Robby White

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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🏐 “To the window, to the wall—we saw you shank that ball!” Last week, I attended a high school varsity volleyball match in our small, rural community in southern Iowa. It was Adam Sandler theme night—lots of loose-fitting clothes, baggy t-shirts, oversized hoodies, and basketball shorts (totally borrowed from their dads' closets). What stood out, though, wasn’t just the outfits—it was the engagement. With around 165 students in the school, I counted about 60 in the stands, plus the 13 players on the team, meaning 44% of the student body showed up on a Thursday night. These students were fully present—loud, engaged, and barely on their phones. They chanted for every bump, set, spike, and ace, encouraged the team when things didn't go their way filling the gym with energy and praise for their peers. It made me think about a recent NPR report on the power of praise and recognition in the workplace. Now, I’m not suggesting we start shouting, “To the window, to the wall—we saw you shank that ball!” or our equivalent of a powerful hit when someone closes a deal, signs a renewal, or solves a customer problem (though, let’s be honest, that could be pretty fun!). But there are real takeaways we can apply to leadership: Be Positive and Give Praise: Just like the players on the court, people thrive when they feel seen, valued, and appreciated. Regular, meaningful praise—whether for small wins or big achievements—boosts morale, enhances engagement, and drives better performance. Build a Supportive Culture by Truly Caring: These students weren’t just cheering for standout plays—they were cheering for each other. Genuine support through all the ups and downs fosters a sense of belonging and motivates people to support one another. But for it to be effective, it has to be real. Balance Results with the Human Element: Of course, revenue, growth, and metrics are important, but if they become the sole focus, we risk losing sight of what truly drives long-term success—the human side. Those students didn’t show up for personal recognition or rewards; they came to support each other. In leadership, the same is true. When prioritizing relationships, trust, and support, we create the foundation for sustainable growth and success. I don’t have a kid on the team, I went to refill my tank—to soak up the positive energy, kind words, and supportive atmosphere. That kind of engagement, whether in the stands or at work, lifts everyone up. We can learn a lot from these future leaders and if you were wondering the Warriors were victorious that night. 🧡 What are you doing to energize your team or praise your teams? #leadership #customersuccess

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MARKETING ICE-BREAKER: If you could come up with the name for a Professional Sports team in your city, what sport and team name would you choose? Some factors to think about: -Marketing Materials -Sport Saturation (picking a NFL Team in Ann Arbor is a bad idea) -Mascot -How it relates to the city -Brand-ability MY CHOICE: I would want an NHL Team in Kansas City. I would name the team the "KC Wind" The team mascot would be a tornado. I love this choice for a few reasons: 1) "Kansas" comes from the Native American Tribe and means "Wind People." We are in Tornado Alley, and it relates to the core fan base. 2) Every game we can have "rally towels" but when you twirl them, they kind of look like twisters... marketing! 3) Instead of the traditional NHL Siren when a team scores, we would play a Tornado Siren 4) The colors can be literally anything as grey is an accent to anything. 5) It is one syllable making it easily recognizable, easy to say, and rolls off the tongue very easily. 6) You can use Windy sounds to "blow away your opponent", you can loop in the "Wizard of Oz" themes with certain aspects. You can build up Tornados on the screen from F1-F5 with the amount of goals scored with different graphics for each, bringing a new meaning to "Blow Out!" 7) Wind sounds cooler than Cyclone or Tornadoes and anyone can say it, whereas Cyclone or Tornado might be hard for young children to say. 8) Kansas City sports fan show out for their teams. There is no hockey team nearby that most people follow, so they would be able to capture almost the entire market. Whereas an NBA team in KC might struggle because I would argue many people living in KC get their basketball "fix" from the Kansas Jayhawks. These are just a few reasons! Let me know what you think or if you have your own idea for a Name and a Professional Sports team in your city!

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Imagine a world where I was rewarded for leaving tailgates early, doing crazy flight patterns (Austin - Minneapolis - Detroit) to see my team play in the Big House, and simply being a good fan. Too many loyalty programs are about direct revenue to the teams - which is important for sure. I get it. Instead of “spend more and you’re a better fan!”, let’s think about the long tail affect of rewarding just being there. If you think about it, being a top fan means doing more than simply spending direct money - it requires flights, hotels, pre planning your CFP potential routes, putting on great tailgates, and many other things. If we reward great fan behavior on top of direct revenue, you’ll end up with more revenue in the long run. And yes, I have flights booked to multiple places over New Years and the subsequent weeks. Check out my perspective in the link in the comments.

