June

Super 14 hooks audiences

Television audience figures for the 2008 Super 14 season has shown promising growth, according to Sport Marketing Surveys.

playing To The Brandstand

What price a name? To have the world’s most keenly watched domestic football league carry its name, the Barclays Group is paying a cool US$130.65 million (£65.8 million).

Brooks® Earns Top Rankings in the Specialty Running Market

According to Sports Marketing Surveys’ Spring 2008 Running Specialty Store Sales Survey, performance running company Brooks Sports, Inc. took home four gold medal standings in the report’s top rankings: Brand Strength Forecast, Market Strength Forecast, Dealer Confidence Index and overall Brand Ratings.

Brooks® Forges Ahead in the Specialty Running Market

According to Sports Marketing Surveys’ Spring 2008 Running Specialty Store Sales Survey, performance running company Brooks Sports, Inc. took home four gold medal standings in the report’s top rankings: Brand Strength Forecast, Market Strength Forecast, Dealer Confidence Index and overall Brand Ratings.

May

wilson Continues to Lead Industry as the #1 Racket Brand

Wilson increased their market share lead in First Quarter 2008 compared to year end as the #1 racquet brand according to the Sports Marketing Surveys first quarter 2008 results just released.

s14 rugby a big TV switch -on

The number of television viewers who watched Super 14 rugby on SuperSport this year was the highest in the history of the competition.

Super 14 rugby a big TV switch-on

The number of television viewers who watched Super 14 rugby on SuperSport this year was the highest in the history of the competition.

prince Continues Momentum According to Q1 Industry Audit

Industry Leader Now Has More Racquet and Footwear Models in Top Fifteen Than Any Other Brand and #1 Position in String.

More speakers confirmed for industry-leading conference on 17 April

Toby Hester, Head of Sponsorship for Castrol, and Olayinka Seriki, Arts and Conferences Manager for Manchester Airport, have joined an already impressive speaker line-up for the ninth Think!Sponsorship conference, which takes place on 17 April at the Hackney Empire, London.

April

TaylorMade Golf Tour Staff Professional Darren Clarke Wins BMW Asian Open playing the New TaylorMade TP Red Golf Ball with LDP Technology

CARLSBAD, Calif. (April 28, 2008) – TaylorMade Golf Tour Staff professional Darren Clarke rolled home a 40-foot birdie putt on the final hole of the BMW Asian Open yesterday for a dramatic, one-stroke victory. It was Clarke’s 11th career European Tour victory and first playing the new TaylorMade® TP Red™ ball with LDP. LDP stands for Low-Drag Performance, which is a proprietary aerodynamics technology developed to improve distance on the most common types of driver mis-hits.

Motor Sport Business Mideast Forum opens in Bahrain

Motor Sport Business Forum Middle East 2008 opens today at the Ruf premises adjacent to Bahrain International Circuit. The Forum, the first of its kind in the Middle East, has generated enormous interest and excitement since the formal launch of the event.

Ian Peacock to take on TIA UK Presidency

The TIA UK will have a new President at the next Annual General Meeting when Ian Peacock, former Managing Director of Slazenger Ltd and Chief Executive of the Lawn Tennis Association, takes over from David Lloyd.

March

TaylorMade Sues Nickent Over Ad Claims

Nickent Golf has denied it violated any advertising principles in response to a lawsuit filed March 20 by TaylorMade – adidas Golf, which asserts false claims by its smaller competitor.

UK. Sports Marketing Surveys to evaluate Volvo Ocean Race

Sports Marketing Surveys has been appointed to provide a comprehensive media monitoring service. The UK -based Sports Marketing Surveys will monitor a full range of broadcast and print media, including new media, as well as carrying out a number of international race and brand awareness studies.

sports Marketing Surveys to partner RFL

For the third year running Sports Marketing Surveys is to provide the Rugby Football League and Engage Mutual Assurance with marketing data to evaluate their sponsorships.

Sports Marketing Surveys takes to the waves

Sports Marketing Surveys, a sponsorship and sports research agency, has been appointed by the Volvo Ocean Race to monitor media coverage of the event.

Sports Marketing Surveys renews rugby contract

The Rugby Football League (RFL) has appointed research agency Sports Marketing Surveys to provide marketing data on its sponsor, Engage Mutual Assurance.

David Richards to open Forum Middle East

David Richards, Chairman of Prodrive and Aston Martin, and a former team principal of the BAR and Benetton Formula One teams, will deliver the opening Keynote Address for the first Motor Sport Business Forum Middle East on 1-2 April 2008.

February

UK Golf Participation – a new report

The number of golfers in Great Britain who play on a full length course remains around the 4 million mark – a level that has been consistent since 2000. The same is true of the number of regular golfers who play at least 12 times a year – at 1.65 million this is at almost exactly the same level as in 2000.

Sports Research Specialists Team Up

German consultancy IFM International Sportanalysen GmbH (IFM) has acquired a majority stake in the UK’s Sports Marketing Surveys (SMS).

ProQuip: the UK’s best selling rain suit brand

ProQuip, the leading innovator of lightweight golf weatherwear, has retained its position as the number one selling rain suit brand in the UK, according to the latest sales figures from golf industry analysts Sports Marketing Surveys Ltd.

Outlook for sponsorship growth in 2008 looks strong

Although past performance isn’t always an indicator of future performance, with respect to the sponsorship industry, that actually isn’t quite true.

Prince O3 Racquets Capture Four of the Top Ten Best Selling Spots in Tennis

The SMS/TIA fourth quarter 2007 racquet audit revealed more exciting news for Prince Sports, Inc. The report showed that Prince has four of the top ten best selling racquets in the sport (ranked by year-to-date dollars).

IFM acquires majority stake in Sports Marketing Surveys

IFM International Sportanalysen GmbH (IFM), the German research consultancy, acquired a majority shareholding in Sports Marketing Surveys (SMS).

Germany's IFM buys Sports Marketing Surveys

Sports research consultancy IFM has expanded its research offer with the takeover of the UK’s Sports Marketing Surveys (SMS).

ECB confirms plan to increase investment by £30 million

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) today announced a £30 million investment in facilities and in club cricket – the most significant injection of funding ever in cricket in England and Wales.

Record £30m funding for facilities and club cricket

The England and Wales Cricket Board has announced a £30million investment in facilities and in club cricket, the most significant injection of funding ever in cricket in England and Wales.

January

IFM deal with SMS creates world's biggest sport & sponsorship research group

In one of the busiest years ever for sports research, IFM International Sportanalysen GmbH (IFM), the large German research consultancy, has acquired the majority shareholding of Britain’s Sports Marketing Surveys (SMS) to form the world’s biggest specialist company in sports research, evaluation and media analysis.

SMS bought by German counterpart

German research consultancy IFM International Sportanalysen has bought the majority shareholding in British counterpart Sports Marketing Surveys with the new combined entity claiming to be the biggest specialist outfit of its kind.

IFM Acquires SMS in Bid to Rule Sponsorship Research Sector

IFM, the Germany-based sports research firm, has acquired a majority shareholding in fellow UK research consultancy Sports Marketing Surveys to form the world ’s biggest sport and sponsorship research company.