Conner Ogden

North American teams have consistently been pioneers and trendsetters in the world of basketball. I've had the honor of working with some of the top European Elite teams from the Euroleague, Eurocup, FIBA Champions, and ACB for over eight years. And it's a remarcable journey so far, I need to admit! The University of Utah serves as a shining example and partially explains why North American basketball organizations, in my view, are often several steps ahead of elite European basketball clubs, both strategically and technologically. Consider how the women's teams and their coaches integrate live capturing and coding into their routines—it's not just groundbreaking; it's become the standard. This begs the question: can you name even two Euroleague teams that employ similar techniques? This highlights a significant opportunity for growth in our field. We have a lot of ground to cover to elevate European basketball to the level of North American teams. Thankfully, solutions like Hudl provide all the tools necessary to achieve these advancements. Let's embrace this challenge and make a concerted effort to incorporate these cutting-edge practices into our teams. It's time to learn, adapt, and innovate. Let's work together to bring European basketball to new heights!

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There's this oft-discussed phenomenon in sports where "the game slows down" for some of the best players. You're able to think one step ahead of your opponent and the hours of practice seem to finally pay off. As I posted about last week, I have a LONG way to go when it comes to feeling that way about my career as a whole. But, I am really fortunate that some parts of my day-to-day have indeed "slowed down". The prime example of this? How successful Franchise YoungConference really has been for us this year. Some fact bombs to drop on you all: 💣 With our agenda coming out today, we're excited to announce 50+ speakers and mentors that will be speaking at the event. You've seen me cite Scott Abbott, Morgan Kline and Devan Kline already; we have other fantastic speakers (some of which have never spoken at a Franchisors.com event before) that we're privileged to have. Be sure to check out the agenda here: https://lnkd.in/dBMc8ecb 💣 When we had our first event down in Miami in 2019, we had only 96 people attend (and yes, that includes all of the staff we brought). For our virtual event in 2020, we had 103 sign onto the webinar at some point or another. 2022 in Fort Lauderdale brought us 133 (in a hotel I did NOT love). Last year was amazing with 155, but it turns out Chicago is a bit more expensive than we bargained for 😅 For 2024? 170 people and counting, with a record amount of franchisors, franchisees, fractional executives, suppliers and third-party investors. 5 spots left until we breach fire-code, so get registered ASAP: https://lnkd.in/dazvZjKw 💣 We have some fantastic new additions to the agenda this year, in large part due to my wonderful committee of Jake Fishman, Aaron Harper, Olivia DiGirolamo, CFE, Gabriella Ferrara, Courtney Stillings, CFE, Jeff Horst, Madeleine Zook and Brooke Budke assisting Ryan Hicks, CFE and myself. Look out for the *brand new* fractional executive/private equity breakfast roundtables to get all of your questions answered by the experts, what brands *actually* do with the money they get in M&A, finding out how all of these new laws on Capitol Hill REALLY affect Millennials in franchising and cutting-edge changes to Ops, Marketing, Recruiting, FranDev and much more. There's a lot to be excited for that you all will find out more about in the coming days. But for now, let's stick with one of my favorite pictures of last year, my friend Aaron Harper posing with Joseph Trahan, Grant Marcks, Tony Zaccario and Nick Rhoads after winning YC Shark Tank 2023. Watching his rapid (and responsible) growth since then has been amazing to see, couldn't be happier to be a small part of it. People like Aaron Harper is why we started Franchise YoungConference! You have the agenda now folks, what are you most excited for? Drop a comment 💣 below ⬇

