OMAHA, NEBRASKA - JUNE 18: Ryan Lochte speaks during a press conference during Day Six of the 2021 U.S. Olympic Team Swimming Trials at CHI Health Center on June 18, 2021 in Omaha, Nebraska. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images) Maddie Meyer via Getty Images
Ryan Lochte wants to do for swimming what AAU did for basketball — grow the game. During his appearance on the Night Swim Podcast, the 12-time Olympic medalist introudced his new project: building a franchised youth swim team model called “Icon,” aiming to unify clubs around the world under one brand, backed by Olympic-level resources and star power. The idea came together when Lochte united with close business partner. His pitch is buying existing swim clubs, keep the coaching staffs and internal structure exactly as they are, and rebranding the team under the “Icon” name with new gear and instant name recognition. The real change is who's standing behind the brand. "The owner is going to be an Olympic swimmer” Lochte said, with more Olympians expected to join in ownership as the program grows. A new career path for Olympians Icon isn't just a rebrand, it's also business model built to help retired athletes. Lochte's plan has former Olympians owning teams in each region of the country, with a dedicated CEO handling the financial side. “We’re giving back to the Olympians too,” Lochte explained. It's a way to give athletes a real post-competition career instead of watching their expertise walk out the door once they retire. A Turkish child, Arda Cakmak (R) poses next to a life-size paper board representing Ryan Lochte of the US, after Ryan Lochte gave him his gold medal after winning the men's 200m individual medley final during the FINA World Short Course Swimming Championships in Istanbul on December 14, 2012. Lochte set a new world record in the 200m individual medley at the world short course championships on Friday, winning the title in a time of 1min 49.63sec. AFP PHOTO/MIRA (Photo credit should read MIRA/AFP via Getty Images) AFP via Getty Images
Lochte thinks Icon teams will be a magnet for kids in the sport. He expects local swimmers to and families to be excited for the chance to train under an Olympic name, expressing the pull of being apart of a team run by a former Olympic swimmer. Bringing fun onto the pool deck Ask Lochte what's missing from youth swimming right now and he doesn't hesitate: fun. Other sports have built entire travel and club circuits around community. Swimming, he says, hasn't caught up. "Baseball has it, basketball does it, football does it,” Lochte said. “Swimming has not done this yet.” Icon's meets are meant to fix this problem. DJs, food, and activities for families are all points of emphasis for Lochte. This kind of atmosphere can make a swim meet feel like an event that the whole family can enjoy. Lochte is also framing Icon as a way to protect young swimmer’s mental health. Too many young athletes in the spot burn out under pressure, he said. Lochte explained this happens before they ever get to see what they're capable of. Keeping the sport fun isn't just a “nice-to-have” for Icon, he’s hoping it's part of the business’ retention strategy. Planning for expansion Lochte says a growing list of clubs are already under NDA for purchase, and he's in talks with other prominent Olympians about signing on. He's also bullish about Icon’s timeline, getting competition’s in the works shortly after the project kicks off. "We're the first, and we have the capital to do it,” Lochte said. The bigger goal is larger than any one franchise. Lochte wants swimming in the spotlight year-round, not just once every four years, and he's betting Icon is a vehicle to get there.