Extra Innings Ranked One of Nation's Top Franchise Systems by Entrepreneur Magazine

Online, December 21, 2010 (Newswire.com) - Extra Innings, the Middleton-based premier indoor baseball and softball training facility with 40 locations in 19 states in all regions of the country, has been named one of the top 500 franchise systems in the U.S., according to the January 2011 issue of Entrepreneur magazine. The list is the world's first, best and most comprehensive ranking based on objective, quantifiable measures of success.

Extra Innings was ranked 441 overall in this year's Franchise 500®. This is the second consecutive year the company has been recognized. Though 2010 has been challenging for many, Extra Innings has five new facilities scheduled to open before spring 2011 with the locations in Jackson, Mich.; Littleton, Colo.; York, Pa.; Vancouver, Wash.; South Hadley, Mass.; and Columbia, S.C. With more than 15 locations in various stages of development, Extra Innings is on track to reach its forecasted goal of 50 open locations in 2011.

"We're honored and proud to be recognized in this year's ranking," said Rob Nash, Extra Innings' president and co-founder. "We've seen so many strong brands struggle recently and it shows the dedication we have to our franchisees and the continued growth and success of this brand through both good times and more challenging ones."

Since its inception in 1996 by former minor-league players Joe Luis and Rob Nash from Boston, Extra Innings has recognized the strong demand for a specialized baseball/softball training center. The company has realized success as a full-service provider that offers state-of-the-art practice facilities, professional instruction and a nationally recognized Pro Shop that fulfills the needs of players of all ages and abilities. For more information, go to www.extrainnings.net.

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About Entrepreneur's Franchise 500®
Entrepreneur's Franchise 500® became a tradition with the magazine in 1980 when they created the first ranking of franchises in the industry. Over the years, the magazine has polished their ranking procedure to give them a formula that accurately identifies today's top franchise opportunities. The ranking criteria includes the following important factors: financial strength and stability, growth rate, size of the system, number of years in business, length of time franchising, start-up cost, litigation, percentage of terminations and whether the company provides financing. The magazine partnered with an independent CPA firm, which audited financial data from the franchises.