BSN Sports announced it has hired the sales and support professionals from Sports Gear, a leading distributor of team apparel and athletic equipment in the state of Alabama. Sports Gear, headquartered in Cullman, AL, was formerly a member of the Sports Inc. buying group.

“We are thrilled to welcome the team from Sports Gear to the BSN Sports family”, said Adam Blumenfeld, Chairman and CEO. “These men have been an institution in the State of Alabama for many years and bring a wealth of customer relationships and market coverage to BSN. They have committed their lives to serving the high school and collegiate markets for more than two decades. We intend to enhance their efforts with the finest marketing, distribution and technology assets in the industry – all for the purpose of enhancing the personal relationships the team has in their respective communities.”

Pete Pettus, formerly of Sports Gear, stated: “My team and I are very excited to be joining the BSN Sports family. The amount of support and commitment to the team market is second to none. Best brands, incredible technology and $40 million in inventory on the shelves let us service our customers like never before. Finally, being part of an ESOP (employee owned organization) allows my team to have a “Career” in sporting goods as opposed to just a “Job”. It’s a terrific opportunity to do what we love, do it more efficiently than ever before, and be properly rewarded for the contributions we make.”

BSN Sports is the nation’s leading marketer and distributor of sporting goods equipment and apparel. The company has more than 350 sales professionals serving local communities, supported by a network of 70 territory managers; more than 3.0 million catalogs and a family of websites focused on enriching the experience of sports and physical education in more than 100,000 institutions nationwide. On June 26, 2013 BSN Sports merged with Herff Jones, Inc.,  a leading supplier of class rings, caps and gowns, yearbooks and cheerleading products and competitions.