Youth sports industry leader adds former NFL player to open leagues in Texas
i9 Sports®, the nation’s first and largest youth sports league franchise, announced today it has signed three new franchise agreements to accelerate the company’s growth nationwide and bring its youth sports leagues to new communities in Texas and Florida. During a year of impressive growth and increases in network-wide revenue, i9 Sports is expecting the upcoming fall 2016 season to be the largest in its history, with league participation continually propelled by ongoing franchise development.
The new i9 Sports franchisees include:
- Driving the company’s franchise development in the Dallas area is former NFL athlete Marcus Thigpen, who is the new owner and operator of the i9 Sports territory in Plano, Texas. Marcus has played in the NFL since 2009, most recently as a wide receiver for the Buffalo Bills, and his i9 Sports business marks his first venture into the world of franchising. He credits the work ethic he developed during his time in the NFL to be an advantage to making his franchise a success and plans to continue expanding throughout the area over the next several years.
- i9 Sports will also be growing its presence in Irving, Texas, led by its new franchisees Brett and Sarah Davis. The couple pursued their new business venture after being introduced to the company’s franchising opportunity and recognizes the immense potential for success due to its system with predictable results. As a former college athlete, Brett also was drawn to the company’s commitment to instilling life lessons in children through sports. Their new franchise will offer youth in the Irving community programs in flag football, basketball, t-ball and soccer.
- Spearheading i9 Sports’ growth in Cooper City, Florida is new franchisee Brett Bales, who started as a sports instructor for the company, rose through the ranks and eventually served as the general manager for four i9 Sports franchises in Broward, Brevard and Palm Beach Counties. Marking his first venture into the franchising industry, Brett is a lifelong sports enthusiast and purchased his i9 Sports franchise after working with the company for four years and witnessing firsthand the strength of the company’s concept and business model. His league currently offers programs in soccer and basketball, and will be expanding to offer t-ball and flag football in upcoming seasons.
“i9 Sports was founded on the principle that the number one reason kids play organized sports is to have fun, not to become the next draft pick, and we are proud to be the league that thousands of parents throughout the country trust with their children’s safety,” said Brian Sanders, chief executive officer of i9 Sports. “Our ongoing success has allowed us to expand our franchise network and, through our unique youth sports experience, instill in more and more children nationwide the value of good sportsmanship and learning life lessons through athletics. We look forward to working alongside our new franchisees and introducing their communities to the signature i9 Sports Experience.”
i9 Sports has set itself apart as an industry leader by creating a youth sports experience unlike any other, which has enabled the brand to operate more than 4,100 youth sports programs in 780 communities across the United States. The company has also established itself as a pioneer in concussion awareness in youth sports, offering programs in flag football as opposed to tackle, and reported a 12% increase in flag football participation in 2015. This increase mirrors the national trend of parents’ growing concern regarding concussions in youth sports, with a recent study conducted by i9 Sports showing that of 537 parents surveyed, 100 percent were affected in some way by concussions and 62.3 percent believed that tackle youth football is unsafe for children under the age of 12.
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. 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. 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 download our free report for more information about franchising with i9 Sports.
