Varsity Spirit, the leader in cheer and dance camps, competitions and apparel, today announced its acquisition of Director’s Showcase International (DSI), the largest wholesale distributor of marching band accessories and color guard equipment in the world. Financial terms were not disclosed.
Varsity Spirit, the worldwide leader in the cheerleading and dance team community, has been the driving force behind cheerleading’s dynamic transformation into the high-energy, athletic and hugely popular activity it is today. Varsity Spirit has grown the activity of cheerleading and dance team globally in its 45 years as a company with over 800,000 athletes competing at over 600 competitions and outfits over 750,000 athletes. With a focus on driving school spirit and building student engagement, this acquisition gives Varsity Spirit its first foray into the band world, another major area that will help increase student engagement in schools.
DSI, the number one provider of band accessories in the U.S. was founded in 1981 in Ligonier, IN, and is comprised of 22 brands used by high schools, colleges, and top drum corps nationwide. With global distribution in 14 countries including the U.S. and Canada, DSI offers 15 product categories to its customers, simplifying the ordering process for schools to include everything they need in one order.
“We admire DSI’s commitment to their customers and creating new and iconic products for the marching band industry,” said Bill Seely, President of Varsity Spirit. “Their tradition of quality, their focus on the customer experience and the culture of the company has driven years of brand loyalty and is the reason we were attracted to DSI. We are excited to welcome them to the Varsity Spirit family and look forward to expanding on how we can best serve our customers together.”
“For nearly 40 years, we have put an emphasis on product innovation, creation and leadership for the marching band community and we are thrilled that our legacy will continue through the leadership of COO Mike Murray, our daughter Nikki and her husband Jeff, and our son Brent with Varsity’s support,” said Tom Herald, founder of DSI. “Like Varsity Spirit, we value constant improvement, product innovation and product fulfillment as we aim to partner with our customers.”
DSI has 29 full and part time employees who will remain at the Ligonier, IN, headquarters, which is comprised of 62,750 feet of warehouse and manufacturing space.
