Big Blue Swim School Franchise Cost, Revenue & Review 2026
- Investment
- $2.1M – $3.8M
- Disclosed sales
- not disclosed
- SBA charge-off
- 0.0%
- on 20 loans
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 $2.1M – $3.8M, including a $50K franchise fee and an ongoing 6.0% royalty[2]. This franchisor makes no financial performance representation in Item 19 of its FDD. Item 19 is voluntary under the FTC Franchise Rule, and this filing states that it makes none, so no revenue or earnings figures are disclosed. Declining to publish one is lawful and is not evidence of how the outlets perform. It does mean that less about this brand can be verified from its filing, and the FranchiseVerdict grade - an editorial assessment, not investment advice - reflects that. 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 →
Sources, dates and evidence
FDD issued: 2025 filing · Data extracted: · Last cited check: · Staleness risk: medium - a newer filing may exist
Evidence: strong✓ Investment (Item 7)✓ Item 19 status✓ Units and owners (Item 20)✓ SBA loan coverage✓ Litigation (Item 3)✓ Financial statements (Item 21)✓ Franchisor identityhow this is scored5 of 5 headline figures on this page cite a page of the filing.
Overview
- Investment
- $2.1M – $3.8M
- 78th pct Education
- Avg gross sales
- N/A
- Royalty
- 6.0%
- 7th pct Education
- Units
- 42
- 51st 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 median · 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 $2.1M – $3.8M including a $50K franchise fee, 6.0% ongoing royalty.
- RETURNSThis franchisor makes no financial performance representation in Item 19 of its FDD. Item 19 is voluntary under the FTC Franchise Rule, and this filing states that it makes none, so no revenue or earnings figures are disclosed. Declining to publish one is lawful and is not evidence of how the outlets perform. It does mean that less about this brand can be verified from its filing, and the FranchiseVerdict grade - an editorial assessment, not investment advice - reflects that.
- 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).
- GROWTHPositive: net +8 franchised outlets in the latest year (8 opened, 0 closed); 21 signed but not yet open (Item 20).
- GROWTHSystem growing at 228.6% CAGR over 3 years with 42 total units. Strong expansion trajectory.
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
- FDD Item 1, page 9 of the 2025 FDD
- 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 1410% 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 | $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
- 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%
- 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 |
ROI & LBO modelsSingle-unit · 25-unit portfolio · editable
BIG BLUE SWIM SCHOOL makes no financial performance representation in Item 19 of its FDD - a voluntary item under the FTC Franchise Rule - so no unit revenue figures are disclosed. The return models need a revenue figure to start from, and the operating costs that turn gross sales into a profit are in no FDD. Enter your own and the calculator runs on your assumptions — nothing here is modelled until you do.
Returns model · single-unit ROIC
What would one BIG BLUE SWIM SCHOOL unit return on the cash you put in?
Illustrative category typicals — not sourced to any filing, survey or sample. Replace them with figures from franchisee validation calls before you rely on the output.
Unlevered ROIC · per unit
Your modelled return on total invested capital, before any debt financing.
—
An FDD discloses gross sales, not profit. We hold no sourced figure for annual revenue, COGS, labour, rent / occupancy and other operating costs, and will not substitute an assumed one. Enter your own and the model runs on your assumptions.
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
No financial performance representation
This franchisor makes no financial performance representation in Item 19 of its FDD. Item 19 is voluntary under the FTC Franchise Rule, and this filing states that it makes none, so no revenue or earnings figures are disclosed. Declining to publish one is lawful and is not evidence of how the outlets perform. It does mean that less about this brand can be verified from its filing, and the FranchiseVerdict grade - an editorial assessment, not investment advice - reflects that.
Item 20 of the FDD lists current and former franchisees; asking them directly is the standard way to fill this gap.
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 median).
Disclosure
This franchisor makes no financial performance representation in Item 19 of its FDD. Item 19 is voluntary under the FTC Franchise Rule, and this filing states that it makes none, so no revenue or earnings figures are disclosed. Declining to publish one is lawful and is not evidence of how the outlets perform. It does mean that less about this brand can be verified from its filing, and the FranchiseVerdict grade - an editorial assessment, not investment advice - reflects that. Item 20 of the FDD lists current and former franchisees; asking them directly is the standard way to fill this gap.
