Rich Franklin

🚀 Exciting times for the golf industry! 🌟 The National Golf Foundation’s recent article highlights the significant impact women and girls are having on golf’s growth. With increasing participation, leadership roles, and influence, it’s clear that the future of golf is bright and inclusive. Read more about how women and girls are fueling the sport’s growth 👇

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The golf industry is experiencing a notable bifurcation: while participatory golf and private club quality golf interest remain at a sustained high level, viewership of professional tournaments like the PGA Tour, including the 2024 Masters and the PGA Championship has significantly declined compared to 2022 and 2023. Participation rates in golf have surged, with rounds played at private clubs increasing by 15% year-over-year and membership inquiries up by 20%. Conversely, television ratings for the Masters dropped by 25% and the PGA Championship by 30%. Two possible reasons for this divergence are the growing preference for experiential, hands-on activities over passive viewing and the changing media consumption habits, where viewers increasingly opt for highlight reels and social media snippets over full broadcasts... Either way, do't get left behind: Pick up the skills at Konnect that you need to play golf in the best metro region for golf on the planet: Westchester Cty, Long Island, and yes, New Jersey have golf worthy of players with skills, so you want to show up with some! Why pick up skills at Konnect? Because our "anything goes", "come as you are" golf club concept for people who don't know anything about golf idea never got off the drawing board. The brochure centerfold rendering (below) tested poorly with aficionados and member prospects alike. So bottom line, don't attempt that "A" club membership without some skills you can acquire at Konnect!

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As we bask in the aftermath of the Masters Tournament, it's thrilling to see how vibrant the golf scene has become. The latest findings from The Pulse of the Golf Consumer report reveal a significant upswing in golf's popularity. 📊 Key Insights: ⛳️123 million Americans engaged with golf last year in various forms, marking a 14% increase over five years. ⛳️An impressive 95% of core golfers are planning to play as much or more in 2024. ⛳️The female golf segment is showing particularly strong growth, with a 25% increase in participation over the last four years. ⛳️Social media continues to be a powerful platform for golf, with over 50 million Americans consuming golf-related content. The momentum in the golf industry is undeniable, and it’s exciting to see such enthusiasm and participation across the board. Whether it’s playing, watching, or discussing, the game is reaching more people than ever. Let's keep this momentum going!

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Golf - The Evolving Business Model. The men's professional game of #golf continues to be as divided as many of the stakeholders in the US political arena. We saw it yet again this past weekend, when one of the games showcase events "The Masters" was played at Augusta in Georgia, USA. Broadcasters seemingly, and incredibly unprofessionally, went out of their way to discredit the presence of the #LIVGolf league players who were in attendance along with their #PGATour colleagues over the course of the week. All of the sly and sarcastic interludes throughout the broadcast did not get lost on the fans of the game, as the internet lit up as if it were some kind of heated debate between passionate #Democrats and #Republicans. #PGA pundits making sly remarks about the LIV players not being able to manage playing 72 holes over the week, because the rival LIV tournaments are played over 54 holes over three days. This got me thinking. Who actually invented the concept of 18 holes for a round of golf, and how did 72 holes become the 'norm" for a golf tournament? Well you might be surprised to learn that at the traditional home of golf, St Andrews in #Scotland, the course originally consisted of 22 holes. 11 holes out, and 11 holes back in. This was later shortened when holes were merged together. Yet back then there was no standard, some tournaments even featured courses that had just 12 holes. It's when we jump back over the Atlantic once again to understand that The Masters tournament was originally played over eighteen holes over three days, eighteen holes were played each day for the first two days, and then a final 36 holes were played on the third day. Co-founder of 'The Masters" , Amateur golfer Bobby Jones suggested that the tournament should be played over four days so more tickets could be sold, and other events could be built around the week, so it was born, the concept, and norm that a golf tournament was to be played over eighteen holes over the course of four straight days. Other major tournaments followed suit such as 'The Open' and the 'PGA Championships'. In June 2021 the disruptors came into the game, the LIV Golf league. LIV introduced three day and fifty four hole tournaments. Ever since then the internal flames on mens professional golf has become an out of control wildfire. Players, fans and administrators are all embroiled in a never ending circus that started in 2021, over 250 years after the game was invented. The question is, when will the adults enter the room and realize that for mens professional golf to prosper the ego's need to be put aside so that the sustainable future of the game can be created which for now, is the only thing that matters. The only thing that matters.

