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USA Weightlifting CEO Chosen

The Board of Directors announced that Rick Adams has accepted the position of Chief Executive Officer of USA Weightlifting.

Rick worked his way through law school as a decorated police officer. He chose law school as a means for getting a business background and immediately after graduating law school put his degree and experience as a hockey player to work when he joined the East Coast Hockey League (ECHL). He became its President and CEO (really the Commissioner). In that position, he negotiated the league’s first broadcast agreement with ESPN and devised novel ways to obtain national media coverage in publications such as Sports Illustrated, USA Today and the Wall Street Journal (e.g., they had a female goalie who attracted much media attention, rule changes such as a fluorescent puck and smaller team sizes to increase action on the ice).

Rick also pioneered many marketing concepts that increased league revenues, enhancing the marketing of the all-star game, securing new sponsorships and finding numerous ways to leverage the ECHL brand. He combined vendor and sponsorship packages to increase their appeal and improve the leagues bargaining power. Ultimately, he initiated and managed a major merger with a west coast league, which required securing the approval of approximately 40 individual owners, all of whom were independent and many of whom had no interest in losing any power in a larger league. But Rick prevailed and the result was a much stronger national league.

When he moved to RBC Sports, Rick and his partners owned 4 of the ECHL teams he had previously overseen as the Commissioner. In his capacity as President of RBC, he focused on the day to day tasks of increasing revenues through innovative marketing programs, and reducing operating expenses. He managed a staff of 100 and coordinated the activities of volunteers who performed many support functions for these minor league teams. By the time he sold his interests in these teams, their market value had increased threefold.


Rick is a splendid negotiator with a huge network of relationships in the sports world. He has repeatedly demonstrated the ability to conceive and carry out innovative marketing programs and manage operations to reduce costs. He is very politically savvy and well experienced in successfully managing constituents with diverse interests and motivations.

Rick is looking forward to helping USA Weightlifting reach new heights. Rick is looking for a new challenge in the arena he is most comfortable with – sports marketing and management.

(usaweightlifting)