Fencing-USA Fencing bets on LA 2028 Games to break into mainstream American sports

Aug 20 : USA Fencing CEO Phil Andrews is betting the run-up to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics can make the traditionally niche sport more widely popular in America, hoping that growth can reach beyond its affluent base.

A report by USA Fencing published this month shows its membership has reached an all-time high of 45,157, supported by a record 752 affiliated clubs across the country, which already surpasses the body's original target of 700 expected by 2028.

The American fencing governing body is now targeting 70,000 members ahead of the home Games, while its commercial push has also expanded, with marketing and communications projected to generate $2.8 million in the coming season.

Andrews, who has led USA Fencing since 2022, said the federation had made a deliberate effort to market fencing to audiences beyond its traditional competitive base.

"We're actually making efforts to go out and market the sport, which hadn't really happened before," he said in an interview with Reuters.

A multi-million-dollar promotional partnership with iHeartMedia, announced in 2025, was designed to introduce fencing to a broader audience through iHeart's radio, podcast, digital and social platforms.

USA Fencing has since built several programs aimed at converting that exposure into participation.

Its Fencing Across America initiative offers free introductory events where children, teenagers and adults can try all three weapons and parafencing with loan equipment and coaching, as well as receive a free trial membership.

"When we ran Fencing Across America, we put the sport in front of people in different cities so they could actually try it — that's the critical piece.

"Eyeballs alone don't move the needle as much as getting people to realise they