Big Blue Swim SchoolFranchise Cost, Revenue & Review 2026
Data from FDD filing + SBA 7(a) records
FranchiseVerdict summary · 2026
A BIG BLUE SWIM SCHOOL franchise requires a total initial investment of $2.1M – $3.8M, including a $50K franchise fee and an ongoing 6.0% royalty[2]. The 2025 FDD does not disclose unit-level revenue (no Item 19). SBA 7(a) loans show a 0.0% charge-off rate across 20 loans[1]. Verdict grade: B. Run a live ROI scan →
Data last verified June 18, 2026 · figures per the 2025 FDD issuance
Overview
- Investment
- $2.1M – $3.8M
- 70th pct Education
- Avg gross sales
- N/A
- 47th pct Education
- Royalty
- 6.0%
- 6th pct Education
- Units
- 42
- 45th pct Education
- SBA default
- 0.0%
- system-wide median varies by category
Quick verdict · Education · color = vs category peers
Green = >15% above Education avg · No shading = within ±15% · Red = >15% below avg · Source: FDD filings + SBA 7(a)
Data from public FDD filings and SBA records. Not financial advice. Methodology
Only 0.0% of 20 SBA loans charged off, well below the 16% franchise average.
The system grew 53% year-over-year. Fast growth means demand, but can strain support.
Bottom line
- Total investment $2.1M – $3.8M including a $50K franchise fee, 6.0% ongoing royalty.
- No Item 19 financial performance data disclosed. The franchisor chose not to publish revenue figures.
- Verdict B (Above Average) with a risk score of 54/100. SBA loan charge-off rate of 0.0% across 20 loans (well below the franchise average, based on all SBA 7(a) franchise lending, 2010–2024).
- System growing at 228.6% CAGR over 3 years with 42 total units. Strong expansion trajectory.
Item 1 · who you're contracting with
The Franchisor
- Legal entity
- Big Blue Swim School Franchising, LLC
- Parent company
- Big Blue Swim School Investment Holdings, LLC
- Incorporated in
- IL
- HQ
- 112 Krog Street NE, Suite D-135, Atlanta, Georgia 30307
- Auditor
- Citrin Cooperman & Company, LLP
- Audited financials
- Franchisor revenue
- $4.4M
- vs $5.8M prior year
Overview
About
Franchisees operate swim schools delivering swimming and water safety instruction to children and adults. Day-to-day operations include managing instructors, scheduling classes across multiple pool times, maintaining customer relationships, handling facility logistics, and ensuring compliance with health/safety standards.
- CEO
- Brandon Bean
- Headquarters
- GA
- Founded
- 2018
- FDD year
- 2025
- States available
- 13
FDD Item 7 · 2025 filing
Initial investment breakdown
| Cost component | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Initial franchise fee | $50K | $50K |
| Working capital (3–6 mo) | $55K | $145K |
| Equipment, build-out, other | $2.0M | $3.6M |
| Total initial investment | $2.1M | $3.8M |
Source: BIG BLUE SWIM SCHOOL 2025 FDD, Items 5 and 7[2]. “Equipment, build-out, other” is computed as total minus disclosed line items above.
Item 7 · what it costs to open + operate
The Vitals
- Total investment
- $2.1M – $3.8M
- Below avg, review vs category
- Liquid capital req'd
- $55K – $145K
- Near category avg vs category
- Franchise fee
- $50K – $50K
- Near category avg vs category
- Royalty
- 6.0%
- Gross Revenue · typical 6–8%
- Ad fund
- 2.0%
- typical 3–5%
- Total fee load
- 10.0%
- vs 9–13% typical
Ongoing fees · Item 6
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Royalty | 6.0% of gross sales |
| Marketing / ad fund | 2.0% of gross sales |
| Technology fee | $2 |
| Transfer fee | $25K |
| Renewal fee | $5K |
| Total fee load | 10.0% of rev |
Financial Performance
This franchisor did not disclose financial performance representations in Item 19, or our extractor could not parse them.
vs Education averages
How Big Blue Swim School Compares
Unit growth
Item 20 · unit dynamics
The Growth Chart
- Total units
- 42
- Opened
- 8
- Last reporting year
- Closed
- 0
- Turnover rate
- 0.0%
- Company-owned
- 19
- Corporate units in the system
- % franchised
- 55%
- vs corporate-owned
- Net growth (yr3)
- +53.3%
- Net unit change last year
- 3-yr CAGR
- Outlier (see FDD)
- Likely small-sample artifact
3-year detail · Item 20
- Transfers (3yr)
- 1
Year-over-year franchised unit counts and net change. Source: FDD Item 20.
Item 20 · 19 states with active franchisees
The Territory Map
Derived from franchisee contact records. Shows states with at least one current operator. Not where the franchisor is registered to sell new units (that data is re-extracting in a future refresh).