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After spending the last couple months diving down and meeting / having dialogue with all 20 China Basketball Association (CBA) teams, I’ve learned quite a ton. Here are a few highlights that should indicate the CBA is on an upswing: 1)  There will most likely be an increase to 6 quarters of game play by foreign players combined in the upcoming 2024-25 season, up from the current 4 quarters. That means that if a team has 2 import players on the bench (and they’re allowed up to 4 signed and registered to play anytime, but most teams carry 3), they will likely play 1 in the 1st quarter, 2 in the 2nd and 3rd quarters and are restricted to only 1 on the floor in the 4th quarter = 6 quarters with foreign players. As the entertainment quality of the product suffered 3 years playing in a bubble, and last season was the 1st truly post-pandemic CBA season, there is a need to make the game more dynamic, and foreign players raise the level of the game. 2)   While salaries are down from the days of import players making up to USD 4 million post tax pre-pandemic and in a different Chinese economy, all salary ranges quoted to me for foreign players by teams are USD 500K to 1.5 million post tax. This is still by far the highest in Asia, and it’s competitive with European salaries minus the top Euroleague Basketball teams. Teams are mindful of the need to carefully manage their finances in this economic climate, but the ecosystem is still incredibly more healthy than that of Chinese football (soccer). The tone I receive from team owners and managers is that the teams are committed more than ever to working together in a meaningful way to develop the CBA post-pandemic being financially responsible in line with current Chinese economic conditions through innovation and constant fine tuning of the product. No one is sitting on their hands and hoping for the best, and remaining the best and strongest league in Asia is a top of mind objective every day. 3)   Given the fact that the China men’s national team is not playing in the Olympics this summer, the focus on developing young players on the national team by playing in top competition in Australia and the U.S. is a smart move. The roster of young bucks was announced this past week, and this XInhua News Agency article has a reference to the July 5-10 NBA Summer League games Team China will play in Sacramento: https://lnkd.in/ggWK7-8b Team China (men’s and women’s sides) will play in Melbourne July 2 to 5: https://lnkd.in/gQJgs5sR Here is a photo from last weekend with Courtney Fortson, who is playing on the China NBL team Changsha Yongsheng and fighting to get back to the CBA. My colleague Alex Olin and I brought Courtney the second-ever China shoe deal for a non-NBA foreigner player with 361 Degrees International Ltd in 2018 when he became the league’s MVP after leading the team to the CBA Finals.

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What Hockey Scouts are looking for? Here at Hudl we are always trying to find the best answers to questions like that. Players aiming the next level and parents and coaches supporting them, understanding what scouts look for is crucial. I’ve compiled insights from top scouts and hockey analysts to highlight the key attributes that make a player stand out. Here are the 9 essential traits: Offensively: 1️⃣ Creating Time and Space – The cornerstone of offensive play. 2️⃣ Handling Pressure – Patience and playmaking under pressure. 3️⃣ Depth of Skills – Multiple options to beat defenders. 4️⃣ Work Off the Puck – Effort and intelligence in positioning. 5️⃣ Ice Scanning – Constant awareness and information gathering. Defensively: 6️⃣ Taking Away Time and Space – Effective angling and positioning. 7️⃣ Retrievals – Essential puck retrieval and breakout skills. Intangibles: 8️⃣ Body Language – Positive and resilient attitude. 9️⃣ Accurate Self-Assessment – Honest self-evaluation and growth plans. During this week I'll discuss more about the findings and how Hudl Instat Ice Hockey can help. #scout #icehockey #playerdevelopment #playeragent

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Getting in front of coaches early is crucial, but consistent follow-ups are tough. Automate your athletes outreach. Personalized automation sends their emails, sms messages, voice-drops and updates perfectly on time. Benefits: Early Awareness Stay Top of Mind Save Time Increase Efficiency Max out your clubs commitments each season RecruitFluency - always a step ahead of the competition #CollegeRecruitment #Automation #StudentAthletes #CoachOutreach #RecruitFluency #NCAA

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THE MVP PLAYBOOK: CROSSOVERS, CURVEBALLS, & PIVOTS Here's the thing. If you aspire to a career with longevity and work in sports long enough, you will experience professional plot twists in the form of crossovers, curve balls, and pivots. This is a not a maybe, it's a certainty. Just like coaches and players have to switch up organizations/teams from time to time (sometimes by change, sometimes by choice). The team behind the scenes has to have the agility, capacity, and flexibility to do the same. Free agency is real! Maybe you aspired to one thing and decided to do another. Maybe you took on a role and missed your goal. Maybe you did everything right, but the leadership/ownership changed and they want to build their own athletic department and/or front office. Maybe life (aka personal plot twists) forced your hand. Maybe this, may that. If you get ready and stay ready, you'll always be ready to make your next move, your best move. Just because the career ladder morphs into a career lattice, you can still move upward and onward. I've been there, done that, and aspire to do it again. Change is inevitable, but growth is intentional! So, I'm excited to give back by paying it forward as a presenter/speaker at the Black Sports Business Symposium in the A! Game on! Hope to see you there!

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Sales is like baseball. A .300 average is outstanding. In fact, you MAKE MORE by GETTING MORE NOs. Rejection is more than part of the process. It's your day-to-day reality. The more NOs you get, the more you know you're genuinely selling. Think about baseball. A professional player hitting .300 is celebrated. Ted Williams was the last player to hit .400. Back in 1941!!! What does this tell us about sales? Each rejection is another swing at bat. You're not going to hit every pitch. But the more you step up to the plate. The better your chances of getting on base. Embrace the NOs. They're opportunities to refine and understand your customers better. So, step up to the plate!

