CKO Kickboxing Franchise Cost, Revenue & Review 2026
- Investment
- $128K – $303K
- Disclosed sales
- not disclosed
- SBA charge-off
- 20.0%
- on 47 loans
Data from FDD filing + SBA 7(a) records
Analysis by FranchiseVerdict Research · Methodology
CKO Kickboxing is a boutique fitness franchise offering high-energy kickboxing classes on real heavy bags. Franchisees run the studios, managing instructors, class scheduling, and membership growth.
FranchiseVerdict summary · 2026
A CKO Kickboxing franchise requires a total initial investment of $128K – $303K, including a $35K franchise fee and an ongoing 7.0% 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 20.0% charge-off rate across 47 loans[1]. FranchiseVerdict grade: F (Weakest tier), an editorial assessment, not investment advice. Run a live ROI scan →
Sources, dates and evidence
FDD issued: · Data extracted: · Last cited check: · Staleness risk: medium - issued 12 to 24 months ago; a newer filing is likely on file
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
- $128K – $303K
- 23rd pct Health & Fitn…
- Avg gross sales
- N/A
- Royalty
- 7.0%
- 37th pct Health & Fitn…
- Units
- 52
- 72nd pct Health & Fitn…
- SBA charge-off
- 20.0%
- % of SBA 7(a) loans not repaid · median varies by category
Quick verdict · Health & Fitness · color = vs category peers
Green = favorable by >10% vs Health & Fitness 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 $128K – $303K including a $35K franchise fee, 7.0% 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 F (Weakest tier), verdict score 24/100 (higher is better). SBA loan charge-off rate of 20.0% across 47 loans (above the 16% franchise average, based on all SBA 7(a) franchise lending, 2010–2025).
- GROWTHNegative: net -6 franchised outlets in the latest year (2 opened, 8 closed); 8 signed but not yet open (Item 20).
- DECLINESystem contracting at -20.0% CAGR over 3 years. Investigate whether closures are franchisor-driven (consolidation) or franchisee-driven (economics).
Item 1 · who you're contracting with
The Franchisor
Corporate structure & franchisor financials
- Legal entity
- Club KO Franchise LLC
- Predecessor
- but have one active affiliate
- Prior franchisor entity
- CEO title
- Owner/CEO
- Joseph Andreula
- CEO experience
- 26 yrs
- Years in role or industry
- Founder active
- Yes
- Original founder still leading the business
- Incorporated in
- NJ
- HQ
- 900 Madison Street, Suite 2, Hoboken, New Jersey 07030
- Auditor
- EisnerAmper LLP
- Audited financials
- Franchisor revenue
- $982K
- vs $1.2M prior year
Independent franchisee associations
- Franchise Advisory Council (FAC)
Franchisee-led councils or alliances disclosed in Item 20. Indicates operator voice.
Affiliated brands
- has operated its business s
- has remained in existence as a business entity s
- has not sold franchises in this or any other line of business
Other brands the franchisor or its parent operates (Item 1).
Overview
About
- CEO
- Joseph Andreula
- Headquarters
- NJ
- Founded
- 2006
- FDD year
- 2025
- States available
- 11
Can you afford it, and what does the money buy?
Entry cost runs 45% below the typical health & fitness franchise.
Source: FDD 2025 · Items 5–7
Full Item 7 breakdown24 line items
Initial investment breakdown
| Line item | Low | High | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Initial Franchise Feenot refundable | $35K | $35K | |
| Equipmentnot refundable | $25K | $40K | |
| Furniture & Fixturesnot refundable | $2K | $5K | |
| Sound Proofingnot refundable | $0 | $14K | |
| Real Property (3 months)not refundable | $16K | $40K | |
| Leasehold Improvements; Construction Costsnot refundable | $7K | $50K | |
| Signagenot refundable | $2K | $5K | |
| Opening Inventory and Suppliesnot refundable | $2K | $5K | |
| Pre-Sale and Grand Opening Advertisingnot refundable | $7K | $15K | |
| Travel and Initial Trainingnot refundable | $1K | $3K | |
| Insurance (3 month)not refundable | $900 | $2K | |
| Utilitiesnot refundable | $300 | $2K | |
| Security Deposits | $4K | $18K | |
| Blue Prints, Business Licenses and Permitsnot refundable | $1K | $3K | |
| POS/Check-in System (3 months)not refundable | $537 | $537 | |
| Computer Systemnot refundable | $2K | $3K | |
| Website Fee (3 months)not refundable | $225 | $225 | |
| Professional Feesnot refundable | $1K | $3K | |
| Third Party Training Expensenot refundable | $100 | $100 | |
| Sound Systemnot refundable | $700 | $4K | |
| Total initial investment | $128K | $303K |
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
- $128K – $303K
- Top 40% of category vs category
- Liquid capital req'd
- $20K – $50K
- Middle of category vs category
- Franchise fee
- $35K – $35K
- Top 40% of category vs category
- Royalty
- 7.0%
- typical 6–8%
- Ad fund
- 1.0%
- typical 3–5%
- Total fee load
- 8.0%
- vs 9–13% typical
Ongoing fees · Item 6
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Royalty | 7.0% of gross sales |
| Marketing / ad fund | 1.0% |
| Technology fee | $75 |
| Training fee | $13K |
| Transfer fee | $10K |
| Renewal fee | $5K |
| Inventory (initial) | $2K – $5K |
| Total fee load | 8.0% of rev |
ROI & LBO modelsSingle-unit · 25-unit portfolio · editable
CKO Kickboxing 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 CKO Kickboxing 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 8.0% (near the Health & Fitness 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 contracting at -20.0% CAGR over 3 years. Investigate whether closures are franchisor-driven consolidation or franchisee exits.
