Ron Shimek, i9 Sports| Private Equity in Youth Sports

Ron Shimek is the President of i9 Sports, the nation’s multi-sport community youth sports franchise. Bringing over 25 years of leadership experience across the franchising sector—including extensive executive roles in hospitality and home services—Ron took the helm at i9 Sports in January 2024 to drive the company’s nationwide expansion, operational support, and franchise development strategy.

i9 Sports operates an asset-light, multi-sport franchise model designed as an alternative to hyper-competitive club sports. Serving youth ages 3 to 14 across over 300 locations, i9 Sports offers flag football, soccer, basketball, baseball, and volleyball through convenient, single-day weekend leagues. Supported by private equity partner Rourke Capital, the company relies on local Area Developers (ADs) who utilize municipal fields, public facilities, and volunteer coaching networks rather than heavy capital real estate investments.

In this episode of the Profluence Podcast, host Andrew Petcash sits down with Ron to discuss the business mechanics of youth sports franchising, the shift toward multi-sport participation, and strategies for avoiding early athletic burnout. Ron shares insights into i9 Sports' "Gains for the Girls" initiative, flag football’s rapid expansion ahead of high school and Olympic adoption, and how data-driven franchise operations drive sustained member retention across the US.

Podcast Chapters:

03:05 - The i9 Sports Business Model: Asset-Light Youth Sports Leagues

05:29 - Industry Growth Trends: Flag Football, Girls' Sports & Soccer

06:42 - Market Expansion Strategy & Site Selection Demographics

08:18 - Target Age Demographics & Single-Day League Structure

10:07 - Private Equity Partnering: Scaling with Rourke Capital

11:26 - Revenue Streams: Registration Fees, Royalties, and Merchandise

12:29 - Asset-Light vs. Facility Ownership: Leasing Fields and Facilities

15:22 - Multi-Sport Expansion & Competitive League Opportunities

18:13 - Personal Motivation: Youth Mental Health & Technology Off-Ramps

22:06 - Key Performance Indicators: NPS, Conversion, and Member Retention

24:15 - Multi-Sport Participation vs. Early Sport Specialization

25:45 - Where to Find i9 Sports & Wrap Up