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HITTERS Do the results of your first 1-2 ABs dictate the results of your last 1-2 ABs? If you're focusing on results, then the answer might be yes. If you're focusing on your process, then the answer should be no.

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Anthony Edwards wants ALL the smoke. Peep his 2024 playoff stats for Round 1: - 31.0 PPG - 8.0 RPG - 6.3 APG - 2.0 SPG This was against a loaded Phoenix Suns roster: - Kevin Durant (14x NBA All-Star) - Devin Booker (4x NBA All-Star) - Bradley Beal (3x NBA All-Star) "Ant-Man" is quickly becoming the new face of the NBA. Which is a really vulnerable position to be in when you think about it. He's already under IMMENSE pressure and opening himself up to even more... - Scrutiny - Criticism - Expectations This reminds me of sales people investing in a stronger LinkedIn presence. Most of the reps I talk to say they don't want to post on LinkedIn because: - "There are already enough idiots beating their chests on here." - "I don't have anything interesting or compelling to talk about." - "Posting more isn't actually going to move the needle for my career." Trust me, I get it. I had the same objections. But really I was just afraid: - I was afraid of being judged - I was afraid no one would engage - I was afraid of wasting time I couldn't have been more wrong. Dropping 3 posts weekly the last 3 months has brought nothing but upside: - I've gotten access to top-tier leaders across North America - I've refined my professional "voice" + posture - I've sharpened my understanding of all things GTM / Revenue If you're thinking about posting more, I've got three words: JUST DO IT! It's too bad Anthony Edwards isn't a Nike athlete. What a great way to bring this post full circle. Damn it, adidas. Why don't you have catchier taglines?? 😂 😂

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What (I think) You Should Know (31/05) ESPN deal expires in 2025, and Netflix seems like a natural fit for UFC after their WWE deal. But will Netflix keep the pay-per-view model that UFC relies on? This could be a deal breaker. https://lnkd.in/dPvRUEy2 Newer economic models acknowledge AI can displace workers and lower wages. But AI can also create new jobs, with the key questions being how soon and how broadly. I maintain my position: humans that manage to stay adaptable and flexible will always find something to put their skills to use. https://lnkd.in/dhabYEPb The PGA Tour is creating a unique partnership with its players. By making them co-owners, the Tour ensures players are invested in the success of the organization. Shared interest could lead to more collaborative decision-making and a stronger overall product for fans and players alike. Interesting to see how it will turn out. https://lnkd.in/dnHuKuMm Ronaldo still breaking records 39 yo! This Saudi league achievement just adds to his already legendary status… https://lnkd.in/d6NWA3NG Red Bull is finding success by taking small to medium-sized teams and reinventing them. Their entry into the English market is probably the most ambitious one so far. Cheering for them. https://lnkd.in/d-xXATXv

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I hate losing more than I like winning... And I really f*cking like winning. Tbh I'm not sure if this is a real quote or something I made up but it's always driven me. In sports? -> The losses hurt 10x more than the wins feel good In sales? -> I dwell on a lost deal 10x more than I celebrate a closed deal In life? -> Losing things you care about always hurts 10x more than celebrating things you want You don't lose sleep over winning. What's the takeaway? -> Failure is inevitable, embrace it -> You will lose more than you win, celebrate all your wins, no matter how small -> Be a sponge, learn from everything and understand why you lost/failed

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2 Weeks in - $166k Invested - 17 Days Left The middle of a crowdfunding campaign is always a battle, here is why... When you first experience the mid-campaign slump, it can be soul destroying. You put everything you have into preparing for a great launch, have an epic first day and then everything comes to a stand still. What now? Firstly, the thing is to remember this is normal... Hype can't last forever so within a few days of launching, those 'early adopters' that were hanging on to support the campaign have quickly dried up. You're now relying on the masses and laggards to jump on board, but the fact is they have little incentive to rush and are willing to just wait until the last minute. With product base campaigns like those on Kickstarter, you can offer pricing incentives to get people on board early, however these can tire out pretty quickly and can seem salesy. With equity campaigns however, you can't offer discounts as it will negatively affect your companies valuation. So what do you do? Spread the word. The best thing you can do in the middle of the slump is just hustle to reach new and existing audiences with messages that resonate. Press is a big part of this as it allows the story to be told from a 3rd party angle, although it can be notoriously difficult to get coverage for crowdfunding campaigns. Personal outreach can also be useful. Touching base with all those who have shown interest in what you do, either now or in the past. Tapping in these networks is never easy, but you never know where it will end up. This also includes making the most of socials. Essentially what you are trying to do is staying relevant and in people mind so that when the campaign reaches it's final week you can push 'last chance' messaging and induce 'FOMO'. It's not unusual for a crowdfunding campaign to raise their majority of their raise in the first few days and last few days with little in between. The key is to be ready for the slump and not let it get you down. Even with my 4th campaign currently live, I still have to tell myself every day! So if you are one of those who likes to break the mould, checkout our campaign and back us during the slump! See it here: https://lnkd.in/gAGnNCUe

