On Oct. 5, the SGMA membership formally changed its bylaws to officially change the name of the association to the Sports & Fitness Industry Association (SFIA). The new SFIA will focus on executing its refined mission statement, core services and communication platforms to promote sports and fitness participation and industry vitality.
“The support we received for the name change within the industry has been tremendous. We view the unanimous ratification to SFIA as a mandate that the association is on the right path to follow through the initiatives laid out within the rebranding process in our Strategic Plan,” said Tom Cove, SFIA President & CEO.
“This is a historic day for our industry’s association,” said Larry Franklin, SFIA Chairman and President of Franklin Sports. “The name change to Sports & Fitness Industry Association is an important piece of the larger rebranding initiatives the Board of Directors and organization staff have developed.”
Several new initiatives are planned including (for details please visit the link):
A new “member friendly’” website – www.sfia.org
Innovative Thought Leadership programs including the 2013 SFIA Industry Leaders Summit, scheduled for September 25-26, 2013 in Baltimore, MD – www.sfia.org/ils
A national campaign to grow sport and fitness participation: PHIT America
A comprehensive SFIA Supplier Directory – www.sfiasuppliersdirectory.com
A groundbreaking new “Grassroots Sports Participation in America” research report – Click here to view it's Executive Summary
Content enhancements and design updates to our e-newsletter, SFIA Weekly – www.sfia.org/memberservices/sfiaweekly
Major upgrades to our Product Testing member benefit – www.sfia.org/memberservices/productintegrity
“The process of rebranding the association has been a calculated, thorough and well-executed exercise tied closely to our long term strategic plan. The new name strengthens the SFIA staff’s ability to deliver the products and services companies like Mizuno seek in its trade association,” said Bob Puccini, SFIA Vice Chairman and Mizuno USA President. “Beyond the new name, I am especially looking forward to the inaugural SFIA Industry Leaders Summit in 2013. Our community will benefit when industry leaders, who share the same challenges, will participate in a thought-provoking, educational conference on the future of the sports and fitness industry, while networking with other executives,” Puccini added.
“The SFIA name change is a definitive statement about our inclusion of brands connected to fitness and active lifestyle products. This is not a change in philosophy for our organization as we already have many members, like Life Fitness, in these categories. However, we all believe that Sports & Fitness Industry Association is a more accurate and transparent indication of the industry segments that we serve, now and in the future,” said Chris Clawson, SFIA Board Liaison to the Rebranding Committee and President of Life Fitness.
