Sports are an important outlet for kids. Here’s how we’ve adjusted our business model to meet today’s challenge.
Youth sports is still alive, and our franchisees are running their seasons right now. Is it different? Yeah, but we’re still here. The exuberance of youth sports won’t be contained, even though the business of youth sports has to change to meet that challenge. i9 Sports is just the franchise to do it.
Everything is still in play
We believe sports are essential for children, and to that end, ours is an essential business. What we have done is respond to the pandemic by implementing new safety protocols for our athletes, spectators and employees. Those protocols include smaller teams, disinfecting of the equipment, smaller spectator crowds and social distancing.
We’re encouraged by the response, and we’re continuing with our plans to expand.
An easier way to start your business
A lot of entrepreneurs who want to start businesses hit pause this spring and summer to see how the pandemic would impact the economy. After a sharp, but brief downturn during mandated shutdowns, the economy has been in a strong recovery.
We’re confident enough in our business model — and passionate enough about our youth sports mission — to offer a five-year purchase option to qualified candidates. The five-year purchase option offers you the opportunity to ease the financial load. Money has shifted for many people during the pandemic. But as a business that puts franchisees first and has for nearly 20 years, we understand that a temporary shift in your available funds doesn’t define you as an entrepreneur.
Here’s how the five-year plan works: Instead of paying your $24,900 franchise fee in one lump sum, the franchise fee will be paid through a flat monthly fee of $500 over a five-year period. That’s slightly less than the average monthly car payment, according to Cars.com.
In addition, the five-year purchase option offers several advantages:
- Streamlining and accelerating the financial approval process.
- Enabling franchisees to put less money down, reducing their total startup costs to as little as $36,500, according to our Franchise Disclosure Document.
- Providing franchisees more financial flexibility in the crucial start-up period.
The program makes our affordable startup costs even more achievable for potential franchise owners.
Passionate mission
We were pioneers when we started this business in 2002. From the beginning, we set out to change the youth sports experience. Instead of a hyper-competitive sports league that focuses on winning at all costs, i9 Sports prefers to teach children about the joys of teamwork through local youth sports leagues, camps and clinics. Founder Frank Fiume envisioned a youth sports franchise that would never be marred by warring parents and kids under too much pressure to perform.
Our codes of conduct are for the young players as well as their parents. Our coaches follow the i9 Sports guidelines to provide age-appropriate instruction. Everything we do is centered around teaching children how to succeed in life through sports. And our franchise owners are as passionate about the mission as we are.
Play it safe
As we move forward, we’re playing responsibly with smaller teams and reduced indoor exposure. Kids should have a right to fresh air and exercise, not to mention participating in team sports that can teach them important life lessons.
And entrepreneurs should have a right to start a business that is as much about passion as profit potential. i9 Sports can offer both, and our five-year purchase option can level the playing field, so to speak, and make franchise ownership more accessible to everyone.
Learn more
To find out more about the business opportunity with i9 Sports, fill out the form on this page to download our free franchise report.
