i9 Sports® Announces Record-Breaking 2015 and Drives National Expansion with Nine New Franchise Agreements

TAMPA, Fla., Jan. 26, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- i9 Sports^®, the nation's first and largest youth sports league franchise, announced today it completed the fourth quarter of 2015 with nine new franchise agreements. These signings set the company up for tremendous growth nationwide in 2016, with new programs slated to open in Virginia, Georgia, Texas, Oklahoma, Colorado, Washington and New Jersey. Additionally, the company reported a 12 percent increase in network-wide revenue versus the previous year, making 2015 the most successful year in the company's history and reaffirming i9 Sports as the pace-setter in the youth sports industry.

"2015 was a tremendous year for i9 Sports. We were thrilled to see an acceleration of our momentum in the fourth quarter with these nine new additions to our team," said Brian Sanders, chief executive officer of i9 Sports. "All of our new franchisees share our passion for delivering an extraordinary experience to children that emphasizes fun, healthy competition and the value of good sportsmanship. Not only is this great for kids, families and communities, but it's a life-changer for the new franchise owners who will now be able to achieve their dream of financial independence, work/life balance and profit with a purpose. We look forward to working with these new team members to further propel our expansion in 2016."

The new i9 Sports franchisees include:

• Former NFL'er Keith Smith has purchased an i9 Sports franchise in Douglasville, Georgia. Prior to purchasing an i9 Sports business, Smith played for the Detroit Lions and San Francisco 49ers, where he learned the importance of teamwork, responsibility and organization. He chose to get involved with i9 Sports due to the company's commitment to teaching children life lessons through sports.
• Dustin Ault, a lifelong sports enthusiast who decided to get involved with i9 Sports after his three children enjoyed another i9 Sports local league, has purchased a territory in Oklahoma City. Ault intends to open a second venue in fall 2016 and a third in 2017, with plans to eventually develop five programs in the Oklahoma City region.
• Chris Dietrich has purchased the North Seattle/Snohomish and Marysville/Lake Stevens territories in Washington. Prior to owning a franchise of his own, Dietrich worked in the i9 Sports home office as a regional business manager, and has also served as program director for leagues in Tampa, Florida, Portland, Oregon, and Columbus, Ohio. He decided to become a franchise owner after working with the company for years and consistently witnessing first-hand the proven track record of the brand's business model.
• Brian Jennings will be opening a new i9 Sports territory in South Riding, Virginia. Jennings learned of i9 Sports after offering photography services to eight i9 Sports franchises along the east coast, and was so impressed with the corporate office's support system that he decided to purchase an i9 Sports business of his own. He has plans to open two additional programs over the next year.
• Jason and Xiomara Johnson lead the company's Northeast expansion, purchasing the Union City, N.J. territory. The couple heard about i9 Sports when the company was featured on HBO Real Sports, and have purchased a territory of their own in an effort to bring to their community a safe environment for kids to play sports and a business they can stand behind. Xiomara is a veteran of the US Navy.
• Roger and Toshia Lawless have purchased the Boise, Idaho territory. The couple has extensive experience in customer service, and has been involved in sports all their lives, which they believe will help take their new leagues to the next level and deliver an exceptional experience for families in their community. They plan to offer flag football, soccer and t-ball, and will be expanding to add basketball for the winter season. The couple hopes to expand their franchise into the Nampa/Caldwell area in the future.
• Sergio and Megan Marquez have purchased a territory in San Antonio, Texas. Sergio was drawn to the i9 Sports concept as he has taught physical education in San Antonio for nine years, as well as coached football, basketball, soccer, and track and field at local middle and high schools for 15 years. The couple's territory spans from San Antonio to San Marcos, and they intend to continue developing throughout the area.
• Leading the company's expansion in Colorado is Josh McCall, who will be developing programs in Fort Collins, Loveland and Greeley. A lifelong sports enthusiast and former competitive volleyball player, this is McCall's first franchise, and he plans to continue growing into neighboring territories over the next several years.
• Orly Vincent has purchased an i9 Sports territory in Sugar Hill, Georgia. Vincent's children have played in a local i9 Sports league for the past five years, and he purchased a franchise of his own after learning about the company's franchising opportunities and success. His goal is to purchase an additional territory by 2021.

i9 Sports was founded in 2003 on the principle that the number one reason kids play organized sports is to have fun, not to become the next draft pick. With 138 locations across the United States, the company's commitment to creating a youth sports experience unlike any other has set it apart from its competitors and contributed to its ongoing success and recent record-breaking numbers. Additionally, with convenient flexible hours, no real estate or upfront inventory, i9 Sports is a low-investment, home-based franchise opportunity offering entrepreneurs a compelling business with great profit potential.

i9 Sports plans to open dozens of new franchise locations each year over the next several years, with a focus on markets in the Pacific Coast, Midwest and Northeast. The youth sports franchise is seeking qualified candidates with a desire to impact their local community. While sports experience is not required, the ideal candidate should have an entrepreneurial spirit and a passion to build a successful business with a community focus. Franchise opportunities are available across the country, but are quickly selling out. Qualified candidates are encouraged to visit www.i9sportsfranchise.com for more information about franchising with i9 Sports.

About i9 Sports^®

Based in the Tampa Bay, Florida area, i9 Sports® is the first and fastest-growing youth sports league franchise company in the United States. With more than 1,000,000 registrations in communities from New York to Hawaii, i9 Sports offers leagues, camps, and clinics for boys and girls ages 3-14 in today's most popular team sports such as flag football, soccer, basketball and baseball. A privately held company, i9 Sports was founded in 2003 by Chairman Frank Fiume on the principle that the number one reason kids play organized sports is to have fun, not to become the next draft pick.  Reinventing the youth sports industry, customers enjoy the i9 Sports Experience which emphasizes fun, safety and convenience as well as teaching the value of good sportsmanship. Named #1 Children's Fitness Franchise by Entrepreneur Magazine, i9 Sports has been ranked in their prestigious Franchise 500® issue the past nine years. i9 Sports has also been listed among INC Magazine's 5000 Fastest Growing Companies for the past six years and received Franchise Business Review's Top 50 in Franchise Satisfaction Award for five years. For more information on i9 Sports, visit www.i9sports.com. To learn more about the low investment, low overhead i9 Sports franchise opportunity, visit www.i9sportsfranchise.com.

Contact:
Samantha Russo
Fish Consulting
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SOURCE i9 Sports

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