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Seeking a solution to make his planning process easier, and to offer up a simpler registration process for players, Mike Perez of the Latino Golf Classic came across Event Caddy PRO and hasn’t looked back. In fact, he says, “I tell everybody about it!” When we asked him his favorite tools within the system were, he mentioned the ability to email + text message players to keep them in the loop leading up to event day. Click here to watch the full video to hear more from Mike 👉 https://loom.ly/Ztgq0GM #GolfTournament #Golf #GolfEvent #Fundraiser #FundraiserMarketing

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Amer Sports has issued a recall for ski touring bindings sold under the brands Armada, Atomic, and Salomon due to a potential fall and injury hazard. The toe component of the bindings can fail. Consumers should stop using the bindings and contact Amer Sports for a free repair https://lnkd.in/gsAbtM3c @Amer_Sports Armada Skis @AtomicSkis1998 @SalomonSports @USCPSC Cpsc #Recall #ProductRecall @RecreationLaw #RecLaw #RecreationLaw 

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We talk about the power of sports on a daily basis, but the results of the latest Sports Events & Tourism Association State of the Industry Report, sponsored by Northstar Meetings Group and produced by Tourism Economics make the case with real numbers. And they are the strongest numbers ever recorded. Among the highlights: ⚽ 63 percent of cities that responded said sports are the top room-night generator in their communities. 💵 The sports-events industry had a direct economic impact of $52.2 billion in 2023 and $128 billion overall factoring all spending. ✈ More than 200 million people traveled to youth and adult amateur sports, as well as collegiate championships in 2023. 🛌 Sports-related travel generated more than 73 million room nights in 2023. Thank you to John David, STS and Sports ETA for the chance to support this important research. If your destination or organization is not investing in sports-related travel, it is time to look at the power this market holds for the future. And our events, including the TEAMS Conference & Expo, the EsportsTravel Summit and TEAMS Europe, as well as our channels through SportsTravel Magazine can help position you for success.

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KNOWLEDGE is power... The management team said we wanted to make sure all our teammates are well trained at DICK'S Sporting Goods in Grand Island. Each day we spend time giving our teammates a new piece of knowledge and then we practice. Find time to invest in your team and teach your leaders to do the same. How do you continue to grow and develop your team? #training #salestraining #knowledge

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If you haven't had a chance to listen to the latest Sports Geek podcast episode that I was on talking about the upcoming SEAT event you probably need to jump in and listen to it. Here are the Top 5 takeaways from the episode. 1. Community and Reconnection: I emphasized the importance of reconnecting with friends and colleagues at the SEAT conference, underlining how vital community is in our industry. 2. Content Impact and Attendee Feedback: I discussed how we've carefully curated the content to provide value and highlighted the importance of using attendee feedback to continuously improve the conference experience. 3. Technology and Revenue: I highlighted the role of technology not just as a cost center but as a significant driver for revenue, showcasing the need for strategic technological integration in sports and events. 4. Fan Experience Track: I introduced a new track focused on Fan Experience, aiming to provide a holistic view of collaborative efforts across different organizational teams to enhance the fan experience. 5. Networking and Engagement Through New SEAT App: I introduced a new SEAT app designed to facilitate year-round community interaction and networking, emphasizing the importance of continuous engagement and problem-solving within the professional community. 🔗Get Registered for 2024 SEAT Las Vegas Here👇! https://lnkd.in/gg5m7z7Y 🔗 Hotel Booking Link 👇! https://lnkd.in/gRP-zXFp Download the SEAT App here to be a part of the community year round! 🍏 Apple: https://lnkd.in/gBDnRZAW 🤖 Android: https://lnkd.in/gdvcZz7Y

