Michael Cain

The last moment of Oakland A’s history: 😭 Jon Fisher epitomizes everything wrong with the “owner” mentality in today’s single-entity closed leagues operating as exclusive franchises. By consistently maintaining some of the lowest payrolls in Major League Baseball with the Oakland Athletics and in MLS with the San Jose Earthquakes, he has ensured both teams remain uncompetitive. This shortsighted approach has led to dwindling fan attendance and a lack of excitement surrounding the clubs, undermining the essence of sports and disheartening loyal supporters. Authentic sports teams thrive on community engagement and shared passion. They don’t abandon cities that have supported them for generations after siphoning off millions in revenue. It’s disgraceful when owners prioritize their own interests, leaving behind fans who have invested their time and loyalty. Exploiting a city for profit and then walking away is not just poor business; it’s a betrayal of trust. The empty stands at the Oakland Coliseum and PayPal Park are a direct result of Fisher’s choices. After taking millions from Oakland’s community, he announced a relocation to Las Vegas, severing ties with passionate fans. Instead of reinvesting in the teams and the communities, Fisher grabbed the cash and ran, showing a troubling disregard for the people who supported him. Fisher spent 20 years trying to get local taxpayers to fund a stadium, but he won’t get that in Vegas, as they don't have the money. Maybe he’ll also move his MLS team, the San Jose Earthquakes, to Vegas for a dual-use stadium. I know MLS wants Vegas badly for its entertainment value, and they’ve played in baseball stadiums before. Exclusive franchises must prioritize collaboration with their local communities rather than abandon them due to unfavorable conditions. If they can’t commit to being a positive force, they shouldn’t carry those cities’ names or seek public funding. It’s no wonder fans hesitate to invest in a franchise that has signaled its intention to leave. Investment in on-field success is crucial for attracting fans and building a vibrant sports culture. If Fisher had chosen to invest in his teams rather than focus solely on profits, he might have seen improved performance and attendance. Relying on public funds is unethical when leagues generate substantial revenue that could sustain their operations. Franchise sports often pick and choose when they operate as businesses and when they act like sports teams. But teams should stay loyal to their communities, even when times are tough economically. #Sports #Community #Leadership #SportsManagement #Authenticity #Investment

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The Latest Research on Non-Dominant Golf Swing Training The role of non-dominant swings as a part of golf training programs has attracted much debate and argument. Golf is a highly unilateral sport, where the player is trying to achieve maximal movement power and efficiency in a single side rotation. As such, individuals argue that there is no need for opposite side golf swings (right handed golfer swinging left handed), if the sport movement is centered around single side rotation. In contrast, those who support the role of opposite side training suggest that benefits from this type of training is worth the time invested for golfers of various skill levels. Read our latest paper written by Tyler Standifird below, https://lnkd.in/gFnnqaCx

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Why Buying Used Golf Clubs Can Be an Intelligent Decision Regarding golf equipment, many players feel they need to spend a fortune on brand-new clubs. But here’s a little secret: buying used golf clubs can be one of the most intelligent decisions you make, especially if you want to save money without sacrificing performance. You can build a solid set of irons, hybrids, and fairway woods at a fraction of the cost while still getting the same results as if you had bought them new. Save Big on Irons, Hybrids, and Fairway Woods Irons, hybrids, and fairway woods are often where you’ll find the best value when shopping for used clubs. These clubs are built to last, and as long as they’re in good condition, they can serve you well for years. In most cases, used irons and hybrids will show minimal wear, and a quick regrip might be all they need to feel brand new. Plus, the money you save on these clubs can go towards more important areas of your game when starting or upgrading. Where to Splurge: Driver, Sand Wedge, and Putter While saving on used clubs is bright, there are three clubs you should consider splurging on: your driver, sand wedge and putter. Why? Because these clubs are the most personal and can have the most significant impact on your performance. 1. Driver: Your driver sets the tone on 14 holes for a typical round. It’s the club you use to tee off, and having a custom-fit driver to your swing can make a difference. New driver technology constantly evolves, and investing in the latest model can help with distance, forgiveness, and accuracy. 2. Sand Wedge: Your sand wedge is a precision tool. Whether blasting out of the bunker or hitting a delicate pitch shot around the green, the feel and control you get from a well-fitted sand wedge are invaluable. A newer model will give you the best grooves and spin control, making those tricky shots much more manageable. 3. Putter: The putter is, without question, the most personal club in your bag. It’s the one you’ll use the most on the course, and having a putter that feels right in your hands is crucial for building confidence on the greens. A custom-fitted or higher-end putter can help you dial in your stroke and shave strokes off your score. In Conclusion If you’re looking to save money without sacrificing performance, buying used irons, hybrids, and fairway woods is a great way to go. However, don’t hesitate to invest in your driver, sand wedge, and putter. These clubs are the heart of your game and will pay dividends when you step onto the course. So, mix and match your clubs wisely, and you’ll have a winning combination that works for your game and wallet! #golf #pga #lpga #usga #entrylevelgolf #welovethisgame #thxpgapro #makegolfyourthing #ricmooregolf

