Sport Supply Group, Inc. said it has acquired certain team sports assets from Har-Bell Athletic Goods of Springfield, MO. Bryan Tucker, Owner of Har-Bell, will be employed by SSG as will his existing sales force in Missouri. Sport Supply did not assume any liabilities in the transaction. Terms were not disclosed.

Commenting on the acquisition, Adam Blumenfeld, Chairman and CEO, stated: “We are pleased to welcome the Har-Bell team sales force into the SSG family, and look forward to a long and prosperous relationship with Bryan and his team. Similar to the recently announced acquisitions of Websters Team Sports in Florida, and the Team Sports sales pros of Doerner’s in Indiana, Har-Bell brings to SSG long-standing high school, college and youth league relationships in Missouri and the ability to bring us closer to our Midwestern customers. We believe that the Har-Bell team – equipped with an enhanced line of proprietary and branded product from SSG – will further increase its penetration into existing and new accounts.

“Transactions such as this are, we believe, a “win-win” for both parties. The Har-Bell sales force can leverage the infrastructure, technology and support backbone that SSG provides, and SSG benefits from the personal relationships Har-Bell has built over many years in the business. SSG’s core competency, and goal, is to add significant efficiencies to Har-Bell by leveraging our scalable infrastructure to reduce administrative burden for the sales team – allowing them more time with existing and potential clients. By eliminating headaches on the back-end, we ultimately create more opportunity for salesmen on the front end.”

Bryan Tucker of Har-Bell Athletic Goods stated: “We are pleased to be joining the SSG family and be working in tandem with the Kessler division of Sport Supply Group. We have known and respected the Dickman family and what they have accomplished in the Midwestern United States and look forward to playing an integral role in Sport Supply’s expansion program. Without question, the 22,000 equipment and team uniform products we can now present to our customers, combined with a simplification of back-end administration, will allow my team to move swiftly and effectively towards both vertical and horizontal penetration of our territory.”

The company stated it continues to review a number of potential transactions including both geographic expansion opportunities and the ability to add new and innovative brands and products to its existing assortment of branded and proprietary goods and services.