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Read more about Game Plan & BridgeAthletic coming together at Sportico

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Are you a Dualie? If you are, then you could be key to strengthening long-term participation in the game. In short, the National Golf Foundation define a dualie is a golfer who plays both on-course and off-course golf. Not content with a regular 18, they use a simulator, visit the range, or head down to a Top Golf or a Big Shots in between rounds. I’ve seen several reports recently about the consistent growth of off-course golf. And I’ve heard a fair bit of concern from the industry on whether it will weaken participation in the traditional game. I’ve always thought otherwise – so it’s great to see this report suggesting I was right 😊 When we see golfers taking lessons, or hitting the range we know that the number of rounds they play goes up – we’ve measured it. We know that when we can help engage golfers in activities around the club other than playing golf, the number of rounds they play goes up – we’ve measured it. So it has always followed in my head that when golfers hit balls for leisure, the number of rounds they play will go up. In addition, this report shows that they are more committed to traditional golf, their ability level is higher, they spend more money on equipment, and - the number of rounds they play goes up! I think there’s also a great argument that off course golf is a fantastic entry point for many people too. But that’s a post for another day 😊 #participation #dualie #golfbusiness https://lnkd.in/eepE24rS

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While recruitment is important, maintaining a strong focus on retention is crucial. Retention builds a stable, experienced, and motivated workforce, which is key to the long-term success.

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I've talked about the impact that the AIQ.team has in the NFL, but our value transcends beyond just the sport of football - we have a significant presence in basketball, baseball, hockey, soccer and more. With the National Basketball Association (NBA) Finals & Draft right around the corner, our team is looking at this past year's rookie class and the signals the AIQ picked up between the players cognitive scores & performance on the court. 🏀 I wanted to share one in particular: the NBA All-Rookie team outperformed all of the other 2023 NBA prospects in the area of Learning Efficiency (LE). LE is one of the 15 data points the AIQ measures and affects a player's ability to learn technique, strategy, reports, etc. and recall this information readily when needed. Teams that use the AIQ for scouting & talent selection know that LE is a crucial indicator in a prospect's ability to learn the playbook more quickly than their peers and adjust to the speed of the game better than other draftees. As sports evolve to rely heavily on analytics and measuring "between the ears", we continue to provide insights & correlations to our teams to help them select the right talent, develop players properly, and ultimately take the right step to a championship caliber team. #Linkedinsports #NBA #CognitiveAssessment

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This agreement will be interesting to follow. Presently, Bally’s is the name on those Diamond RSNs through the end of the 2024 MLB season. So, would these networks now be something to the tune of “FanDuel Sports Northeast,” as an example? That said, Bally’s had betting ties to baseball and even had an agreement on Minor League Baseball with their “Ballys Live” app; I would be interested to see if this partnership with Diamond and FanDuel pushes the envelope further on betting integrations, particularly on how games are consumed. For example, if eligible, meaning of age and otherwise fit, patrons can seamlessly navigate towards placing wagers via that same app. Since I’m talking about this impact on baseball, I must mention that Diamond Sports has distribution rights for twelve MLB teams. That number may drop down to nine at the end of this season if nothing else drastically changes. Notably, they stopped broadcasting both the Diamondbacks and the Padres in 2023 when MLB took those rights back, and in 2024, MLB took over the broadcast rights for the Rockies. It’s also worth pointing out that Diamond Sports Group and MLB have been hashing this during a fourteen-month bankruptcy proceeding, which, following a few extensions, those bankruptcy hearings are set to play out on July 30th. I will be staying tuned to all the items above.

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Golf and talk about this:

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