States derived from franchisee contact records (FDD Item 20). Shows states with at least one current operator on file. Full state registration data (Item 12) will appear on a future FDD refresh.
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.
- Total loans
- 20
- Loan volume
- $47.5M
- Median loan
- $2.4M
- 50th percentile
- Charge-off rate
- 0.0%
- rates vary by category · see methodology
Historical SBA 7(a) lending data, not predictive of future performance. How SBA charge-off rates are calculated
- Repayment rate (PIF)
- 100.0%
- 5-yr charge-off
- 0.0%
- Loans approved 2021+
- Active lenders
- 9
- Defaults
- 0
Explore lender portfolios on Bank Reports or regional data on State Reports.
Premium insight
SBA Lending Report
Deep-dive into Big Blue Swim School's SBA lending history: lender network, geographic footprint, interest rates, and more.
SBA Lending Report
- Principal loss rate and NAICS industry benchmark
- 9 lenders with concentration factor
- Per-state charge-off rates across 9 states
- Startup risk premium and job creation velocity
- 5-year lending trend
- SBA 504 real estate/equipment data
Instant access. No subscription.
With a 0.0% charge-off rate across 20 loans, banks have historically viewed this brand favorably for lending.
Risk analysis
FranchiseVerdict rating + FDD Items 3, 5, 6, 12, 17
Risk & Legal
High capital requirement combined with undisclosed unit economics, explosive growth rate, and franchisor financial concerns create substantial risk without transparent profitability data.
Audited financials (Item 21)
Yes · Citrin Cooperman & Company, LLP
Franchisor revenue (Item 21)
Franchisor entity revenue (not unit-level)
Score breakdown · what drove the 54 / 100 rating
- 01MEDFinancial performance metrics (avg revenue and net income) not disclosed in FDD Item 19 — prevents ROI validation
- 02MEDHigh initial investment ($2.1M–$3.8M) with no disclosed average unit volumes to justify capital requirement
- 03MINORRapid unit growth of 53.3% YoY raises sustainability and quality control concerns — typical of aggressive recruitment over profitability
- 04HIGHGoing concern status is False — suggests potential financial instability or recent restructuring at franchisor level
- 05MINOR6% royalty on gross revenue (not net) is problematic for low-margin or seasonal swim school operations
- 06MED42 total units is a small system with limited track record and operational maturity
Severity inferred from the FDD text · not a regulatory classification
FDD Items 5, 6, 12, 17 · continued from Risk & Legal
Contract & Territory Detail
| Initial term | 10 years |
|---|---|
| Renewal term | 10 years |
| Allowed renewalsℹ | 1 |
| Territory type | Drive time |
| Protected territory | Yes |
| Online sales rights | Restricted |
| Franchisor can compete | Yes |
| Hire a manager? | Allowed |
| Owner-operator | Required |
| Non-compete (years)ℹ | 2 years |
| Right of first refusalℹ | Yes |
| Termination notice | 30 days |
| Mandatory arbitration | Yes |
| Jury trial waiver | Yes |
| Governing law | Georgia |
| Litigation count | 0 |
Items 10, 11
Training & Operations
- Classroom training
- 73 hrs
- On-the-job training
- 57 hrs
- POS system
- LESSONBuddy
- Operating tech stack
Items 5 & 11
Franchisor Support
Technology: LESSONBuddy
Item 20 · call current owners
Franchisee Contacts
39 owners to call
Name · phone · city · state. Extracted from FDD Item 20
FDD download
BIG BLUE SWIM SCHOOL · FDD (2025) PDF
Frequently asked questions
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to open a BIG BLUE SWIM SCHOOL franchise?
The total investment to open a BIG BLUE SWIM SCHOOL franchise ranges from $2.1M – $3.8M, with an initial franchise fee of $50K. This includes real estate, equipment, inventory, and working capital as disclosed in their Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD).
What do BIG BLUE SWIM SCHOOL franchise owners earn?
BIG BLUE SWIM SCHOOL 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 BIG BLUE SWIM SCHOOL's franchise failure rate?
Based on SBA 7(a) loan data, BIG BLUE SWIM SCHOOL has a charge-off rate of 0.0% across 20 loans, meaning 0.0% of franchise loans were charged off. Charge-off rates are one proxy for franchise risk, though they do not capture all closures. This data comes from FOIA-sourced SBA lending records.
How many BIG BLUE SWIM SCHOOL franchise locations are there?
As of their most recent FDD filing, BIG BLUE SWIM SCHOOL has 42 total units in the United States, including 7 franchised units and 19 company-owned units. 8 new units were opened in the latest reporting year.
Is BIG BLUE SWIM SCHOOL a good franchise to buy?
FranchiseVerdict rates BIG BLUE SWIM SCHOOL as a B-grade franchise with a risk score of 54 out of 100, 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.
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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.