Key Takeaways
- Hudl’s Futures Forum Presented by Chase runs March 27-29 in Lincoln, Nebraska, now in its second year.
- 33 high school football prospects from 16 states are attending a three-day program built around five non-athletic pillars.
- The curriculum covers NIL income management, media training, brand strategy with Opendorse, brain safety with Q30, and film-based scouting literacy.
- Chase, which serves more than 86 million consumers and 7.4 million small businesses, anchors the financial health programming.
- Hudl works with more than 300,000 teams globally, giving the forum significant distribution reach across the high school recruiting ecosystem.
Why Hudl Is Teaching Recruits to Manage NIL Before They Sign
The Hudl Futures Forum is not a showcase. There are no scouts in the bleachers. No 40-yard dash times recorded. The three-day event running March 27-29 at Hudl’s Lincoln, Nebraska headquarters is built entirely around what happens after an athlete performs: the contracts, the cameras, and the financial decisions that follow.
Now in its second year, the forum reflects a broader reality in high school football recruiting. Name, Image, and Likeness eligibility has made financial and brand management a practical skill set for athletes who have not yet graduated high school. The Futures Forum is one of the few structured environments where top prospects receive formal instruction on those topics before committing to a program.
This year’s cohort includes 33 prospects from 16 states, representing positions across the offensive and defensive depth chart.
A Five-Pillar Curriculum Focused on Life After the Offer
The forum’s programming is organized around five areas, each tied to a partner or platform.
Financial health anchors the curriculum, with Chase leading sessions on managing NIL income and long-term financial planning. Chase, the U.S. consumer and commercial banking arm of JPMorgan Chase and Co., serves more than 86 million consumers and 7.4 million small businesses. Its involvement in a high school recruiting event reflects growing institutional interest in reaching young athletes at the moment they begin earning.
Media training covers interview technique and recruiting narrative, preparing athletes for the increased visibility that comes with high-profile commitments and NIL partnerships. As programs compete for recruits across social platforms, an athlete’s ability to present clearly in front of a camera has become part of their marketability.
Brand strategy sessions run in partnership with Opendorse, a leading NIL marketplace platform, and focus on building a digital identity that attracts both recruiters and commercial sponsors. For athletes new to NIL, understanding how to use their profile strategically, rather than reactively, is a practical skill with direct financial implications.
Athlete safety is addressed through Q30 Innovations, maker of the Q-Collar. Since 2012, Q30 has conducted more than 25 pre-clinical and clinical studies on the device, which is designed to help protect the brain from the effects of repetitive head impacts. The Q-Collar is currently used in more than 20 sports. Its inclusion in a recruiting forum signals that brain health education is becoming a standard component of athlete preparation at the high school level, not just a professional concern.
Scouting and analysis rounds out the program, with sessions on how athletes can use film and data to understand their own recruitment trajectory. For recruits already using Hudl’s platform, this pillar bridges the gap between performance capture and self-advocacy in the recruiting process.
The Partnership Structure and What It Tells the Industry
The forum’s sponsor alignment reflects a pattern emerging across youth and high school sports: financial institutions and health-tech companies building direct relationships with pre-college athletes.
Chase’s presence here is notable. Consumer banking products are rarely positioned inside recruiting environments at the high school level. Its involvement in the Futures Forum gives it access to a demographically specific audience at a formative financial moment, athletes who are beginning to earn income and need banking infrastructure to manage it.
Opendorse has been a central player in the NIL marketplace since college athletes gained eligibility in 2021. Its expansion into high school programming, through partnerships like this one, tracks the downward movement of NIL activity into prep sports. Several states now allow high school athletes to earn NIL income before college, and the number is expected to grow.
Q30’s role connects athlete safety education directly to product exposure in a setting that is not a traditional retail or clinical environment. With brain protection conversations increasingly influencing parent and athlete decision-making in football, early education on available tools carries weight.
Hudl’s Position in the Recruiting Ecosystem
Hudl’s decision to host this event is not incidental to its core business. The company serves more than 300,000 teams globally across high school, college, and professional levels. Its recruiting tools are embedded in the workflows of college programs looking for prospects, and its highlight platform is how many recruits first make themselves visible.
Running the Futures Forum deepens Hudl’s relationship with the exact athletes its recruiting tools are designed to serve. Participants who receive training on how to use film and data in their recruitment are more likely to engage with Hudl’s platform as an active tool, rather than a passive archive.
“The recruiting process has evolved dramatically, and the decisions facing young athletes are more complex than ever,” said Adam Gouttierre at Hudl. “By partnering with Chase to host the Futures Forum, we’re ensuring these athletes aren’t just prepared to play at the next level, but are equipped to manage the life-changing opportunities that come with it.”
