12. Mel Stewart, CEO of SwimSwam.com, 2X Olympic Gold Medalist – From the Pool to CEO

Farrell Sports Business

Bonus Olympic Episode
Summary
Episode 12 - Host Matt Farrell talks with Mel Stewart, two-time Olympic gold medalist in swimming and the founder of SwimSwam.com. He discusses his career in swimming and the state of the sport. They talk about the origins of SwimSwam and its growth as a swimming news platform. They also discuss the challenges faced by the sport and the impact of the pandemic on the sport. Stewart shares his insights on the upcoming Olympics in Paris and highlights the storylines to watch, including Katie Ledecky's quest for greatness. They also touch on the future of media and the dominance of tech companies in the industry.
00:00 Intro of Gold Medal Mel
01:05 Mel's Beef with Matt
02:08 Meeting at the 1991 World Championships
03:19 The Origin of SwimSwam.com
05:15 USA Swimming's Attempt to Create Swimnetwork.com
06:04 Getting SwimSwam off the ground
08:04 Role of Mel and His Wife Tiffany with SwimSwam
09:20 Independent Olympic Sport Media Outlets
11:02 Looking Back at Olympic Trials Events from 1992 to Now
14:14 Adjusting to a First Time in an NFL Stadium for Olympic Trials
14:37 This is When the Picture Falls
17:09 Storylines to Watch for Swimming in Paris 2024
19:02 Rivalry with Australia
21:11 State of the Sport of Swimming in the U.S.
25:40 Closing Thoughts on Media and Tech
Takeaways
- SwimSwam is a leading swimming news platform that has grown to have 127 contributors globally reporting original news in six languages.
- The state of swimming has been impacted by the pandemic, with a decrease in club capacity and tensions between coaches and the governing body.
- The upcoming Olympics will feature exciting storylines, including Katie Ledecky's pursuit of becoming the greatest female swimmer of all time.
- The dominance of tech companies in the media industry raises concerns about the future of revenue and viewership for traditional media outlets.