Stephen Proctor, managing director of SMS, commented: "We are very pleased to work with SGMA on this exciting project. Our research expertise and their unmatched prestige and respect in the sports industry makes a powerful combination."
Added SGMA International president John Riddle:
"After an extensive review of the US and International sports research markets, we firmly believe there are some significant unfulfilled research needs for the membership of SGMA, unaffiliated organizations and those interested in the sports market. This partnership between SGMA and Sports Marketing Surveys will fill that void."
The new company will initially offer research services in the Team Sports, Fitness Equipment and Athletic Footwear industry segments.
In addition the new firm will also offer custom research services, including consumer research using the consumer panel derived from SGMA's sports participation survey, plus online research using a panel of active sports participants for both ad hoc and continued research.
As part of the move William Lawliss will join Sports Research Partnership (SRP) as director of business development. Lawliss has extensive experience in the sporting goods industry and was founder of Sports Research, a market research company that was purchased by SMS in 1998.
