Basketball is No Longer Just Child’s Play
SGMA Research
SGMA Research indicates that a significant portion of America’s basketball-playing population is no longer in school. According to SGMA’s single-sport study on basketball, more than 40 percent of all basketball players are at least 25 years of age and 28 percent of them have at least a college education. Click here to purchase SGMA’s single-sport study on basketball. More

Cross Sports Participation Holds Keys to Growth
SGMA Research
While most marketers and product development people look to learn as much as they can about their respective consumers, how much do they really know? SGMA Research says that basic demographic information can be a very powerful tool when it comes to looking for new opportunities for growth. However, the real key to growing business may lie in the cross participation habits of your primary consumers. More

National Park Service Is Waiving Entrance Fees
SGMA Education and Resources
As a way of stimulating summer vacations at national parks, entrance fees at 147 national parks and monuments — including the Grand Canyon and Yosemite — will be waived on three weekends this summer. The weekends are June 20-21, July 18-19 and August 15-16. The waiver applies only to entrance fees and does not affect charges for camping, reservations, tours or concessions. More

Ice Hockey News: IOC Approves New Guidelines
SGMA Education and Resources
For manufacturers of ice hockey gloves for the Olympic Games in Vancouver next year, the IOC has decided to increase the surface of authorized identification on ice hockey gloves mentioned in Guidelines Regarding Authorized Identifications for Olympic Games Vancouver 2010. Previously, the guidelines mentioned: "Player Gloves: one identification per item of a maximum size of 6 cm2 per glove." Now, the guidelines now mention: "Player Gloves: one identification per item of a maximum size of 12 cm2 per glove.” Please note that the IOC will not modify the guidelines with the above ice hockey gloves change. More

Congressional Health Care Reform Needs PHIT
SGMA Public Policy
Now that Congressman Ron Kind D-Wis. has introduced the Personal Health Investment Today Act of 2009 (PHIT) in the U.S. House of Representatives, Congress needs to hear loudly that PHIT is important to lowering health care costs. It is imperative that the general public send letters, faxes, and emails to their representatives in Washington, D.C. (i.e. local member of the House and your two U.S. Senators) expressing their support for the PHIT Act. For background information about PHIT, go to www.getphit.sgma.com. If you want to send a letter to your local congressmen in support of PHIT, Click Here. More

SGMA Reminds Industry of Approaching GSP Filing Deadlines
SGMA Public Policy
The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative has announced the schedule for its annual review of the U.S. Generalized System of Preferences (GSP). Of relevance to SGMA members, the deadline for filing petitions to add products to duty-free GSP eligibility or to restrict GSP benefits for a particular product is June 24, while the deadline for filing petitions requesting a waiver of the competitive need limits for a specific product from a specific country is November 17. More

SGMA’s June Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) Update Conference Call

Washington, DC Wednesday, June 17, 2009 1:00 pm EST More CPSC funding, proposed new Chair and Commissioner could spell trouble for manufacturers. Will your products withstand the scrutiny? To find out join SGMA and our Legal Task Force this June for a conference call on the latest CPSC and Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) developments. More

Tailgating Satellite Media Tour

Atlanta, Ga. Friday, Sept. 4, 2009 Do you want television news coverage for your product? If so, then sign up for a TV Satellite Media Tour (SMT) by SGMA. During an SMT, SGMA is able to reach the general public through their local (and some national) television morning news programs. More

SGMA's 11th Annual National Health Through Fitness Day

Washington, DC Tuesday, March 9, 2010 - Wednesday, March 10, 2010 Next March join celebrity athletes, physical education teachers, and industry leaders for SGMA's 11th Annual National Health Through Fitness Day to promote Physical Activity and fight Obesity. MoreMore

SGMA's 2010 Litigation & Risk Management Summit

Las Vegas, NV Tuesday, April 6, 2010 SGMA's Legal Task Force will be hosting our annual SGMA Litigation & Risk Management Summit in Las Vegas at the Fontainebleau Hotel. Further details will be provided as they're made available. More