A Model Worth Watching for Youth Sports Operators
The Futures Forum is not a large-scale event by attendance numbers. Thirty-three athletes across three days is a tight, selective program. But the format, pairing a technology platform with financial and wellness sponsors to deliver structured education to high-value youth athletes, is replicable and scalable.
For executives in youth and high school sports, the forum demonstrates a few things worth tracking. NIL education is no longer a college-level conversation. Brands are actively building pipelines to young athletes through education rather than traditional sponsorship. And platforms with data on athlete performance and recruiting activity have a built-in advantage in organizing these experiences because they already know who the athletes are.
The second annual run of this event suggests the model held up after year one. The question for the broader industry is whether other platforms or organizations build similar programming, and whether it remains exclusive to football or expands into other high-value recruiting sports.
YSBR provides this content on an “as is” basis without any warranties, express or implied. We do not assume responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, legality, reliability, or use of the information, including any images, videos, or licenses associated with this article. For any concerns, including copyright issues or complaints, please contact YSBR directly.
About Youth Sports Business Report
Youth Sports Business Report is the largest and most trusted source for youth sports industry news, insights, and analysis covering the $54 billion youth sports market. Trusted by over 50,000 followers including industry executives, investors, youth sports parents and sports business professionals, we are the premier destination for comprehensive youth sports business intelligence.
Our core mission: Make Youth Sports Better. As the leading authority in youth sports business reporting, we deliver unparalleled coverage of sports business trends, youth athletics, and emerging opportunities across the youth sports ecosystem.
Our expert editorial team provides authoritative, in-depth reporting on key youth sports industry verticals including:
- Sports sponsorship and institutional capital (Private Equity, Venture Capital)
- Youth Sports events and tournament management
- NIL (Name, Image, Likeness) developments and compliance
- Youth sports coaching and sports recruitment strategies
- Sports technology and data analytics innovation
- Youth sports facilities development and management
- Sports content creation and digital media monetization
Whether you’re a sports industry executive, institutional investor, youth sports parent, coach, or sports business enthusiast, Youth Sports Business Report is your most reliable source for the actionable sports business insights you need to stay ahead of youth athletics trends and make informed decisions in the rapidly evolving youth sports landscape.
Join our growing community of 50,000+ industry leaders who depend on our trusted youth sports business analysis to drive success in the youth sports industry.
Stay connected with the pulse of the youth sports business – where industry expertise meets actionable intelligence.
Sign up for the biggest newsletter in Youth Sports – Youth Sports HQ – The best youth sports newsletter in the industry
Follow Youth Sports Business Report Founder Cameron Korab on LinkedIn
Are you a brand looking to tap into the world’s most passionate fanbase… youth sports?
Introducing Play Up Partners, a leading youth sports marketing agency connecting brands with the power of youth sports. We specialize in youth sports sponsorships, partnerships, and activations that drive measurable results.
About Play Up Partners
Play Up Partners is a leading youth sports marketing agency connecting brands with the power of youth sports. We specialize in youth sports sponsorships, partnerships, and activations that drive measurable results.
Why Sponsor Youth Sports?
Youth sports represents one of the most engaged and passionate audiences in sports marketing. With over 70 million young athletes and their families participating annually, the youth sports industry offers brands unparalleled access to motivated communities with strong purchasing power and loyalty.
What Does Play Up Partners Do?
We’ve done the heavy lifting to untangle the complex youth sports landscape so our brand partners can engage with clarity, confidence, and impact. Our vetted network of accredited youth sports organizations (from local leagues to national tournaments and operators) allows us to create flexible, scalable programs that evolve with the market.
Our Approach
Every partnership we build is rooted in authenticity and value creation. We don’t just broker deals. We craft youth sports marketing strategies that:
- Deliver measurable ROI for brand partners
- Create meaningful experiences for athletes and families
- Elevate the youth sports ecosystem
Our Vision
We’re positioning youth sports as the most desirable and effective platform in sports marketing. Our mission is simple: MAKE YOUTH SPORTS BETTER for athletes, families, organizations, and brand partners.
Common Questions About Youth Sports Marketing
Where can I sponsor youth sports? How do I activate in youth sports? What is the ROI of youth sports marketing? How much does youth sports sponsorship cost?
We have answers. Reach out to info@playuppartners.com to learn how Play Up Partners can help your brand navigate the youth sports landscape.
Youth sports organizations: Interested in partnership opportunities? Reach out to learn about our accreditation process.
