i9 Sports(R) Honored in Entrepreneur Franchise 500(R)Youth Sports League

BRANDON, Fla., Jan. 7 /PRNewswire/ -- i9 Sports Corporation, one of the nation's leading providers of youth sports leagues and camps, debuted at #256 in Entrepreneur Magazine's 29th Annual Franchise 500(R). This prestigious ranking was released in the publication's January 2008 issue.

More impressive, it took the Tampa Bay based firm only four years to receive accolades in three other top ranking categories for 2008 including: Top New Franchise (#15), Top Home Based Franchise (#66), and Top Low-Cost Franchise (#56).

"To crack the Entrepreneur Franchise 500(R) is a milestone that thousands of franchisors hope to eventually accomplish", says company Founder/CEO, Frank Fiume. "However, to make a grand entrance soaring nearly half way to #1 in such a short time is an achievement that our franchisees and management team will always cherish. This is a testament of the passion and dedication we all have for our growing brand."

According to Entrepreneur Magazine, the 500 companies and their rankings are determined by using an exclusive formula that takes into account objective and quantifiable factors for all companies. The most important factors include financial strength and stability, growth rate and size of the system. All franchises are given a cumulative score, and the 500 franchises with the highest cumulative scores become the Franchise 500(R) in ranking order.

Over its 29 years in existence, the Entrepreneur Franchise 500(R) has become both a dominant competitive measure for franchisors and a primary research tool for entrepreneurs. The January issue containing the rankings is a complete reference guide for entrepreneurs, revealing not only the companies listed according to their industry categories, but also information on conducting due diligence before buying a franchise, getting in on the latest trends, and programs that help with starting a franchise.

About i9 Sports

Based in Brandon, Florida, i9 Sports is a leading franchisor of youth sports leagues, camps, and programs. With over 100 franchise locations in 25 states nationwide, i9 Sports franchisees offer the most popular team sports including Flag Football, Basketball, Soccer, Cheerleading, and more for kids ages 4-14 with a focus on fun, safety, and good sportsmanship. With no tryouts, drafts, or fundraisers of any kind, i9 Sports encourages equal playing time for each child while screening and certifying all of its volunteer coaches.

i9 Sports was ranked the #1 Sports, Recreation, & Fitness Franchise by Franchise Business Review in 2007, ranked #4 by Franchise Business Review out of the top 300 franchises in the 2007 Franchise Satisfaction Survey, and ranked #13 by Franchise Times Magazine in 2007 as one of the Fastest Growing Young Franchises in America. For more information, call 1(800) 9-PLAYER or visit www.i9sportsfranchise.com.