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Next level event promotion. Create your organization. Schedule events. All of your followers get your events on their calendar. #camps #clinics #games #practice #speakers #influencers #podcasters #eventplanners

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📚 #bookclub ‘REP YOUR STORY - True stories of failures and successes told by elite athletes’ by Jay Hernandez (pub. 2024). #read #highperformancehabits #sportscience #basketball #nba #nfl #mlb #mls #nhl #sports #athleticperformance #athletes #athleticdevelopment #highperformance

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This quote from Gary Parrish's recent cbssports article is a perfect example of why people are calling college sports in the NIL era "the Wild West" or "we're building the plane as we're flying it." "I had one of my assistants come to me and tell me it was going to take $800,000 to get one kid we were after," a coach said. "I had to make sure we were talking about the same player! I'm not against players making money; they deserve it. But you wouldn't believe some of the players asking for crazy amounts of money. ... Put in your poll I'd be happy to pay an All-American $800,000. But the player who asked us for $800,000 wasn't an All-American. Nowhere close. And a lot of that is going on. Crazy times." As the dust starts to settle into how this market functions, level setting should happen naturally. Players can transfer and ask for what they want. However, there is no market-rate or transparent vantage point into the value of NCAA athletes like there is in professional sports. Of course, innovation in this space is happening faster than we can keep up with. #NIL #collegesports #sportbusiness #sports #publicrelations

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Part 2: NWSL Links to Multi club/Sport Ownership Utah Royals  * Valued $70m * Franchise Fee $2m 2017, $5m 2020, $2m 2023 * Established 2017 but ceased operations 2020 after allegations of misconduct into then Utah owner Dell Loy Hansen * The Yates report highlighted Hansen on multiple counts of failures  * Utah Soccer LLC, holding company of Utah Royals transferred ownership to Kansas City who began playing in NWSL 2021 * Upon transfer Utah Royals paid $5m for the right to re enter the NWSL at a later date and agreed a pre set franchise fee $2m * Utah are owned by Real Salt Lake owners David Blitzer (DB) & Ryan Smith (RS) who purchased Real Salt Lake & Real Monarchs (affiliate team) for $400m 2022 * 2023 DB, RS / NWSL announced the return of the Utah Royals * Arctos partners joined as a limited partner and minority investor * DB and Josh Harris (HB Entertainment) have a portfolio of American sports franchises * DB has his own portfolio of European football clubs RS owns  * NBA's Utah Jazz,  * Salt Lake City Stars (NBA G) * Salt Lake Bees (Minor League baseball) * 2024 paid $1.2bn for NHL Arizona Coyotes and relocated them to Salt Lake  * RS made his money through Qualtrics a family survey and analytics company, which was acquired by German company SAP for $8bn 2019 North Carolina Courage  * Valued $108m * Franchise Fee $2m * The North Carolina Courage established in 2017 by Steve Malik (SM) purchased the Western New York Flash, renamed & recoated to North Carolina. * SM owns USL team North Carolina FC * 2024 Marc Lasry (MS) (former Milwaukee Bucks co-owner) close to buying 60% in the North Carolina Courage * ML is the founder and CEO of Avenue Capital Group, AuM $12bn * ML Avenue Sports invests in * Premier League Ipswich Town * TGL Franchise ‘The Bay Club’ owned with Stephen Curry & John Stones (Man City) * PGA Tour Enterprises (with FSG) * Other Investors include Tennis star Naomi Osaka * Former Head Coach Paul Riley was dismissed in 2021 following findings in the Yates Report Washington Spirit  * Valued $95m * Franchise Fee $0 - Founding member 2012 * Originally owned by Bill Lynch 2013 * Majority stake sold to Steve Baldwin 2018 * Michele Kang (MK) became majority owner 2022 * MK initially a minority investor 2020 * 2021 allegations of abuse and mismanagement were aimed at the Head Coach & Steve Baldwin * MK and fan groups wanted a change in ownership, Baldwin initially resisted, despite being outnumbered 2-1 MK convinced several non-voting investors to convert their investments to voting shares which led to MK gaining control. * 2022 MK paid $32m for majority control * 2024 MK created Kynisca the holding company for her clubs * 2024 MK acquired 100% London City Lionesses * 2023 MK acquired 52.9% stake in Olympique Lyonnais Féminin for €54m  * 2024 Kynisca close to securing a $16m acquisition of Levante Las Planes controversially MK plans to relocate the club to Badalona & rebrand #multiclubownership #footballbusiness #footballfinance

