i9 Sports vs Extra Innings Franchise Comparison

Below is an in-depth analysis and side-by-side comparison of i9 Sports vs Extra Innings including start-up costs and fees, business experience requirements, training & support and financing options.

Start-Up Costs and Fees

 
i9 Sports Franchise
Extra Innings Franchise
Investment $59,900 - $69,900$239,000 - $650,000
Franchise Fee $24,900$15,000
Royalty Fee 7.5%Varies
Advertising Fee 1%Varies
Year Founded 20021996
Year Franchised 20032004
Term Of Agreement 7 years10 years
Term Of Agreement 7 years10 years
Renewal Fee -$5000


Business Experience Requirements

 
i9 Sports Franchise
Extra Innings Franchise
Experience
  • General business experience
  • Marketing skills
  • Our team members have diverse backgrounds. Experience playing or coaching at the high school, collegiate, or professional level is helpful. However, if a franchisee lacks this type of background, he or she must be able to hire individuals with this baseball and softball experience. Although we would never dictate how a coach should teach, the terms they should use, or their particular philosophical beliefs we do offer ongoing training in these areas. The franchise company provides the program structure and techniques to maximize revenue with every lesson and clinic that your facility provides.

    Financing Options

     
    i9 Sports Franchise
    Extra Innings Franchise
      In-House/3rd PartyIn-House/3rd Party
    Franchise Fees No/YesNo/Yes
    Start-up Costs No/YesNo/Yes
    Equipment No/YesNo/Yes
    Inventory No/YesNo/Yes
    Receivables No/YesNo/No
    Payroll No/YesNo/No

    Training & Support

     
    i9 Sports Franchise
    Extra Innings Franchise
    Training Optional refresher training available-
    Support Newsletter, Meetings, Toll-free phone line, Internet, Security/safety procedures, Field operations/evaluations, Purchasing cooperativesAs an Extra Innings franchisee, here is just some of the ongoing support you will receive to help grow your business: * Continued access to the "The Clubhouse," our company wide intranet training and communication site. Franchisees are able to tap into the knowledge and experience of the entire Extra Innings team, including all other franchisees and managers 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You are never alone in the batters box when you join our team. * Comprehensive e-mail marketing and social media system which promotes your facility's programs and special events. You benefit from our proven strategy developed and executed by advertising, internet and social media professionals. * Custom mobile responsive website and eCommerce developed, maintained and optimized by contracted web & digital marketing professionals. * Access to a proprietary schedule manager software that will help streamline your business and enhance your facility's marketability through email and text reminders to your customers. * Continued marketing and public relations development provided by a contracted professional communications firm. * Ongoing training on how to take advantage of the Extra Innings buying power that enables you access to the Extra Innings approved vendors and distributors. This access includes unprecedented pricing and distribution programs made available to each franchisee on the Extra Innings team. These companies provide nationally recognized products and equipment for you to sell in your Pro Shop or use in your facility. * Approved vendor and distributor web training forums hosted on the "The Clubhouse". This training includes representatives from the nation's top baseball and softball manufacturers. Each one of these forums is designed to educate your employees about the exciting product they will be selling in your Pro Shop. * Assistance and analysis with ongoing administrative functions such as accounting, finance, inventory control, and insurance. * Continued performance analysis including a sales bench marking module. By using this module, your performance can be compared historically to other team members. This bench marking module gives you a competitive advantage when trying to recognize potential problems or areas that need improvement. * Continued in facility reviews and training. A senior member of the EIFC team will make routine visits to your facility to continually train and observe your employees and programs in action. These visits result in a report to you with suggestions on how to improve your facility's performance. * An annual owners meeting and trade show that consists of continued education programs, hands-on training techniques, executive round tables, vendor and distributor booths, social events and special guests. This meeting is the highlight of the year with a unique combination of business education, product review and social interaction with other team members.
    Marketing Co-op advertising, Ad slicks, National media, Regional advertisingExtra Innings provides a comprehensive email marketing system to help effectively promote your facility's programs and drive traffic to your website.
    Operations Franchise can be run from home.

    International franchisees required to buy multiple units/master licenses; 20%% of all franchisees own more than one unit

    Number of employees needed to run franchised unit: 1

    Absentee ownership of franchise is NOT allowed. (20% of current franchisees are owner/operators)

    -

    Expansion Plans

     
    i9 Sports Franchise
    Extra Innings Franchise
    US Expansion Yes-
    Canada Expansion NoNo
    International Expansion NoNo

    Company Overviews

    About i9 Sports

    i9 Sports was founded by Frank V. Fiume, Jr., in 2002 and began franchising in 2003. Franchisees operate local amateur sports leagues, tournaments, camps, clinics and special events for kids. Sports include flag football, basketball, cheerleading, and soccer. i9 Sports is the first and fastest-growing 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 CEO 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 eight years. i9 Sports has also been listed among INC Magazine's 5000 Fastest Growing Companies for the past five years and received Franchise Business Review's Top 50 in Franchise Satisfaction Award for five years.

    "Entrepreneur
    #457 in Franchise 500 for 2020.

    About Extra Innings

    Love Baseball or Softball? Want to run your own business? Then play ball with Extra Innings. Millions of Americans play baseball or softball. Some play for fun, but most play to win, and that's where Extra Innings comes in. In addition to building better ballplayers, Extra Innings also produces winners off the field - successful Extra Innings franchisees. Extra Innings provides a winning strategy for one of America's fastest growing industries: baseball & softball training. Our triple threat includes: * Year-round indoor training facilities with multi-use tunnels, batting cages and circuit training rooms * Professional instruction with private and group lessons as well as year-round clinics and programs for baseball and softball players of all ages and ability levels. * A nationally recognized Pro Shop that carries the latest and widest selection of baseball and softball equipment and apparel at the lowest pricing available. The Extra Innings model generates a balanced revenue stream that flows regardless of season. This gives franchisees the power to make a difference in their communities by helping ballplayers of all ages and ability levels improve their game, love what they're doing and make money while doing it. Extra Innings provides its franchisees with a complete playbook that shows you how to offer these services and create a loyal fan base. Extra Innings is currently offering franchises to qualified individuals and groups throughout the U.S.