i9 Sports Franchise Opens 100th Location!

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Nationwide Kids Sports League Surges Due To Franchise Ownership

July 04, 2008 // Franchising.com // (Brandon, FL) The desire to own a home-based franchise that focuses on kids and sports has proved to be the winning formula for Tampa Bay based i9 Sports Corporation, who recently announced the opening of their 100th franchise location.

Since launching the franchise in late 2003, i9 Sports boasts over 100,000 members in 25 states with kids participating in leagues and camps in the most popular team sports such as Flag Football, Soccer, and Basketball. According to company Founder & CEO Frank V. Fiume, "The success of i9 Sports starts with the great passion people have for sports and the desire to make a positive impact on kids. Opening our 100th franchise location is a very special milestone in the industry."

According to a 2006 International Franchise Association (IFA) study, less than half of all franchisors ever achieve 100 franchise units.

However, as Fiume points out, "It comes with tremendous responsibility for his organization in selecting the right candidate. It is crucial that we carefully screen potential i9 Sports franchise owners and award franchises, not sell to anyone who wants one. Although it is quite an accomplishment for any franchisor to have 100 franchise locations, it is especially rewarding for us because of our selection process."

The latest i9 Sports franchise was purchased by Jeff and Katie Kraft in Chesterfield County, Virginia. The Kraft's total initial investment was approximately $60,000 in exchange for the rights to operating the i9 Sports name with 10 youth sports in a protected 350,000-population territory. This also includes classroom and field training, on-going support, equipment and supplies, proprietary software, custom website, a marketing game plan focused on increasing brand awareness, and bulk volume discounts on everything from insurance to jerseys.

While the company has gained trademark approval in 31 countries with the objective of becoming an international youth sports franchise brand over the next 4 years, it plans on opening another 80 to 100 franchises in the U.S. over the next 24 months.

About i9 Sports

i9 Sports started in Long Island, N.Y., in 1995 (originally under the name ABA Sports) and began franchising in late 2003. Since that time, they have achieved over 100,000 members in 25 states nationwide. Now with 100 franchise locations, i9 Sports is continuing its mission of delivering a youth sports experience for kids to participate in leagues and camps with a focus on fun, safety, and convenience to benefit both the child and parent. With no tryouts, drafts, or fundraisers of any kind, i9 Sports encourages equal playing time for each child while screening and certifying all of its volunteer coaches.

i9 Sports is ranked #4 by Franchise Business Review out of the top 300 franchises in the 2007 Franchise Satisfaction Survey, ranked #13 by Franchise Times Magazine in 2007 as one of the Fastest Growing Young Franchises in America, and listed by Franchise Market Magazine among the Top 100 New Franchises. For more information, call 1(800) 9-PLAYER or visit www.i9sports.com.

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