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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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This article sheds light on the stark reality of adults exploiting players and their parents to capitalize on their amateur success. The focus is to offer the opportunity to play in college or professional baseball while perpetuating a culture of fear of missing out if you don't participate. The revenues will continue to be funded by the mass herd of youth players participating in multiple events, all for a ranking and profile to platform you to the next event. What a cycle. Now, players can or have signed away their NIL rights for this organization to continue to scale while offering more tournaments and showcases all year round to a younger and younger player demographic. Renowned MLB agent Scott Boras said in the article, "There are many other facets of illustrating your skills where you don't need Perfect Game, and to give away rights that potentially could be of substantial value to you going forward," he said. "That is not the original intent of what this was, which was a fee-for-service. Now it's a fee-for-service, plus a loss of monumental rights for no remuneration to the player."  With the prevalent use of social media, the NCAA's move to pay players and NIL usage, the industry will continue to pressure parents and players to do anything possible to secure their players' opportunities to play at the next level. The best players rarely have to pay to participate, with their expenses often compensated for playing in large-scale or marquee tournaments. They frequently move from team to team and showcase to showcase, seldom competing within their local communities. The focus has shifted from team success to building their brand. Injuries will continue to rise, and Major League Baseball (MLB) will continue to inherit a generation of players who have spent most of their time focusing on what they need to do to boost themselves and less on the teams that can help them succeed. I really hope and would love to see MLB Playball, USA Baseball, and MLB Pipeline's platforms efficiently marketed and integrated inside more communities to help offset what is currently happening to amateur players on their journey. After all, many of these players who are paying for these tournaments, are all dreaming of playing MLB. Starting off playing in your community league with a pathway of opportunity for more players to play at higher levels shouldn't come with such a high price tag.

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Working in sports isn't hanging with the players Working in sports isn't being on ESPN Working in sports isn't working for your favorite team Working in sports isn't getting to watch all the games Working in sports isn't about getting tickets ___________________________________________________________ Working in sports is hanging out with your teammates after the game Working in sports is ESPN playing in the background while you’re hustling Working in sports is a team making you their favorite Working in sports is getting to work all the games Working in sports is doing everything you can to sell tickets #LinkedInSports #Sports #SportsBiz

