The University Libraries recently subscribed to SBRnet: Sports Business Research Network, a major online sports marketing resource. Created in 1996, SBRnet focuses on the sporting goods and sports marketing industry. In addition to covering industry news, the database provides information on all facets of sports equipment sales, sports participation, sports broadcasting, sports sponsorship, and sports marketing. Many leading universities in the field of sports and business education in the U.S. and Canada actively utilize this specialized service.

SBRnet provides access to market research from the largest single research supplier to the industry, the National Sporting Goods Association. Information is also compiled from the U.S. Department of Commerce and various sports governing bodies. Full-text articles from 14 major sports marketing magazines and newsletters are available. SBRnet recently provided access to buyTRACK, an exclusive tracking study of sporting goods purchasing habits on the Internet.

A significant recent addition to SBRnet is the "Sports Market Guide to the Web." This database contains links to over 10,000 sports websites. You can use the database either to search for a specific listing or to locate groups of listings by category. This guide enables speedier access to research on sports organizations than a customary WWW search engine, and also provides full coverage of major sports market segments. Contents include:

Major and minor league professional sports teams (over 800)

Colleges and universities in the U.S. and Canada, linked directly to sports departments (over 2,200)

Sporting goods equipment, apparel and footwear vendors (over 1,800)

Marketing agencies (over 200)

College and university Sport Management Degree Programs, linked directly to program offerings (over 300)

Sports arenas, stadiums and racetracks (over 250)

Sports trade associations/sanctioning/governing bodies (over 900)

Major sporting goods retailers - on and off-line (over 200)

High schools and prep schools (1,200+ listed currently, growing to over 3,000 by spring, 2002)

Consumer Information Sites (over 300)

College Athletic Conferences (over 100)

Daily newspapers, linked directly to sports pages (over 300)

SBRnet is available from computers on the WIU computer network at the Macomb and Regional Center campuses.

Questions? Please contact the library Reference Desk (309-298-2700).