In a deal that looks to have synergistic opportunities aplenty when it closes, Gill Athletics, Inc. announced last week that it had signed a non-binding letter of intent to purchase substantially all of the assets of Porter Athletic Equipment Co. Gill Athletics, which is the official supplier to USA Track & Field, is primarily focused on outdoor sports such as track & field and sells its goods primarily through team dealers, while Porter Athletic’s business is focused on architectural and construction firms and getting its indoor sports products spec’d for new facilities.

In an exclusive interview with Sports Executive Weekly, David Hodge, president and CEO of Gill Athletics, said that the two brands could benefit greatly from the distribution focus of the other. Mr. Hodge said there will be some common executives for the two brands, such as back-office and administration, but that sales and marketing will remain separate. He indicated that current Porter Athletic management will remain in place.

The potential here is to have the two organizations focus on their current respective sales focus, with the Gill organization that calls on team dealers expanding their bag to include more indoor institutional products under the Porter name, while the Porter team focuses on getting Gill’s outdoor products spec’d for new construction opportunities.

Today, the companies are roughly 125 miles apart, with Porter based outside Chicago in Broadview, Ill., and Gill based in Champaign, Ill., but Hodge said both companies had their roots in the Champaign/Urbana area. Gill is an 88 year old company and Porter has been in business since 1868.

The company said that the closing of the deal is subject to a number of conditions, including but not limited to negotiation and execution of a definitive agreement, completion of a due diligence investigation, receipt of financing, approval of the boards of directors and shareholders of both companies and various other conditions. The companies anticipate that the transaction will close during the second quarter of 2006.