The growing popularity of youth lacrosse makes now the perfect time to introduce our new ZIP Lacrosse™ program
We’re excited to announce the launch of our new ZIP Lacrosse™ program, a unique take on an exciting sport that’s rising in popularity nationwide. i9 Sports is always finding new ways to offer more to customers, and that makes for a better business for franchise owners.
Growing opportunity for a youth lacrosse league
Lacrosse is becoming increasingly popular across the country. Lacrosse is the fastest-growing high school team sport, and the number of youth lacrosse players reached a new high of 450,000 in 2016, according to the U.S. Lacrosse Foundation.
As those numbers continue to grow, we saw a strong opportunity to bring lacrosse to underserved, younger age groups while maintaining the same high standards for safety and fun that we bring to all of our sports programs.
With ZIP Lacrosse, we’ve carefully tailored the experience to align with all of the values that our franchise owners work hard to deliver to their customers – safety, fun and good sportsmanship. ZIP Lacrosse is a 3-on-3, non-contact version of lacrosse that offers an age-appropriate educational experience across every age group we serve.
With limited equipment requirements (no helmets or pads), the i9 Sports format is the perfect way to teach kids ages 5-14 the fundamentals of lacrosse while developing their hand-eye coordination, agility and overall athletic skills. In the Pee Wee age group, kids develop basic skills and confidence in the game; Juniors continue developing the fundamentals and improving their understanding; while Seniors learn how to apply offensive and defensive strategy and work as a team.
Unique offerings set us apart and expand revenue streams
ZIP Lacrosse is just the latest example of the value our franchisees bring to customers in their communities. Despite the sport’s growing popularity, options to play lacrosse are limited in younger age groups. ZIP Lacrosse offers a way for kids to develop skills over time so they can be prepared to play at the high school level.
Our multiple-sport business model already helps us stand out from other youth sports franchises in the industry; now ZIP Lacrosse further expands the revenue streams for franchisees and makes for a unique selling point that can attract attention to your brand.
And by offering something no one else offers, franchise owners can also encourage new sign-ups for the other sports they offer. A parent with children in park district soccer and basketball leagues might sign up for ZIP Lacrosse, enjoy the superior customer experience, and consider switching to i9 Sports for all of their family’s youth athletics activities.
“The addition of lacrosse will really open up more revenue opportunities for me,” says Kansas franchisee Terry Reuter. “i9 Sports meets a big need in the community and offers an opportunity to really provide a high-quality product that people feel comfortable with. They like the format, they like the customer service, they like the focus on the kids and having fun.”
Learn more about the youth sports franchise opportunity
If you want to learn more about becoming a small business owner with an i9 Sports franchise, fill out the form to download our free franchise report, continue exploring our youth sports franchise research pages or visit our blog for the latest updates and profiles of current franchise owners.
