USA Fencing’s scrappy plan to make fencing a hit before the 2028 Olympics

Fencing is an ancient sport that has struggled to capture the attention of domestic audiences, but USA Fencing CEO Phil Andrews is determined to change that before the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles. With little budget and no established marketing plan, Andrews has taken a unique approach to promote the sport. He's cold-called marketing executives, crashed Comic-Con and even convinced celebrities like Snoop Dogg and Flavor Flav to take up fencing.

These efforts are part of a larger initiative to bring attention to five sports – fencing, squash, cycling, sailing, and rowing – under the banner of the United Sports Collective. This collaboration aims to share resources and ideas among organizations that historically have operated independently. Andrews, who previously directed U.S.A.

Weightlifting, found that the challenges faced by fencing, rowing, and other sports in the collective are quite similar, particularly in terms of demographics and geographical focus. The collective is leveraging Hollywood's influence to promote fencing by tapping into its creative industry. Many high-profile figures, from actors to directors, have roots in fencing, and these individuals can serve as ambassadors for the sport.