USFS CEO Tracy Marek Resigns

[Minz]

MEDIA: U.S. Figure Skating Announces Leadership Change

Statement:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Friday, October 11, 2024
U.S. Figure Skating Announces Leadership Change

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colorado - U.S. Figure Skating announces that Tracy Marek, CEO, has resigned to pursue new opportunities. The Board of Directors thank Marek and wish her well in her new endeavors. The Board has full confidence in the current staff and is working diligently to determine the best path forward for future leadership.

For media inquiries, please contact:
U.S. Figure Skating
[email protected]

Pretty big deal to resign one week before Skate America, and she was only there for about 2 years......

 

[Minz]

Phil Hersh seems to believe that there was something else going on...

 

[Rebecca Moose]

More USFSA dysfunction. Quelle surprise.

Tine to clean house and make sweeping changes.

 

[Skating91]

Would it have something to do with what happened in Wuxi? Some what controversial to replace Kalin like that at the last moment, force Von Felten to travel in three completely different time zones in the space of the week, then it just didn't work out at all. Maybe it was some kind of unilateral decision made by the CEO to chase a medal, or maybe she disagreed with chasing a medal at the expense of the skater's well being . It just seems strange timing so sudden with Skate America upon so I assume it relates to some kind of conflict or disagreement that has only just taken place. All very strange because US figure skating is the strongest it has been for many years (which brings up other questions I suppose).

 

[Minz]

Would it have something to do with what happened in Wuxi? Some what controversial to replace Kalin like that at the last moment, force Von Felten to travel in three completely different time zones in the space of the week, then it just didn't work out at all. Maybe it was some kind of unilateral decision made by the CEO to chase a medal, or maybe she disagreed with chasing a medal at the expense of the skater's well being . It just seems strange timing so sudden with Skate America upon so I assume it relates to some kind of conflict or disagreement that has only just taken place. All very strange because US figure skating is the strongest it has been for many years (which brings up other questions I suppose).

I don't think so. There have been plenty of other controversial assignment decisions made that didn't cause the CEO to step down. So I'm not sure that this would be the case. Something else probably happened.

 

[el henry]

Not a fan of Phil Hersh's quotes. If you know something, say something. (And I generally trust Phil's reporting, if not his hot takes)

If any one skater or their supporters had the influence to force a CEO out, they would have the influence to change travel arrangements. I can't imagine this is related to any one skater. But I have no real idea....

 

[Minz]

Not a fan of Phil Hersh's quotes. If you know something, say something. (And I generally trust Phil's reporting, if not his hot takes)

If any one skater or their supporters had the influence to force a CEO out, they would have the influence to change travel arrangements. I can't imagine this is related to any one skater. But I have no real idea....

I posted Phil Hersh's tweet primarily because it was the most reputable source that addressed the weirdness of this announcement.

I originally saw this on another site, and unless you saw that post or checked Phil Hersh's Twitter, there was very little way anyone would have found out about this.

It's just a weird situation.

 

[gsk8]

Phil Hersh seems to believe that there was something else going on...

Not a good tweet from a professional journalist. Provocative with no facts/substance to support any wrong-doing or otherwise.

 

[Minz]

Not a good tweet from a professional journalist. Provocative with no facts/substance to support any wrong-doing or otherwise.

I mean Phil Hersh is more reputable than some sources.... (But I 100% get what you're saying)

Regardless, it was the only other source I could find that mentioned this topic besides another site.

I mean it more in the sense that it's a weird situation and some people seem to agree (regardless of Phil's journalism).

 

[gsk8]

I'm not sure what's "weird." All I'm seeing at this point is gossip and speculation.

 

[Minz]

I'm not sure what's "weird." All I'm seeing at this point is gossip and speculation.

Why is the CEO of USFS resigning less than a week before Skate America after barely having the job for two years. If she wants to “explore other opportunities,” she can do that in a week right?

That to me is weird. I have no idea what may have or may not have happened, but it’s a little strange to me, that’s all.

 

[Ziotic]

Why is the CEO of USFS resigning less than a week before Skate America after barely having the job for two years. If she wants to “explore other opportunities,” she can do that in a week right?

That to me is weird. I have no idea what may have or may not have happened, but it’s a little strange to me, that’s all.

The quotations in his post imply she was fired.

There are probably legal reasons why nothing more is shared, but suffice to say it wasn’t mutually agreed resignation.

 

[Minz]

The quotations in his post imply she was fired.

There are probably legal reasons why nothing more is shared, but suffice to say it wasn’t mutually agreed resignation

I get that, and I don’t know if she was fired or not, nor do I know if Phil knows something the rest of us don’t. I just wanted to mention his perspective, that’s all.

 

[TallyT]

Could all be Ugly Office Politicking. We had that at my last job towards the end and oh god was I glad to get out of it... but there was nothing scandalously sus, just fighting and bitching and backstabbing and... I'm not making it sound better, I know, but my point is there may not be a 'scandal' as such.

The timing is bad, yes.

 

[Rebecca Moose]

Not a fan of Phil Hersh's quotes. If you know something, say something.

Genuinely curious: are there any figure skating journalists you do trust?

 

[Rebecca Moose]

Why is the CEO of USFS resigning less than a week before Skate America after barely having the job for two years. If she wants to “explore other opportunities,” she can do that in a week right?

That to me is weird. I have no idea what may have or may not have happened, but it’s a little strange to me, that’s all.

Apologies to @gsk8, but the timing is weird. But folks love to whitewash USFS for some reason, despite that organization single-handedly killing the sport in America the past two decades. Gross negligence all around.

Drain the swamp.

 

[el henry]

.

Genuinely curious: are there any figure skating reporters you do trust?

I do trust Phil, and I said so in my OP. When he reports something, it is accurate, and when he is supplying a hot take, he identifies it as such.

That’s why the quotation marks threw me off. I would expect that from others...”oh gurlllll, we know so much, but wink wink nudge nudge say no more” and just be able to dismiss it. I don’t expect it from Phil.