Athletes HQ Franchise Cost, Revenue & Review 2026
Data from FDD filing
Analysis by FranchiseVerdict Research · Methodology
Athletes HQ is a youth sports franchise operating baseball and softball training facilities with lessons, cages, and travel teams. Franchisees run the facilities, managing coaches, training, and cage rentals.
FranchiseVerdict summary · 2026
A Athletes HQ franchise requires a total initial investment of $179K – $346K, including a $25K franchise fee. The 2026 FDD does not disclose unit-level revenue (no Item 19). FranchiseVerdict grade: B (Above average), an editorial assessment, not investment advice. Run a live ROI scan →
Data last verified · figures per the 2026 FDD issuance
Overview
- Investment
- $179K – $346K
- 31st pct Health & Fitn…
- Avg gross sales
- N/A
- Incl. company outlets
- Royalty
- N/A
- Units
- 3
- 15th pct Health & Fitn…
- SBA charge-off
- N/A
Quick verdict · Health & Fitness · color = vs category peers
Green = favorable by >10% vs Health & Fitness avg · No shading = within ±10% · Red = unfavorable by >10% · Source: FDD filings + SBA 7(a)
Data from public FDD filings and SBA records. Not financial advice. Methodology
Bottom line
- COSTTotal investment $179K – $346K including a $25K franchise fee.
- RETURNSItem 19 discloses individual historical Gross Revenues (not an average) for 3 outlets in 2025: Affiliate Facility (6th full year) $1,419,956; Franchised Facility #1 (2nd full year) $606,152; Franchised Facility #2 (1st full year) $312,751. Figures are unaudited, self-reported/tax-return based, and not a cohort average, so not captured as avg_gross_sales per spec (mixes outlets of very different maturity: 6th year vs 1st/2nd year).
- RISKVerdict B (Above average), verdict score 50/100 (higher is better).
- DATAItem 19 reports historical results individual outlets rather than annual gross sales, so unit revenue is not directly comparable. Ask franchisees directly for full unit-level revenue.
Item 1 · who you're contracting with
The Franchisor
Corporate structure & franchisor financials
- Legal entity
- Athletes HQ Systems, Inc.
- CEO title
- President, Chief Executive Officer and Director
- Jordan Dean
- Incorporated in
- Illinois
- HQ
- 500 Lake Cook Road, Suite 475, Deerfield, IL 60015
- Auditor
- Sassetti
- Audited financials
- Franchisor revenue
- $61K
- vs $37K prior year
Affiliated brands
- that offers franchises in different lines of business
- Athletes HQ
Other brands the franchisor or its parent operates (Item 1).
Overview
About
- CEO
- Jordan Dean
- Headquarters
- IL
- Founded
- 2022
- FDD year
- 2026
- States available
- 2
Can you afford it, and what does the money buy?
Entry cost runs 54% below the typical health & fitness franchise.
Source: FDD 2026 · Items 5–7
Full Item 7 breakdown17 line items
Initial investment breakdown
| Line item | Low | High | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Initial Franchise Fee | $25K | $25K | |
| Lease depositnot refundable | $5K | $10K | |
| Leasehold improvementsnot refundable | $38K | $70K | |
| Facility Build-outnot refundable | $75K | $169K | |
| Computer system(s)not refundable | $6K | $7K | |
| Signage and graphics (interior and exterior), wall signs and instructional postersnot refundable | $1K | $3K | |
| Uniformsnot refundable | $250 | $1K | |
| Insurancenot refundable | $1K | $2K | |
| Utility depositsnot refundable | $2K | $3K | |
| Travel related expenses during trainingnot refundable | $2K | $3K | |
| Facility Opening Marketing Feenot refundable | $8K | $8K | |
| Blue prints, plans and permitsnot refundable | $5K | $7K | |
| Furniture, fixtures and misc. equipmentnot refundable | $1K | $2K | |
| Legal, accounting and professional feesnot refundable | $3K | $8K | |
| Royalty Paymentnot refundable | $4K | $4K | |
| Team Players Feenot refundable | $0 | $2K | |
| Additional funds - 3 monthsnot refundable | $4K | $9K | |
| Total initial investment | $178K | $330K |
Line items extracted from FDD Item 7. Ranges reflect the franchisor's stated low and high per line. Total is the sum of line-item lows / highs — actual costs may fall outside this range depending on market and build-out scope.
