As SGMA International struggles to shed its image as a Super Show-centric organization and works to redouble its efforts to service the needs of its membership, newly-minted SGMA president and CEO Tom Cove sees real opportunity to build upon his mission of being the industrys leading advocate in Washington, DC.
SGMA will complete its move to DC later this spring, but will continue to have some presence in Florida. Communication Director Mike May, who made solid appearances last week on CNN and ESPN regarding the impact of the NHL lockout, is one individual that will stay behind, but continue to “tele-commute” for SGMA.
SGMA sees 2005 as a pivotal year for the sporting goods industry on Capitol Hill as Cove and his team are forced to strike a balance between fighting cuts in PEP and LWCF funding, while continuing to fight alongside the Bush Administration in support for tort reform and international trade.
“From a legislative perspective, SGMA has to be as aggressive as ever,” said SGMA chairman Tom Rogge, who is also president of Cramer Products. “If we want national leaders to understand our needs, we have to take the time to educate them about the importance of quality physical education and the need to reform the irrational tort system facing our manufacturers.”
SGMA said that continued funding for the Carol M. White Physical Education for Progress (PEP) program is at the top of the agenda for the year. The program has provided more than $250 million in direct funding to school districts to purchase sports/fitness equipment and train teachers in innovative physical education techniques since 2001. However, as part of his recent budget overhaul, President Bush has indicated his intention to terminate the PEP program in two years.
The new budget also calls for zero funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF), one of the primary funding programs for local parks, trails, ball fields, courts, and playgrounds. SGMA said the LWCF has been responsible for funding more than 38,000 state and local recreation projects, including more than 8,000 soccer fields alone. The program, which is funded from oil and gas royalties and which sends money to every state, received $92 million last year.
SGMA has supported this fund for some time and is committed to the fight to restore this funding. The LWCF cuts are also a primary focus for the Outdoor Industry Association.