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Baseball Rules in Black and White App 2.0 is live today! Make October 2024 baseball, the best ever at https://lnkd.in/g_6N6GN. The 2024 MLB playoffs are in full swing, and that can mean only one thing. The 2024 MLB World Series of Baseball is only days away. With each pitch, every play and call, a win or loss is on the line. No better way to stay in the game than having a top-rated baseball rules app in your hands like the Baseball Rules in Black and White App 2.0. The Baseball Rules in Black and White App 2.0 is loaded with advanced features not available on any other baseball rules app. First and foremost, the content in the Baseball Rules in Black and White App 2.0. is written in simple English everyone can understand. No more reading a confusing ruling over and over, only to start flipping through pages and chapters while looking for the correct ruling. Other advanced features like our A-to-Z Table of Contents working with our search engine gives you lightning speed answers. Our videos of the more complex rulings are second to none. We’ve completely reformatted complex infractions and rulings like Batter’s Interference, Catcher’s Interference and Batting Out of Order making it easier for everyone to gain a clearer understanding of the rule. Whether it’s your first game or decades of baseball, the Baseball Rules in Black and White App 2.0 will improve your baseball rule knowledge. Learn more at https://lnkd.in/g_6N6GN

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#23 Oakland Athletics: The Top 3 Pitchers Drafted Since 2013 Since 2013, the A's have ranked 29th in total payroll and 20th in total wins heading into the 2024 season. Yet, to their credit, they’ve reached the postseason five times during that period. In reviewing all 36 pitchers from this case study, a clear pattern emerges: the A's have consistently spent less on their Top 3 pitchers in the draft. When they have invested over $1 million in a signing bonus for a pitcher, it has yet to yield favorable results. The A's have struggled to develop a true Top 3 starting pitcher since 2013, and as this case study highlights, like many teams analyzed, they’ve experienced a high injury rate while gaining minimal value from their top pitching picks during this span. Injury Rate: 39% With a 39% injury rate, the Oakland Athletics rank 8th overall in most injurious organizations.  The organization has recorded 17 arm injuries and 9 arm surgeries among their pitchers, with an average of 282 innings pitched before surgery was required. 5 out of the 8 pitchers who received at least a million-dollar signing bonus have had Tommy John Surgery since 2013. MLB Pitchers: 7 7 pitchers from this case study have reached the Major Leagues with the Athletics: Dillon Overton (2013), Daniel Gossett (2014), Daulton Jefferies (2016), A.J. Puk (2016), Hogan Harris (2018), Mason Miller (2021), and Grant Holman (2021). Together, they have thrown a total of 497.4 innings for the A's ranking them 28th in total Major League Baseball (MLB) innings pitched for all organizations. On a bright spot, Mason Miller (2021) has emerged as one of the best closers in baseball in 2024. Cost Efficiency – $68,653 per MLB Inning The A's investment in signing bonuses has amounted to nearly $51,509.15 per MLB inning pitched, placing them 21st in terms of return on investment for innings pitched across the league. As mentioned earlier, the eight pitchers who received over $1 million in signing bonuses—totaling more than $15 million—have pitched just 147 innings to date. A lot can change in just a few years, but for now, the A's will rely on their recent drafts to provide future value for their MLB roster. #Top3 #startingpitcher #mlb

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And consider that each of those 2.2 million shots have over 90 data points combining player talent & historical ability, the exact type of shot (location, distance, off catch/dribble) and the precise location of the defense!

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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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Age is not just a number. The older you are with TJ the less innings you have after it. Let's return to the drawing board to improve return-to-performance. As we age, our physiologic ability to recover decreases. In this graph, it is showing the percentages of players at each age group who have had TJ surgery and their inning designation after surgery. As you can see when you look over the 500 inning mark, a greater percentage of younger players are able to compete with more innings post-surgery. Although intuitive, it is also a very costly looking graph as the bulk of high earning pitchers are over the age of 32. The economics of rehabilitation are real. The ability to get the players on the field earlier and to have them stay there creates value for teams, but more importantly, players. KEY QUESTIONS Are current protocols for TJ rehabilitation improving? How have they changed in the past decade? What are the factors resulting in shorter careers post-TJ surgery and after rehabilitation? Why did Tommy John (1974) have the only surgery in history that allowed for greater than 10 seasons after being cut, and he's the first one that was a gruesome experiment gone right, and had the second longest career in MLB history? I have more questions.......but I wish I had more answers. SOURCE: https://lnkd.in/g2dggBwT

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Lots of possibilties in this incredibly powerful ecosystem. We at Elevate are big believers in the combination of data science and storytelling to unlock maximum value.

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