Item 7 · what it costs to open + operate
The Vitals
- Total investment
- $179K – $346K
- Top 40% of category vs category
- Liquid capital req'd
- $4K – $9K
- Top 40% of category vs category
- Franchise fee
- $25K – $25K
- Top 40% of category vs category
- Royalty
- $300/week for first 52 weeks after opening, then $500/wee…
- Ad fund
- 10.0%
- typical 3–5%
Ongoing fees · Item 6
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Royalty (flat) | $300 per week for first 52 weeks after opening; $500 per week thereafter, payable weekly by electronic bank draft |
| Marketing / ad fund | 10.0% of gross sales |
| Transfer fee | $5K |
| Renewal fee | $3K |
What do units actually make?
Source: FDD 2026 · Item 19
ROI & LBO modelsSingle-unit · 25-unit portfolio · editable
Athletes HQ did not disclose financial performance in FDD Item 19. The ROIC and return models require Item 19 revenue. Without it all inputs are estimates. You can still run the calculator with your own assumptions by entering an expected revenue figure.
Returns model · single-unit ROIC
What would one Athletes HQ unit return on the cash you put in?
Unlevered ROIC · per unit
Estimated return on your total franchise investment, before any debt financing.
61%
Above the 30–60% band. Verify revenue is per-unit average
These models are for research and scenario planning only. Not investment advice. Actual results depend on your specific location, management, and market conditions. Consult a franchise attorney and accountant before signing any franchise agreement.
Item 19 · Source: 2026 FDD
Financial Performance
Item 19 discloses individual historical Gross Revenues (not an average) for 3 outlets in 2025: Affiliate Facility (6th full year) $1,419,956; Franchised Facility #1 (2nd full year) $606,152; Franchised Facility #2 (1st full year) $312,751. Figures are unaudited, self-reported/tax-return based, and not a cohort average, so not captured as avg_gross_sales per spec (mixes outlets of very different maturity: 6th year vs 1st/2nd year).
Includes company-owned outlets
- Item 19 type
- historical results individual outlets
- Range (low → high)
- $313K→$606K
- Cohort dispersion (min → max)
- Reporting year
- 2025
- Fiscal year the figures cover
- Source filing
- FDD 2026
- Disclosed in the 2026 filing, covering 2025
- Transparency
- 3 / 10
- vs category median 4 / 10 · below
Compared against 173 Health & Fitness brands
Operator outlook
What the numbers say
Data-driven interpretation of this brand's financial disclosures, fee structure, and system trajectory.
Disclosure
Item 19 reports historical results individual outlets rather than annual gross sales, so unit revenue is not directly comparable.
Operator retention
Net unit growth of +100.0% over 3 years (0 opened, 0 closed).
Source: FDD Item 19 financial performance representations and publicly filed FDD data. Past performance is not indicative of future results. Verify all figures with the franchisor and current franchisees before making any investment decision.
vs Health & Fitness averages
How Athletes HQ Compares
Is the system healthy?
Source: FDD 2026 · Item 20
Unit growth
Item 20 · unit dynamics
The Growth Chart
- Total units
- 3
- Opened
- 0
- Last reporting year
- Closed
- 0
- Terminated
- 0
- Franchisor ended the franchise (per Item 20)
- Non-renewed
- 0
- Term expired, not renewed (per Item 20)
- Turnover rate
- 0.0%
- Company-owned
- 1
- Corporate units in the system
- % franchised
- 67%
- vs corporate-owned
- Net growth (3-yr)
- +100.0%
- Net unit change over 3 years
- 3-yr CAGR
- +100.0%
- Compounded over last 3 years
3-year detail · Item 20
- Opened (3yr)
- 0
- Closed (3yr)
- 0
- Terminated (3yr)
- 0
- Non-renewed (3yr)
- 0
- Transfers (3yr)
- 0
- Reacquired (3yr)
- 0
- Franchisor bought back
Year-over-year franchised unit counts and net change. Source: FDD Item 20.
Item 12 · 2 states reported
The Territory Map
FDD Item 12 reports the state count, but the specific list isn't in our current data. The map will appear once we re-extract from the FDD or enough franchisee contacts are available.
2
states with franchisees (per FDD Item 12)
Fast growth in a small system. Newer franchisors expanding quickly may not yet have the support infrastructure of larger systems.
SBA loan performance
Government records
SBA Loan Data
Aggregated from SBA 7(a) and 504 loan disclosures, public data unique to FranchiseVerdict.
No SBA loan data available for this brand.
What could kill this investment?
Source: SBA 7(a) FOIA · FDD Items 3, 21
Risk analysis
FranchiseVerdict rating + FDD Items 3, 4, 8, 16, 21
Risk & Legal
Early-stage sports franchise with minimal unit count, undisclosed profitability metrics, and a suspicious royalty ramp structure that misaligns franchisor-franchisee interests.
Litigation (Item 3)
No litigation required to be disclosed in Item 3.
