Big Blue Swim School Franchise Cost, Revenue & Review 2026
Data from FDD filing + SBA 7(a) records
Analysis by FranchiseVerdict Research · Methodology
Big Blue Swim School is a children's education franchise teaching swim lessons and water safety in warm-water pools. Franchisees run the schools, managing instructors, class scheduling, and enrollment.
FranchiseVerdict summary · 2026
A BIG BLUE SWIM SCHOOL franchise requires a total initial investment of $3.1M – $4.4M, 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]. FranchiseVerdict grade: B (Above average), an editorial assessment, not investment advice. Run a live ROI scan →
Data last verified · figures per the 2025 FDD issuance
Overview
- Investment
- $3.1M – $4.4M
- 79th pct Education
- Avg gross sales
- N/A
- Royalty
- 6.0%
- 6th pct Education
- Units
- 18
- 39th pct Education
- SBA charge-off
- 0.0%
- % of SBA 7(a) loans not repaid · median varies by category
Quick verdict · Education · color = vs category peers
Green = favorable by >10% vs Education 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 $3.1M – $4.4M including a $50K franchise fee, 6.0% ongoing royalty.
- RETURNSTotal revenues for FY2022 comprise franchise fees $353,148, royalty fees $601,071, brand fund fees $378,046, technology fee $301,978, member services fees $177,110, and market introduction program revenue $127,000. Audited statements of Big Blue Swim School Franchising, LLC for years ended Dec 31, 2022/2021/2020; member's deficit position.
- RISKVerdict B (Above average), verdict score 53/100 (higher is better). SBA loan charge-off rate of 0.0% across 20 loans (well below the franchise average, based on all SBA 7(a) franchise lending, 2010–2025).
- DATAItem 19 reports Historical average and median gross revenue, EBITDAR, EBITDA for 9 Qualified Schools by year of operation (Non-Company-Owned and Company-Owned Schools separately) 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
- Big Blue Swim School Franchising, LLC
- Parent company
- Big Blue Swim School HoldCo, LLC
- CEO title
- Chief Executive Officer
- Scott Sanders
- Incorporated in
- IL
- HQ
- 4207 N. Western Avenue, Chicago, Illinois 60618
- Auditor
- Citrin Cooperman & Company, LLP
- Audited financials
- Franchisor revenue
- $1.9M
- vs $492K prior year
Overview
About
- CEO
- Scott Sanders
- Headquarters
- IL
- Founded
- 2018
- FDD year
- 2025
- States available
- 13
Can you afford it, and what does the money buy?
Entry cost runs 464% above the typical education franchise.
Source: FDD 2025 · Items 5–7
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 | $3.0M | $4.2M |
| Total initial investment | $3.1M | $4.4M |
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
- $3.1M – $4.4M
- Bottom third — review vs category
- Liquid capital req'd
- $55K – $145K
- Middle of category vs category
- Franchise fee
- $50K – $50K
- Middle of category vs category
- Royalty
- 6.0%
- percentage · 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 | $2K |
| Transfer fee | $2K |
| Renewal fee | $5K |
| Total fee load | 10.0% of rev |
What do units actually make?
Source: FDD 2025 · Item 19
ROI & LBO modelsSingle-unit · 25-unit portfolio · editable
BIG BLUE SWIM SCHOOL 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 BIG BLUE SWIM SCHOOL unit return on the cash you put in?
Unlevered ROIC · per unit
Estimated return on your total franchise investment, before any debt financing.
3%
Below the 30–60% attractive-franchise band
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: 2025 FDD
Financial Performance
Total revenues for FY2022 comprise franchise fees $353,148, royalty fees $601,071, brand fund fees $378,046, technology fee $301,978, member services fees $177,110, and market introduction program revenue $127,000. Audited statements of Big Blue Swim School Franchising, LLC for years ended Dec 31, 2022/2021/2020; member's deficit position.
Operator outlook
What the numbers say
Data-driven interpretation of this brand's financial disclosures, fee structure, and system trajectory.
Fee burden
Total ongoing fee load of 10.0% (near the Education average).
Disclosure
Item 19 reports Historical average and median gross revenue, EBITDAR, EBITDA for 9 Qualified Schools by year of operation (Non-Company-Owned and Company-Owned Schools separately) rather than annual gross sales, so unit revenue is not directly comparable.
