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When US Sailing named Alan Ostfield as the organization’s new Chief Executive Officer, it was an interesting choice. Unlike previous administrators, Ostfield was not a sailor, or at least not yet. But he knows sports, and is a fresh set of eyes for the job. Scuttlebutt editor Craig Leweck checked in with the US boss after his first year on the job:
What was life like before US Sailing?
I’ve been in the sports business my entire career, from Outside Counsel to the Dallas Cowboys to General Counsel of the San Diego Padres, to Chief Operating Officer, President, and CEO of an organization that owns the Detroit Pistons and the Tampa Bay Lightning.
So I’ve been in the sports and entertainment world for 25 years and have seen firsthand the importance of sports teams in the community. So if you work for a quality sports organization, you’re active in the community, and you’re using sports to make a difference in the world.
When I joined the Board of the US Tennis Association, which is the national governing body, I found it to be the same mission. So whether it’s an NGB or nonprofit or professional sports organization that’s doing its job appropriately, they’re active in the community. So this was a natural transition to leverage sailing and all its great attributes to make a difference.
Given your experience as a team working within leagues, how is it now to be in charge of a league?
Well, it is exciting to help structure the sport, to help enable an organization to do something good for the participants, to do something good for the athletes, to do something good for the world. Our kids programs, for example, are teaching sailing but also teaching things far beyond sailing.
That’s the difference we can make. The Siebel Sailors Program is teaching kids to not just be good sailors, but be quality adults. The Reach Program is teaching kids STEM subjects. So its programs like that which are inspiring and great to be involved in.
You are a fresh set of eyes. What do you see that the rest of us missed?
I’m not sure if people have missed it, but to come in as I did, as a fresh set of eyes, as you say, to see the passion that people have for sailing is really amazing. Maybe if you’ve been involved in it so long, you sort of take that passion for granted, but for someone like me, the passion that people bring to the sport is inspiring. – Read on
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