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Is Data Overwhelming Your Coaching Staff? Time to Turn Insights Into Action. For many coaches, the words "data analytics" trigger immediate anxiety. In a recent conversation with an NCAA Division I soccer staff, just mentioning analytics sent heart rates skyrocketing. 💡 But here’s the thing: analytics doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Here’s how to move from data overload to actionable insights: ⛓️ The Current Situation: 🔹 Wearables & GPS: Many teams track basic stats like "distance covered" and "duration." But is this the most valuable insight you can get? Probably not. 🔹WyScout & Performance Data: Endless reports and game footage sit on desks without impacting decisions. 🔗 The Shift: 🤔 Start with the End in Mind: Identify the decisions you need data to support—training plans, lineup choices, or performance evaluations. Clarifying your goals will help you filter through the noise and focus on relevant metrics. 📲 Centralize Your Data: Platforms like StatLink bring all your data into one place, making it easier to turn insights into action. 📊 Focus on Actionable Metrics: Not all data is useful. Prioritize metics like "Chances Created," "Chances Stopped," "Final Third Entries," or even "Free Kick Execution" that directly influence game outcomes. 📈 Communicate Clearly: Present data in simple, visual formats that coaches can quickly understand and act on. ✅ The Result: When data is centralized and focused on what matters, it becomes a tool for winning—not a distraction. Coaches can spend less time sifting through numbers, charts, visualizations, and more time making game-changing decisions. 💬 Is your staff ready to turn data into a competitive advantage? Let’s discuss! 👇 #Soccer #CollegeSoccer #Coaching #DataAnalytics #SportsTech #Performance

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If you missed Brian Link at the #AgileIndy2024 Conference, check out his new book! 👇 The Practical Agilist Guidebook https://a.co/d/czJ59Fl

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We work in a competitive industry as #sports professionals. - Competition with other teams (regional and national) - Competition with emerging sports properties (TopGolf. PBL, etc.) - Competition within our own cities - Even competition with our teammates We have to be aggressive. If you see an opportunity take it. - A prospect nobody's touched - A challenger brand in a category - The brand everyone else gave up on But... #DefaultAggressive does not mean we cannot operate with compassion, cheer for each other, and support each others efforts. Whether it's your teammates, industry friends at other teams/leagues, when somebody wins, #sportsbusiness wins. Everyone can eat. #sales #sports #LinkedInSports #sportsbiz

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It was a nice surprise when, heading home for Thanksgiving, I learned I was featured in the winter edition of the On Wisconsin magazine for some of the work I've done with Athletes Unlimited's social media accounts. It's a great reminder that now more than ever we're seeing sports continue to grow in digital fandom, presence, and engagement -- and at AU we're staying at the forefront not only through our traditional social channels, but also through athlete-social media education, local influencer partnerships, and more. Whether you're for it or against it, there's no denying the importance that social and digital focused marketing has on the sports landscape. ▫️ If you're a sports marketing professional, now is the time to lean into social-forward marketing. ▫️ If you're an individual looking to get into sports marketing, you should be getting comfortable with managing and posting to social channels (even if they're your own). ▫️ If you're a sports fan in general, social media is the best atmosphere to find the newest headlines, stories, and conversations. 📷 On Wisconsin

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The NBA Western Conference Finals heat up with the Dallas Mavericks taking on the Minnesota Timberwolves in game 4! Can the Timberwolves bounce back and even the series, or will the Mavericks take a commanding 3-1 lead? Get your betting tips for tonight's game at Cashouttips.com! #bettingtips #sportsbetting #winningpicks #expertpicks #sportpicks #gamblingtips #bettingadvice #sportspredictions #cashout #winningbets

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Loved writing this blog last week! 🏈 ⚽ 🏀 🏒 ⚾ Momentus currently serves 70% of professional sports teams, and our fastest growing sports segments are in minor league sports and NCAA athletic departments. If we're not already serving your sports organization today then I'd be thrilled to talk to you about how we can serve your team, and to share stories of best practices across NBA, NFL, MLB, MLS, NHL, NCAA, and minor league sports Full blog here ➡️ https://bit.ly/3Tyf9dJ