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It’s Okay to be Not Okay. Netflix's Full Swing S2 Ep 3: Mind Game -- may be THE most powerful piece of sports documentary content ever produced. If you don’t know what Full Swing is, it’s like the PGA TOUR version of F1’s Drive to Survive – A behind-the-scenes look at the lives of professional golfers on and off the course. What makes this episode great isn’t just accolades (although there are some) and underdog stories (there’s some of that too). It is the vulnerability shown by the athletes to openly talk about their mental health, and the importance of approaching it the same as an athlete would a physical injury or fundamental skill. I commend Joel Dahmen and Wyndham Clark for granting the audience such a deep and raw look into their personal lives and the ability to truly experience their struggles and how they so greatly impact those who love them and want so badly to see them reach their potential. Some of the moments captured by the cameras are nothing short of just plain moving. Of course, I happened to watch it for the first time last week on my flight home from Vegas. There I was, this big 6’4” 230 lb guy stuck in a middle seat and hunched over my tray watching on my phone, fighting back an ugly cry and quickly wiping tears to not draw any attention. Haha! Good times. This piece of content was particularly moving because it: - Dives deep into what it means to be vulnerable as a man and how scary that is to be open about. - Sheds light on the importance of recognizing that something isn’t right. Then accept that you’re not going to be able to pull yourself out of that and become the man you strive to be, and the people who depend on you need you to be, without attacking it head-on. It’s not just going to get better on its own. - Is a reminder that we weren’t built to do life alone. We need a community of people who care about us. We aren’t strong enough to carry the load without help – especially during dark times. We are equipped with the tools to get through anything and become the version of ourselves that we hope to be, but without learning from someone who is a pro with these tools - we don’t know how to use them. Thanks for reading! Honestly, if this just influences one struggling person to decide to have a consultation with a therapist, or even to just watch this Full Swing episode and become more open-minded, I’ve accomplished enough with this post. The stigma is bullsh*t, and I’m so happy to see it being erased in professional sports. Hopefully, seeing pro athletes being open about this stuff inspires more people to do the same and seek the help they need.

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Why Baseball is like Recruiting & building a sales team Ever thought about how baseball and sales recruiting are alike? Of course you have. You probably wonder the answer to this question hourly. Well here you go…. Scouting Talent: In both baseball and recruiting, success starts with scouting. You need to identify raw talent and potential, whether it’s a young player in the minor leagues or a promising candidate in the job market. Building a Team: Just like a baseball team needs a mix of skills – pitchers, hitters, fielders – a company needs diverse talents. Finding the right balance is crucial. Training and Development: In baseball, continuous training turns potential into performance. The same goes for new hires. Ongoing development and support are key to unlocking their full potential. Adaptability: A great baseball player adapts to different pitchers and game situations. Similarly, top recruits need to be flexible and adapt to various challenges in their roles. Performance Metrics: Baseball relies heavily on stats to measure success. In recruiting, tracking metrics like time-to-hire, quality of hire, and retention rates is vital. Of course the same goes with new hires, knowing their stats is a huge key to tracking success. Just like in baseball, recruiting salespeople is about finding the right talent, building a cohesive team, and continuously developing skills for peak performance. Now, let's play ball! #hiring #recruiterlife #recruiting #saassales #gsd #agsd #sales #startup #founder #ceo

