Teamware Group, a Fujitsu subsidiary, today announced the signing of its first major deal in the UK SME publishing market. Thames Valley Sports Focus, the only paper dedicated to community sporting news in the Thames Valley area, has chosen Teamware Pl@za for the design, implementation and long-term development of its online venture for the local community.

Teamware Pl@za is a set of Internet services integrated into an application platform, providing web design, content management and community building for online publications. The solution is ideal for the SME publisher wanting to maintain administrative control, manage content, understand and cultivate its readership.

Based in Reading, Berkshire, Thames Valley Sports Focus is the publisher of 'Sports Focus' and 'Cartoon Focus', monthly community centred publications with a regional circulation of approximately 200,000 per edition, distributed throughout the Thames Valley. Since launching the publication at the beginning of 2001 'Sports Focus' has built a loyal readership and continues to generate increasing interest with the local business community.

Business Development Director of Thames Valley Sports Focus, Grant McIntyre explains the need for expansion of the business online, "Thames Valley Sports Focus is first and foremost a community oriented organisation. We required an online proposition to complement our print-based publication, adding value to the business through increased readership, advertising and sponsorship opportunities, whilst furthering our quality of service to the entire community," comments McIntyre.

Teamware and Thames Valley Sports Focus have adopted a phased approach to developing its first steps into online publishing. Phase one, due to go live late November 01, will immediately give the editorial team administrative control over content without needing technical expertise or compromising the design of the website.

The sales and marketing team will be able to monitor online readership activity, conduct readership surveys, manage subscriptions to the print-based 'Sports Focus', and conduct outbound email marketing campaigns. The readership will benefit from the latest sports news in the region, a fully searchable library of back issues, an A-Z sports directory, links to other useful websites, and access to funding scheme information for youth sports clubs. Phase two of will include downloadable video clips of local sporting activities and an online retail section.

"Teamware has established itself as a long-term partner in this project, they understand our specific requirements as fast growing publisher and have responded with a solution that allows us to develop," concludes McIntyre.

UK Director of Sales and Consultancy for Teamware, Mike Walker states, "We are delighted that Thames Valley Sports Focus will be our flagship Teamware Pl@za customer in the online publishing sector."