmers, in turn? Another sign that the behind-the-scenes support infrastructure is as strong as ever, keeping Team USA focused and on its toes for the next Games.