I9 Sports youth sports league franchise kicked off the second quarter with four new franchise agreements to open new programs and expand the brand's presence in Florida, Texas and California. The Tampa, FL-based company said the announcement as well as growth in the first quarter reflect the success of its strengthened expansion strategy and positions the i9 Sports brand for continued franchise development throughout 2015.
“As i9 Sports kicked off 2015, our team was focused on elevating the brand's expansion strategy and positioning the company for rapid growth throughout the year,” said Frank Fiume, founder and chief executive officer of i9 Sports. “We are excited to welcome all of our new franchise partners to the i9 Sports family, each who share our passion for providing a quality and fulfilling youth sports experience for their communities. As we move into the second half of the year, we look forward to maintaining this momentum and propelling our brand's presence throughout the country, allowing us to deliver exceptional programs to more and more kids nationwide.”
Leading the company's expansion in California are new franchisees Frank Rittersdorf, who purchased an existing franchise and is now operating programs in Simi Valley, Thousand Oaks and Woodland Hills, and Kaseem Jones, who has purchased the territory in Murrieta. Prior to becoming a franchisee, Rittersdorf served as an i9 Sports coach for six years, during which he was continually impressed with the program's commitment to instilling sportsmanship in children. Jones, who served in the United States Marine Corps for 15 years, was introduced to the brand through his children, who played soccer and flag football in a local program, before deciding to purchase his own territory.
I9 Sports also welcomes Charles Perez, who will be launching his first program in Corpus Christi, Texas. A sports enthusiast, Perez has passed his passion for athletics onto his children, both of whom are involved in a variety of sports, and attributes his family's love of staying active to one of the reasons why he was drawn to i9 Sports. As a lifelong resident of Corpus Christi, Perez is committed to providing a quality service to the youth sports arena in his community.
Also among the new franchisee partners are husband and wife team Sidney and Monique Johns, who will bring i9 Sports to Winter Garden, Fla. Recreational sports have played a role in both Sidney and Monique's lives, each of whom participated in sporting leagues during their childhood and well into adulthood. The pair learned about i9 Sports when their children joined a local league, and as lifelong athletes, they were enthusiastic about the concept and opportunity to bring a safe youth sports experience to children in their community. The couple plans to launch at least five programs in their territory over the next few years.
I9 Sports was founded and began franchising 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. The company has since grown to 139 locations across the United States and claims 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.
The privately held company was founded in 2003 by CEO 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 eight years. I9 Sports has also been listed among INC Magazine's 5000 Fastest Growing Companies for the past five years and received Franchise Business Review's Top 50 in Franchise Satisfaction Award for five years.