Largest disclosed settlement: $25,000
Bankruptcy (Item 4)
None disclosed
Audited financials (Item 21)
Yes · Sassetti
Franchisor revenue (Item 21)
Franchisor entity revenue (not unit-level)
Supplier relationship · Items 8 & 16
- Franchisor sells you products: Yes
- Kickbacks from required suppliers: No
- Must buy proprietary products: Yes
- Restricted to system-approved products: Yes
- Can negotiate own supplier terms: No
Score breakdown · what drove the 50 / 100 verdict
- 01MINOROnly 3 units in system with 100% YoY growth appears artificially inflated (1→2→3 is small sample size, not market validation)
- 02MINORRoyalty structure is unusually low ($300/week) initially then doubles ($500/week) — incentivizes early exit after year 1
- 03HIGHGoing Concern flag is FALSE but typically franchisors disclose this voluntarily — lack of transparency raises questions
- 04MEDNo litigation disclosed but only 3 units limits exposure history and complaint visibility
Severity inferred from the FDD text · not a regulatory classification
What are you signing up for?
Source: FDD 2026 · Items 11, 12, 17
FDD Items 12, 15, 17 · continued from Risk & Legal
Contract & Territory Detail
| Initial term | 10 years |
|---|---|
| Renewal term | 10 years |
| Allowed renewalsℹ | 2 |
| Territory type | protected |
| Protected territory | Yes |
| Exclusive territoryℹ | No |
| Territory radius | 20 mi |
| Online sales rightsℹ | Restricted |
| Franchisor can compete | Yes |
| Hire a manager? | Allowed |
| Owner-operator | Optional |
| Non-compete (years)ℹ | 2 years |
| Non-compete (miles)ℹ | 50 mi |
| Right of first refusalℹ | Yes |
| Transfer requires consent | Yes |
| Termination notice | 30 days |
| Termination groundsℹ | 12 |
| Curable defaultsℹ | 2 |
| Mandatory arbitration | Yes |
| Arbitration location | Chicago, Illinois (AAA); arbitration must be held in Illinois |
| Jury trial waiver | Yes |
| Governing law | Illinois |
| Litigation count | 0 |
View Item 3 litigation summary
No litigation required to be disclosed in Item 3.
Items 10, 11
Training & Operations
- Classroom training
- 13 hrs
- On-the-job training
- 10 hrs
- Training location
- Elgin, Illinois (headquarters) or other designated location, plus on-site training at franchisee's facility
- Ongoing training
- Required
- Time to open
- 8 mo
- From signing to launch
- Site selection
- franchisee_locates_franchisor_approves
- Franchisor financing
- Not offered
- Item 10
- POS system
- Square
- Operating tech stack
Items 5 & 11
Franchisor Support
Technology: Square
Frequently asked questions
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to open a Athletes HQ franchise?
The total investment to open a Athletes HQ franchise ranges from $179K – $346K, with an initial franchise fee of $25K. This includes real estate, equipment, inventory, and working capital as disclosed in their Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD).
What do Athletes HQ franchise owners earn?
Athletes HQ does not disclose average franchise owner earnings in their FDD Item 19. Not all franchisors are required to make financial performance representations. We recommend asking existing franchisees directly about their financial experience.
What is Item 19 in the Athletes HQ FDD?
The FDD section where a franchisor may disclose financial performance of its outlets. Disclosure is optional and formats vary; figures are typically gross sales, which is revenue before expenses, not profit. FranchiseVerdict extracts these figures directly from the Athletes HQ FDD and qualifies whose outlets they describe.
What is Athletes HQ's franchise failure rate?
SBA 7(a) loan charge-off data is not available for Athletes HQ (fewer than 10 loans on file). Charge-off rates are one way to gauge franchise risk, but not all franchise loans go through the SBA program. We recommend reviewing turnover and closure data in the FDD and speaking with current franchisees.
How many Athletes HQ franchise locations are there?
As of their most recent FDD filing, Athletes HQ has 3 total units in the United States, including 2 franchised units and 1 company-owned units.
Is Athletes HQ a good franchise to buy?
FranchiseVerdict rates Athletes HQ as a B-grade franchise with a verdict score of 50 out of 100 (higher is better), based on our analysis of investment costs, revenue data, SBA loan performance, and growth trends. Our rating is based solely on publicly available FDD and government data; we recommend speaking with current franchisees before making any investment decision. This is not investment advice.
Data sourced from public FDD filings and SBA 7(a) FOIA records. Not financial advice.
For franchisors
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Data extracted from public FDD filings and SBA 7(a) loan disclosures (FOIA). This information is provided for research purposes only and does not constitute financial, legal, or investment advice. Verify all figures with the franchisor's current Franchise Disclosure Document before making any investment decision.