Operator retention
System expanding at 228.6% CAGR over 3 years across 18 units — operators are staying and new ones are joining.
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 Education averages
How Big Blue Swim School Compares
Is the system healthy?
Source: FDD 2025 · Item 20
Unit growth
Item 20 · unit dynamics
The Growth Chart
- Total units
- 18
- Opened
- 6
- 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
- 11
- Corporate units in the system
- % franchised
- 39%
- vs corporate-owned
- Net growth (3-yr)
- +53.3%
- Net unit change over 3 years
- 3-yr CAGR
- Outlier (see FDD)
- Likely small-sample artifact
3-year detail · Item 20
- Opened (3yr)
- 6
- 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 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
- Typical loan rate
- 7.0%
- avg rate to borrowers
- Franchised industry avg
- 12.5%
- brand beats franchise avg ↓
- Jobs supported
- 579
- 1.2 per loan
- Lender concentration
- 35%
- top lender's share
Borrower mix: 100% went to startups / new businesses, 0% to established operators
Franchise vs independent — in sports and recreation instruction, franchised businesses charge off at 12.5% vs 14.2% for independents — franchising is associated with 12% lower SBA default risk in this category.
Top lenders financing Big Blue Swim School franchisees
Showing 3 of 9 lenders. The full breakdown — every lender, state distribution, interest rates & risk ratings — is in the SBA Lending Report below.
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.
What could kill this investment?
SBA loans charge off at 0.0% — 100% below the 16.0% national norm, i.e. lower lender-observed risk.
Source: SBA 7(a) FOIA · FDD Items 3, 21
Risk analysis
FranchiseVerdict rating + FDD Items 3, 4, 8, 16, 21
Risk & Legal
High capital requirement combined with undisclosed unit economics, explosive growth rate, and franchisor financial concerns create substantial risk without transparent profitability data.
Bankruptcy (Item 4)
None disclosed
Audited financials (Item 21)
Yes · Citrin Cooperman & Company, LLP
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 53 / 100 verdict
- 01MEDFinancial performance metrics (avg revenue and net income) not disclosed in FDD Item 19 — prevents ROI validation
- 02MINORRapid unit growth of 53.3% YoY raises sustainability and quality control concerns — typical of aggressive recruitment over profitability
- 03HIGHGoing concern status is False — suggests potential financial instability or recent restructuring at franchisor level
- 04MINOR6% royalty on gross revenue (not net) is problematic for low-margin or seasonal swim school operations
- 05MED42 total units is a small system with limited track record and operational maturity
Severity inferred from the FDD text · not a regulatory classification
What are you signing up for?
Ongoing fees run about 10.0% of sales (royalty + ad fund), before rent and labor.
Source: FDD 2025 · 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 | 1 |
| Territory type | exclusive |
| Protected territory | Yes |
| Exclusive territoryℹ | Yes |
| 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 | 10 mi |
| Right of first refusalℹ | Yes |
| Transfer requires consent | Yes |
| Termination notice | 30 days |
| Curable defaultsℹ | 6 |
| Mandatory arbitration | Yes |
| Arbitration location | Chicago, Illinois (within 10 miles of franchisor's principal business address) |
| Jury trial waiver | Yes |
| Governing law | IL |
| Litigation count | 0 |
Items 10, 11
Training & Operations
- Classroom training
- 134 hrs
- On-the-job training
- 134 hrs
- Training location
- Flagship School in Chicago, Illinois or other affiliate locations
- Ongoing training
- Required
- Time to open
- 18 mo
- From signing to launch
- Site selection
- Franchisee selects; franchisor must accept
- Franchisor financing
- Not offered
- Item 10
- POS system
- Designated point-of-sale hardware system (part of Computer System)
- Operating tech stack
Items 5 & 11
Franchisor Support
Technology: Designated point-of-sale hardware system (part of Computer System)
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 $3.1M – $4.4M, 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 Item 19 in the BIG BLUE SWIM SCHOOL 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 BIG BLUE SWIM SCHOOL FDD and qualifies whose outlets they describe.
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 18 total units in the United States, including 7 franchised units and 11 company-owned units. 6 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 verdict score of 53 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
Are you the franchisor?
If you represent BIG BLUE SWIM SCHOOL, you can request corrections or provide updated information.
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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.