Multi-unit rate
Only 1% of franchisees own multiple units. Could indicate challenging economics or a young system where operators haven't had time to expand.
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 medians
How CKO Kickboxing Compares
Category median of published Health & Fitness 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
- 52
- Opened
- 2
- Last reporting year
- Closed
- 8
- Terminated
- 0
- Franchisor ended the franchise (per Item 20)
- Non-renewed
- 0
- Term expired, not renewed (per Item 20)
- Turnover rate
- 15.4%
- Company-owned
- 0
- Corporate units in the system
- % franchised
- 100%
- vs corporate-owned
- Multi-unit owners
- 1.0%
- Net growth (3-yr)
- -20.0%
- Net unit change over 3 years
- 3-yr CAGR
- -20.0%
- Compounded over last 3 years
Last fiscal year · Item 20 exits and transfers
- Terminated
- 0
- Not renewed
- 0
- Signed, not yet open
- 8
- 0.15 per open outlet · Item 20 Table 5
- Projected new
- 1
- Franchisor's next-year forecast
- Transfer rate
- 7.7%
- Owners selling to other franchisees
- Ceased ops
- 15.4%
- Units that stopped operating
Year-over-year franchised unit counts and net change. Source: FDD Item 20.
Item 20 · 11 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.
Available to sell in · Item 12
- California
- Hawaii
- Illinois
- Maryland
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- New York
- South Dakota
- Virginia
States where the franchisor is registered to sell new franchises (FDD registration filings).
Where the owners are · Item 20 owner list
31 current owners across 11 states.
- NJ 13
- NY 6
- FL 3
- CA 2
- MI 1
- NE 1
- NH 1
- NV 1
- PA 1
- SC 1
- TX 1
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.
A system losing more than 10% of its units year-over-year is a red flag. Check whether closures are concentrated in specific regions.
SBA loan performance
Government records
SBA Loan Data
Aggregated from SBA 7(a) and 504 loan disclosures, public data unique to FranchiseVerdict.
- Total loans
- 47
- Loan volume
- $6.7M
- Median loan
- $150K
- 50th percentile
- Charge-off rate
- 20.0%
- on 47 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)
- 80.0%
- 5-yr charge-off
- 50.0%
- Loans approved 2021+
- Active lenders
- 11
- Defaults
- 5
- Typical loan rate
- 6.8%
- avg rate to borrowers
- Franchised industry avg
- 15.8%
- brand above franchise avg ↑
- Jobs supported
- 343
- 7.3 per loan
- Lender concentration
- 42%
- top lender's share
Borrower mix: 59% went to startups / new businesses, 41% to established operators
Franchise vs independent — in fitness and recreational sports centers, franchised businesses charge off at 15.8% vs 18.2% for independents — franchising is associated with 13% lower SBA default risk in this category.
Vintage analysis
CKO Kickboxing charge-off rate by loan vintage
Top lenders financing CKO Kickboxing franchisees
Showing 3 of 11 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 CKO Kickboxing from SBA 7(a) FOIA data.
- Principal loss rate
- 10.5%
- Avg SBA guarantee
- 79%
- Avg interest rate
- 6.75%
- Avg chargeoff amount
- $99K
- Lender concentration
- 42.1%
- Job velocity
- 7.3 per $100K
- Startup risk premium
- 0.0pp
- NAICS benchmark
- 12.5%
- NAICS 713940
- Jobs supported
- 343
Top SBA lendersTop lender holds 42% of loans
| # | Lender | Loans | Volume | Default % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Celtic Bank Corporation | 16 | $2.3M | 15.4% |
| 2 | United Midwest Savings Bank National Association | 7 | $950K | 33.3% |
| 3 | TD Bank, National Association | 3 | $180K | 33.3% |
| 4 | Northwest Bank | 3 | $70K | N/A |
| 5 | JPMorgan Chase Bank, National Association | 2 | $316K | 0.0% |
| 6 | Bar Harbor Bank & Trust | 2 | $80K | N/A |
| 7 | Newtek Small Business Finance, Inc. | 1 | $160K | 0.0% |
| 8 | Empire State Certified Development Corporation | 1 | $117K | 0.0% |
| 9 | First Bank | 1 | $150K | 0.0% |
| 10 | Cadence Bank | 1 | $140K | 100.0% |
Geographic failure vector
| State | Loans | Defaults | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| NJNew Jersey | 12 | 3 | 27.3% |
| NYNew York | 6 | 1 | 16.7% |
| CACalifornia | 4 | 1 | 33.3% |
| NENebraska | 4 | 0 | 0.0% |
| FLFlorida | 3 | 0 | -- |
| NHNew Hampshire | 3 | 0 | -- |
| PAPennsylvania | 3 | 0 | 0.0% |
| MIMichigan | 1 | 0 | 0.0% |
| NCNorth Carolina | 1 | 0 | 0.0% |
| TXTexas | 1 | 0 | 0.0% |
SBA 7(a) lending trend
Borrower profile
Source: SBA 7(a) + 504 FOIA loan-level data, matched by FranchiseVerdict
A 20.0% charge-off rate means roughly 1 in 5 franchisees failed to repay their SBA loan. Investigate what changed.
