The NPD Group Inc., a leader in data capture and analytics, announced this week it plans to buy SportsOneSource’s SSI Data POS Sports and Outdoor tracking business. Terms of the deal, which is expected to close April 1, were not disclosed.

As brands and retailers grapple with an increasingly digital landscape, one benefit has been the proliferation of data points that companies can use to better understand both their personal performance and the broader marketplace. However, the data alone is often useless; it needs to be analyzed in order to become valuable. Companies such as NPD and SportsOneSource turn this information into prescriptive analytics for their clients, collecting data from both e-commerce and brick-and-mortar channels.

“Sports is a strategic business and a global business for NPD,” said CEO Karyn Schoenbart. “Our priority is getting our clients what they need to address issues and identify opportunities, using data to grow their businesses.”

Through this acquisition, NPD will be able to utilize additional data points for more comprehensive analysis of the marketplace. SportsOneSource will no longer participate in sports retail tracking, but it will remain active in the market through its SGB Media business.

“The industry will benefit as NPD and SGB Media concentrate on our respective strengths in data and media,” said James Hartford, CEO of SportsOneSource LLC.

The announcement came Wednesday during the Outdoor Retailer Snow Show in Denver, where hundreds of exhibitors in the outdoor market were gathered. With sports retail tracking consolidated in one place, the market stands to benefit from a more complete assessment of critical trends and performance.

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