Rowing Into the Future: Vincent Gaillard on World Rowing’s Digital Shift, Youth Appeal & Value-Driven Growth

In an exclusive conversation with iSportConnect’s Taruka Srivastav, World Rowing Executive Director Vincent Gaillard opens up about leading the federation through a transformation journey. With a legacy rooted in traditional sport and Olympic prestige, rowing is now embracing digital innovation, new disciplines like coastal and indoor rowing, and a stronger direct-to-consumer approach. Gaillard, whose career spans leadership roles at the NBA, Coca-Cola, and SportAccord, discusses growing youth engagement, evolving sponsorship models, and the federation’s unwavering commitment to gender equality and values-driven partnerships. As World Rowing adapts to the changing sports landscape, its sights are firmly set on sustainable, inclusive growth.

Vincent, let’s start with your background. How did you end up at World Rowing?

I come from a sports management background, having spent around 30 years in the industry. I started with a Master’s in Sports Management, then moved on to work at a sponsorship agency following an internship at Adidas International in Germany. I’ve worked for the NBA Europe and later for The Coca-Cola Company for 13 years, handling major sponsorships like the FIFA World Cups and Olympic Games, particularly Beijing 2008 and London 2012. After that, I became CEO at SportAccord (now GAISF), followed by a stint at European Professional Club Rugby (EPCR) in Lausanne. Three years ago, I joined World Rowing with a mandate to lead a transformation agenda for our sport, collaborating with our 159 member federations, global council, executive committee, and team based in Lausanne.

Rowing seems to be growing in popularity. Have you noticed an increase in interest from young people as well?

. Traditional rowing—what you see at the Olympics on a 2000-meter course—has varied growth. While it may be plateauing in mature markets like the UK and USA, it is growing fast in places like China, India, and Japan, for instance. Then we have coastal rowing (or beach sprints), a new and fast-growing discipline that will debut at the Youth Olympic Games in Dakar 2026 and the LA 2028 Olympics. It’s booming in regions with coastlines—like Oceania, parts of Africa, and the Caribbean, but also in traditional rowing countries like the USA or GB. Lastly, we have indoor rowing, or ‘connected rowing’, which is done on machines. It’s becoming more immersive and gamified, and we now have both in-person and virtual world championships for it. We expect it will be part of the first Olympic eSports Games in Saudi Arabia in 2027. So, yes, the sport is growing among youth, but the pace and format vary significantly.

How have sponsors responded to these various formats?

We have strong, long-standing partners like Concept2, who are instrumental for our indoor rowing efforts. They manufacture rowing machines and boat oars, amongst others. Then we have regional partners like Andalucía in Spain, which promotes itself as a top-tier rowing destination. Over the last couple of years, we haven’t aggressively pursued new sponsorships—our focus was on building the sport, particularly the new disciplines, and getting them onto major programs like the Olympics and eSports. Now that we have these assets and visibility, we’re in the process of securing a sponsorship agency and will be actively engaging brands soon.

You’ve worked with Coca-Cola, so you understand that today, sponsorships go beyond logos. What do you look for in brand partners now?

We’re looking for partners who align with our values: transparency, democracy, gender equality, diversity, and inclusion. These are deeply embedded in our structure and governance. We’re not looking for quick ROI-type partnerships,. We want brands that are in it for the long term—who believe in growing the sport and aligning with our ethos rather than just getting brand exposure.

You mentioned gender equality. Are there structured initiatives at World Rowing to promote it further?

A: Absolutely. We have full gender parity across our executive bodies, commissions, and even at the Olympic level with a 50-50 athlete quota. In some internal commissions, women actually outnumber men. We’re also implementing mixed-gender events like the mixed eight (four men and four women), which will be featured at upcoming World Championships. Gender equality is not a buzzword for us—it’s reality.

In today’s fast-paced, social media-driven world, how are you positioning rowing from a marketing perspective? Are there any specific platforms or strategies you prioritize?

Like most organizations, we’re investing in growing our digital and social media footprint because traditional broadcast reach is declining. Social media is an essential tool for visibility, storytelling, and fan engagement—especially with formats like coastal and indoor rowing that resonate with younger, digital-native audiences. We focus on what clicks and adapt our strategy based on engagement metrics. We’re also conscious of balancing innovation with the sport’s core identity and safety needs.

You’ve been in an executive role for quite a long time. What are the key challenges you face daily running such a significant organization, and how do you approach and overcome them?

Many sports federations, including ours to an extent, still operate in a traditional, pyramidal, business-to-business (B2B) model. We regulate, legislate, and organize competitions—these are fundamental and must continue. However, the biggest challenge today is evolving into a more direct-to-consumer (D2C) organization.

We can no longer rely solely on our 159 member federations to connect with fans globally. We must build direct relationships—digitally, socially, emotionally. This shift requires a transformation in our DNA. It’s not just a mindset shift; it’s a financial and operational challenge.

Another major challenge is funding. We are very dependent on Olympic Games revenue. But with traditional revenue sources like broadcast rights declining due to changing viewing habits, we must diversify. That means tapping into new platforms, new audiences—especially younger generations who consume sport differently. It’s a paradigm shift for federations like ours, many of which are over a century old.

What’s one piece of advice you’d give to the broader sporting ecosystem today—something that’s either being done well or something you think needs to be reconsidered?

That really depends on who we’re talking about—international federations or entities like the NBA. But if we narrow it down to sponsorship trends, one thing I truly value is long-term, sustainable partnerships.

Short-term deals can offer immediate returns, but they’re rarely sustainable. I’m wary of “short-termism”—quick wins that don’t contribute to long-term growth. A sponsorship should be about genuine integration, bringing the partner “under the tent,” not just slapping a logo on a backdrop.

On the flip side, there are clear categories that I personally and professionally do not support—from a human rights or sustainability standpoint. Tobacco is an obvious one, but I also have concerns around performance-enhancing products that might be legal yet ethically questionable, or the unregulated betting industry, which poses a threat to sport integrity. Regulated betting is another matter—it can work when controlled responsibly.

Before we wrap up, is there anything else you’d like to highlight about your ongoing work or the federation’s future vision?

Yes, one important point. We’re in the midst of a 15-year transformation strategy to elevate the image, reach, and revenue of rowing. We began this journey three years ago and it’s all about making rowing more relevant—whether it’s for elite athletes, recreational users, or someone who wants to stay fit for 20 minutes a day on a rowing machine.

We are exploring how rowing shows up across digital platforms, how people connect with the sport in gyms or at home, and how we remain top-of-mind in this evolving fitness landscape. To do this, we acknowledge that we cannot succeed alone. We need partners—commercial or philanthropic—who share our values and are willing to invest time, expertise, and resources. Collaboration is essential to drive this transformation forward.