What could kill this investment?
SBA loans charge off at 20.0% — 25% above the 16.0% national norm, i.e. higher 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
CKO Kickboxing presents CAUTION-level risk due to declining unit count, complete absence of financial transparency (no Item 19), and high capital requirements relative to unknown profit potential in a contracting system.
Litigation (Item 3)
Subject: officers or affiliates. The franchisor is not a named party in these cases.
No litigation required to be disclosed
Bankruptcy (Item 4)
None disclosed
Audited financials (Item 21)
Yes · EisnerAmper LLP
Franchisor revenue (Item 21)
Franchisor entity revenue (not unit-level)
FY2024 total revenue $982,198 (royalty fees $866,758; franchise/area development fees $114,519; training $0; other $921). Royalty = 7% of gross franchise revenues. Net loss $(88,856); members' deficiency $(108,344). Audited by EisnerAmper LLP, April 15, 2025.
Supplier relationship · Items 8 & 16
- Franchisor sells you products: No
- Kickbacks from required suppliers: No
- Must buy proprietary products: No
- Restricted to system-approved products: Yes
- Can negotiate own supplier terms: No
Score breakdown · what drove the 24 / 100 verdict
- 01MINORUnit count declining 10.3% YoY (52 units) suggests system contraction and potential market saturation
- 02MINORNo average revenue or net income disclosure (Item 19) prevents ROI validation and profitability assessment
- 03MEDHigh initial investment ($127,962–$302,862) with 7% royalty combined with undisclosed financials creates significant downside risk
- 04MINORFitness/boutique studio sector experiencing post-COVID consolidation; kickboxing is trend-dependent with high churn risk
- 05MINOR10-year term is long given franchise system instability and no performance benchmarks provided
Severity inferred from the FDD text · not a regulatory classification
What are you signing up for?
Ongoing fees run about 8.0% 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 | 5 years |
| Allowed renewalsℹ | 1 |
| Territory type | Exclusive territory |
| Protected territory | Yes |
| Exclusive territoryℹ | Yes |
| Territory radius | 5 mi |
| Territory population | 50,000 |
| 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 | 100 mi |
| Right of first refusalℹ | Yes |
| Transfer requires consent | Yes |
| Termination notice | 10 days |
| Mandatory arbitration | Yes |
| Arbitration location | New Jersey |
| Jury trial waiver | No |
| Governing law | NJ |
| Litigation count | 0 |
View Item 3 litigation summary
No litigation required to be disclosed
Items 10, 11
Training & Operations
- Classroom training
- 35 hrs
- On-the-job training
- 33 hrs
- Training location
- Hoboken, New Jersey (with some virtual)
- Ongoing training
- Required
- Time to open
- 3 mo
- From signing to launch
- Site selection
- Franchisee with franchisor approval
- Franchisor financing
- Not offered
- Item 10
- POS system
- ClubReady
- Operating tech stack
Items 5 & 11
Franchisor Support
Technology: ClubReady
Item 20 · call current owners
Franchisee Contacts
31 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 CKO Kickboxing franchise?
The total investment to open a CKO Kickboxing franchise ranges from $128K – $303K, with an initial franchise fee of $35K. This includes real estate, equipment, inventory, and working capital as disclosed in their Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD).
What do CKO Kickboxing franchise owners earn?
CKO Kickboxing 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 CKO Kickboxing?
CKO Kickboxing is franchised by Club KO Franchise LLC. Source: FDD Item 1, 2025 filing.
What is Item 19 in the CKO Kickboxing 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 CKO Kickboxing FDD and qualifies whose outlets they describe.
What is CKO Kickboxing's franchise failure rate?
Based on SBA 7(a) loan data, CKO Kickboxing has a charge-off rate of 20.0% across 47 loans, meaning 20.0% 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 CKO Kickboxing franchise locations are there?
As of their most recent FDD filing, CKO Kickboxing has 52 total units in the United States, including 52 franchised units and 0 company-owned units. 2 new units were opened in the latest reporting year.
Is CKO Kickboxing a good franchise to buy?
FranchiseVerdict rates CKO Kickboxing as a F-grade franchise with a verdict score of 24 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
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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.