MIAMI--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Trivest Partners announced that its affiliate, ASB Sports, has acquired the team sports division of Universal Athletic, which is headquartered in Bozeman, Montana.

This partnership expands ASB’s sales coverage nationwide, adds significant management talent, deepens relationships with key vendors, and brings one of the most well-respected brands in the team dealer space into the ASB partnership. The key executives of Universal Athletic will join ASB’s management team and will invest significantly in the combined business.

Universal Athletic, founded in 1971, is one of the largest and most reputable distributors of sporting goods, uniforms and equipment to high schools and colleges throughout the country. The Universal Athletic team dealer business includes over 50 sales professionals covering more than 20 states.

In addition to its team sports business, Universal Athletic operates a large retail footprint with ten stores across six states. Although the retail business will be owned and operated separately from ASB, the two organizations will continue to work together for the benefit of customers.

Greg Miller, President of Universal Athletic commented, “Partnering with ASB’s stable of the very best team dealers in America fits perfectly with Universal’s strategy. This group truly values relationships with customers, vendors, and employees. Retaining our culture and family of employees was critical. Together with ASB, Universal Athletic will perpetuate nearly 50 years of service to the people and communities we call home while also allowing Universal to continue building on the relationship with the good people and members of Sports, Inc.”

“The addition of Universal Athletic to ASB Sports expands our reach and gives us the opportunity to deliver our best-in-class service to athletic organizations across the country,” said Scott Molander, CEO of ASB Sports. “We are excited to join forces with Greg and his team to build on the success our combined companies bring to the market.”

ASB Sports is one of the largest and fastest-growing national value-added distributors of sporting goods equipment in the country, with additional expertise in customer decoration and online store fulfillment. With a loyal customer base of nearly 10,000 accounts, ASB Sports is positioned to build on its reputation of providing a broad array of products from nearly every brand in the marketplace with unmatched, local customer service.

As a relationship-driven organization, ASB will continue to partner with Sports, Inc., the largest team and outdoor buying group in the country.

About ASB: ASB Sports is a leading value-added distributor of sporting goods equipment, primarily to high schools and colleges. By leveraging a like-minded approach to putting customer needs first, ASB has grown from a single operation in Texas into one of the largest independent team sports dealers in the country.

About Trivest Partners: Trivest Partners is a private investment firm that focuses on partnering with founder/family owned businesses in the United States and Canada. Since its founding in 1981, Trivest has completed more than 300 transactions, totaling almost $7 billion in value. For additional information, please visit www.trivest.com.