i9 Sports®, the nation's first and largest youth sports league franchise, announced today it has accelerated its momentum from a record-breaking 2015 and reported exceptional growth in the first quarter of 2016, positioning the brand for tremendous success this year and beyond. This announcement comes on the heels of the strongest year in i9 Sports history, during which the company reported a 12 percent increase in network-wide revenue. Because of this, i9 Sports has propelled participation at leagues nationwide, with the Spring 2016 season producing the company's highest registration numbers to date.

i9 Sports has set itself apart as an industry pace-setter 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 leader 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. As a result of the company's continual record-breaking numbers, its franchise network has continued expanding as well, with five new franchise agreements signed in Q1.

"We are thrilled to start 2016 on such a high note. Last year, we kicked off an aggressive nationwide expansion plan and it's exciting to be tackling our goal of growing the i9 Sports presence in more and more communities throughout the country," said Brian Sanders, chief executive officer of i9 Sports. "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 over the years we have never strayed from that commitment. From our adoption of flag football over tackle to being the first youth sports league to ban headers in soccer, we have consistently shown that we truly 'walk the walk' when it comes to prioritizing children's safety, and we look forward to bringing more and more families nationwide an exceptional youth sports experience they can trust."

The new i9 Sports franchisees include:

• Lisa and Jason Faast will be leading the company's expansion in California with their new i9 Sports franchise in Bakersfield. The entrepreneurial couple previously owned a local pharmacy that they grew to become a seven million dollar business in six years, and were introduced to franchise opportunities with i9 Sports when their children began playing in a local league. Additionally, Jason has years of experience coaching athletes from elementary school children to collegiate athletes, and will leverage that experience to deliver a top-notch program for local youth sports players.  
• The Winter Park, Fla. territory has been purchased by Scott Goodmon, who previously served as the vice president of sales and store operations for Finish Line. Goodmon is a lifelong sports enthusiast who played baseball at Middle Tennessee State University, and was named an All World Athlete by the Ironman Organization in 2015, a title given to only the top one percent of Ironman Athletes worldwide. Due to his passion for athletics, Goodmon left the corporate world to open an i9 Sports franchise because he believes instilling in children a passion for sports will be a more rewarding experience for himself and the community.
• Isaiah Rojas has purchased the i9 Sports territory in Frisco, Tex. Prior to purchasing a franchise of his own, Rojas served as the program director for i9 Sports in Honolulu for nearly three years. He also has extensive experience working in the sports industry, having previously led intramural and athletic departments at local universities as well as served as sports manager for public sports facilities and parks and recreation departments. He believes his background in sports and passion for athletics will make his business a success and allow him to deliver an exceptional youth sports experience to families in the Frisco community.
• Joe and Steven Russo will be bringing the i9 Sports Experience to Novi, MI. with their new youth sports business, which will kick off in Fall 2016 and offer programs in flag football, soccer and t-ball. The new franchisees plan to continue expanding throughout the area over the next two years, and hope to make a positive impact on children in their community by offering a fun and safe environment to play sports.
• The i9 Sports franchise in Lehi, Utah will be owned and led by first-time franchisees Laurie and Josh Snelson. The mother-and-son team will be offering programs in the four core sports of soccer, basketball, flag football and t-ball, and hope to encourage local children to get involved in an activity that is physically and socially beneficial for them.

To support its ongoing national expansion and growing franchise network, i9 Sports also just announced Ryan Schalk has joined the company as franchise development manager. In his new role, Ryan will be responsible for identifying qualified franchise candidates as well as assisting existing franchisees looking to expand. He has more than a decade of experience in the franchise industry, previously serving for several major national companies including Edible Arrangements International, Red Mango Franchising, Subway and Quiznos.

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 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 largest 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.