Operator retention
System expanding at 228.6% CAGR over 3 years across 42 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 medians
How Big Blue Swim School Compares
Category median of published Education brands that report the figure; the middle half spans the 25th to 75th percentile and n counts the brands behind it. Medians are used because a few very large systems pull an average far from the typical brand. Revenue is disclosed gross sales, not profit.
Is the system healthy?
Source: FDD 2025 · Item 20
Unit growth
Item 20 · unit dynamics
The Growth Chart
- Total units
- 42
- Opened
- 8
- 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
- N/A
- Company-owned
- 19
- 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
Last fiscal year · Item 20 exits and transfers
- Terminated
- 0
- Not renewed
- 0
- Transferred
- 0
- Reacquired
- 0
- Franchisor bought back
- Signed, not yet open
- 21
- 0.50 per open outlet · Item 20 Table 5
- Projected new
- 10
- Franchisor's next-year forecast
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.
Where the owners are · Item 20 owner list
39 current owners across 19 states.
- PA 6
- MI 4
- NJ 4
- IL 3
- NC 3
- TX 3
- UT 3
- CO 2
- AZ 1
- CA 1
- CT 1
- FL 1
- +7 more states
Counts only, from the list the franchisor prints in Item 20. Names and phone numbers are for your own due diligence and are not shown here.
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%
- on 20 loans · 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.
Lender network · 7(a) + 504
SBA Lending Report
Full lending analysis for Big Blue Swim School from SBA 7(a) FOIA data.
- Principal loss rate
- 0.0%
- Avg SBA guarantee
- 79%
- Avg interest rate
- 7.04%
- Lender concentration
- 35.0%
- Job velocity
- 1.2 per $100K
- NAICS benchmark
- 3.1%
- NAICS 611620
- Jobs supported
- 579
Top SBA lendersTop lender holds 35% of loans
| # | Lender | Loans | Volume | Default % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | LendingClub Bank, National Association | 7 | $12.2M | 0.0% |
| 2 | Byline Bank | 3 | $8.5M | N/A |
| 3 | Live Oak Banking Company | 3 | $6.5M | N/A |
| 4 | Meridian Bank | 2 | $7.3M | N/A |
| 5 | The Bancorp Bank National Association | 1 | $2.4M | N/A |
| 6 | FWBank | 1 | $3.6M | N/A |
| 7 | Belmont Bank & Trust Company | 1 | $2.5M | N/A |
| 8 | TD Bank, National Association | 1 | $2.6M | 0.0% |
| 9 | Bank of Utah | 1 | $1.9M | 0.0% |
Geographic failure vector
| State | Loans | Defaults | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| NJNew Jersey | 5 | 0 | 0.0% |
| MIMichigan | 3 | 0 | -- |
| PAPennsylvania | 3 | 0 | 0.0% |
| UTUtah | 3 | 0 | 0.0% |
| MAMassachusetts | 2 | 0 | -- |
| CACalifornia | 1 | 0 | -- |
| INIndiana | 1 | 0 | -- |
| MOMissouri | 1 | 0 | -- |
| TXTexas | 1 | 0 | -- |
SBA 7(a) lending trend
Borrower profile
Source: SBA 7(a) + 504 FOIA loan-level data, matched by FranchiseVerdict
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)
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.
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
- 03MINOR6% royalty on gross revenue (not net) is problematic for low-margin or seasonal swim school operations
- 04MED42 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 territory |
| 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
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 makes no financial performance representation in Item 19 of its FDD - a voluntary item under the FTC Franchise Rule - so no unit revenue figures are disclosed. Declining to publish one is lawful and is not evidence of how the outlets perform. It does mean that less about this brand can be verified from its filing, and the FranchiseVerdict grade - an editorial assessment, not investment advice - reflects that. Item 20 of the FDD lists current and former franchisees; asking them directly is the standard way to fill this gap.
Who owns BIG BLUE SWIM SCHOOL?
BIG BLUE SWIM SCHOOL is franchised by Big Blue Swim School Franchising, LLC. Its parent company is Big Blue Swim School HoldCo, LLC. Source: FDD Item 1, 2025 filing.
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 42 total units in the United States, including 23 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 verdict score of 53 out of 100 (higher is better). The grade is a deterministic score built from six weighted dimensions — financial health, unit economics, unit growth, scale, legal, and transparency — then calibrated against SBA loan charge-off rates and FDD age. Transparency is one of the six, so a filing that discloses less scores lower on that dimension than one that discloses more. 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.
Other Education franchises
Compare similar franchise opportunities in the Education category
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.