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As my internship as a Baseball Video Scout at Sports Info Solutions concludes, I'm grateful for the invaluable experience and connections made. Using specialized software, I collected data across various levels, contributing to key metrics. With all of the baseball I have watched this Summer, I wanted to be able to quantify what I saw. This past week I scraped data for all of the MiLB games I got the opportunity to watch and wanted to highlight 5 prospects I found to be undervalued across the major publications. Jadher Areinamo (MIL) - Incredibly slick anywhere on the infield, has great bat-to-ball skills, and seems to have tapped into more power this year. I think he will have a lot of helium going into next season and be an above-average utility bat at the big league level. Jhonny Severino (PIT) - I only saw him twice but was impressed by his easy power to the opposite field at 19. The combination of opposite-field ability and how much room there is for him to grow into his frame more makes him an interesting prospect. https://lnkd.in/ggn35hpn Blade Tidwell (NYM) - Every time I got the opportunity to watch him pitch this season he dominated. Striking out more than a batter an inning and a thrown strike percent of 67% across two starts was eye-catching. He currently has a plus fastball and throws multiple off-speed pitches to keep hitters off balance. Alfonsin Rosario (CHC) - I was impressed by the power speed threat. He needs to improve his bat-to-ball skills and approach but is capable of doing damage at the plate and on the bases. Alfonsin also has a strong arm in the outfield, and will likely find himself settling in at one of the corner positions. Carlos Mendoza (DET) - Great approach but needs to add more discipline to his game. He will likely have to move off of third base due to the lack of power but can add value at 2B with his speed and ability to get on base. Below is a link to the code I created to scrape MiLB box scores as well as the CSV files for the games that I have watched and the aggregated stats from them. Moving forward, I'll be completing my MS in Management and Business Analytics this semester while exploring opportunities for the upcoming season. https://lnkd.in/gqrxiRsJ #BaseballAnalytics #SportsDataScience #MiLBProspects #MLB

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Texas’s loss to Georgia on Saturday night was devestating. However, they are so much more talented than their potential opponents as a #5 or #6 seed in the CFP, it’s unclear how much benefit they gain from getting a bye as a #1 or #2 seed. To answer this question, I pulled the Elo ratings for every team from the R package cfbfastR. I then made several CFP brackets with Texas at various seedings, and used the Elo ratings to calculate the chance of any team winning any given matchup. This let me simulate each bracket 10k times to investigate how UT’s loss impacted their chance of winning a title. It turns out, since they are so much talented than the opponents they’d face as a 5/6 seed, that they gain almost no benefit from a bye! Full write up here: https://lnkd.in/gp26gyCM

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Love this quote from Minnesota Timberwolves Head Coach Chris Finch: "It's always been--you have to learn how to compete. Then, you have to learn how to always compete. Then, you have to learn to compete at the high levels. When you do that, you are always going to give yourself a chance to win." I'll post the video link in the comments. Go attack this afternoon, #compete, and give yourself a chance to win the day! #linkedinsports

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I was asked the following question.... Bree, when you think about youth sports, what do you envision? I envision working with thousands of kids. Because I am a Basketball coach, of course, those kids would mostly be Basketball players (LOL!). But, I just want to work with kids teaching them how to play different sports, have fun and become good, responsible people. It's about gaining a love and a respect for physical, mental and emotional fitness for a lifetime, not just when they are children. In addition, being that I am also an educator, teaching kids that sports and education work together is also a big thing with me. Participating in sports is a great thing. However, if students can play sports, they can also make good grades and have great attendance and behavioral records. It all works together. There is a proven positive correlation between playing sports, increased grades, test scores and better attendance rates. Someone has to instill that into these young athletes, as well. My players are required to make A's and B's and I do check progress reports and report cards. Youth sports can be a fun adventure for children! Let's make it so!

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The NFL season is always a grind for me as a bettor and analyst. Between managing the day-to-day of my job, crafting my own bets, prepping for weekly podcasts and articles, and keeping up with games and the latest around the league, it's non-stop action from week to week. But this past week was a good reminder of the importance of reflecting amidst all the hustle. I was fortunate enough to be a guest on the Bet The Process, where I stepped back from the chaotic weekly routine and had a chance to reflect on some of my core betting ideas and the football research that drives my analysis and bets. We talked about my start in football and data science, positional value in the NFL (for those football nerds like me), the influence of game script in understanding results, and took a deep dive into my approach to finding tail angles & Same Game Parlays (SGPs). And while it wasn’t the main focus, we also touched on handling variance and how to evaluate the process beyond just relying on results. Recording this episode and discussing handling variance drove home an important point: taking time to remind yourself of your core ideas and ensuring you’re sticking to them—while also being able to update to new information—is key to staying sharp and focused. Moving forward, I hope to use this platform as a space to reflect on key concepts and ideas that drive my betting process and analysis. If this is interesting to you, I would recommend following along @throwthedamball substack linked below as I continue to track the season and refine my process. Substack: https://lnkd.in/eerVQ6C8 BTP Podcast: https://lnkd.in/eQhpnMcX or https://lnkd.in/eQhpnMcX

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