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Reflecting on recent recruitment calls with 2024 prospects, some intriguing insights emerged: 🔹 "We're holding out hope for a D1 college spot a little while longer." 🔹 "X company offered a path to go pro, so we've decided to go with them." While I deeply respect ambition and lofty goals among players and parents, it's evident that as an industry, we need to step up in providing comprehensive advice and guidance. ❌ Late in the recruitment cycle, D1 college roster spots are typically filled. However, fantastic opportunities still exist in D2, D3, NAIA, and JUCO colleges. ❌ Promises of professional football in Europe often come with numerous caveats and are feasible for only a small percentage. Anyone guaranteeing this is a 🚩 What does this mean for your aspirations? It underscores the necessity for: ✅ Long-term planning ✅ Expert guidance ✅ Building a professional network ✅ Making informed decisions now I’m more than happy to speak with parents who are exploring a gap year option for players wanting full time soccer in Europe to further their opportunities in ⚽️ #Football #Collegesoccer #College #AIG #Soccer #NCAA #USA #UK

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FEEL GOOD FRIDAY: Does Hyperice really have a secret menu for professional athletes? We get asked this a lot. And the answer is no. The recovery tech that you see your favorite athletes use on and off the court/field/pitch/diamond/octagon/track/course, is the EXACT same tech you can buy on Hyperice.com. As we roll deeper into the National Basketball Association (NBA) playoffs, it never gets old seeing our products being used every time they cut to the sideline. Also, it's pretty cool that one of the game's brightest young stars is a POWER user. #Sports #sportsmarketing #basketball #sportsbusiness #marketing #tech #health #wellness #healthtech #recovery #healthcare #longevity #sportsmedicine #wellbeing #partnership #nba #athletemarketing #athlete

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I LOVE MARCH MADNESS, BUT NOT ALL MADNESS And this is madness! The recurring question is the glaring disparity between Caitlin Clark's rookie deal as the No. 1 WNBA's draft pick and Victor Wembanyama, last year's NBA No.1 draft pick. Wembanyama clinched the top spot in last year's NBA Draft as the first overall pick with an initial contract spanned four years, amounting to $55.2 million. Similarly, Clark secured the first overall pick in the WNBA Draft last night with a rookie deal valued at $336,000 over a four-year term. The comparison and the contrast is maddening because far too many news features, outlets, and stories are not framing this practically or putting into proper context. This not apples vs apples (not even Red Delicious vs. Granny Smith). This is grapes and grape nuts and the only thing in common is the word grape. Between the WNBA and the NBA, the only thing they have in common (for now) is the game of basketball, but they are vastly different business models for many very valid factual and financial reasons. Let's bring some method to the madness... The NBA, established in 1946, boasts a 78-year legacy, while the WNBA, founded in 1996, is a mere 28 years old. Despite the WNBA being 50 years junior to its counterpart, it's crucial to note the historical context. In its early years, the NBA struggled financially, teetering on the brink of collapse. However, pivotal moments, such as the emergence of college stars like Larry Bird (Indiana State), Magic Johnson (Michigan State), and Michael Jordan (UNC Chapel Hill), injected new life into the league, propelling it forward. To draw a fairer comparison, it's apt to juxtapose the NBA's trajectory at 28 years with that of the WNBA. The WNBA enjoys robust support from the NBA, receiving an annual financial injection of over $15 million. This funding assists in covering various operational costs for WNBA teams, including facility maintenance, travel, marketing, and administrative needs. As of 2023, ownership of the WNBA is divided, with the NBA holding a 50% stake, while the league's 12 teams collectively own the remaining 50%. Despite this backing, the WNBA generates revenues, but has yet to achieve profitability, which impacts and impedes its ability to match salaries—at least for now. To be clear, progress is undeniably being made and underway, momentum is gaining and gathering, and there are noteworthy achievements and advancements. Yet, significant gaps persist in investment, infrastructure, operations, revenue generation, profitability, as well as marketing, promotions, merchandising, licensing, partnerships, and sponsorships. These disparities largely mirror broader cultural, financial, and systemic inequities that have long affected women, including within the realm of women's sports. For sure, the business of women's sports including college and professional basketball has come a long way, and we have much more to go, but make no mistake, we are well on our way.

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Introducing JABA's: Athlete Agency of Record. AI-driven athlete brand management from start to finish. Athletes/admins upload a contract/brief and JABA tracks key contract details, deliverables, and more. Our tech helps admins and athletes project manage deals without ever having to look at a dashboard or a spreadsheet. With revenue sharing coming, the schools that do the best at bringing in and overseeing deals will have a competitive advantage. More schools and third-party providers will serve as agencies/agencies of record. Our tool will give them everything they need to properly manage it all. We don't care where the deal came from and don't want a percentage of it. JABA AI

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