What types of sports franchises are available?

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If you’re a keen sports participant, or you’ve worked in the sports industry previously, you may be exploring ways to be your own boss using existing experience and skills.

Alternatively, this may be a sector that interests and excites you, and you can see how potentially profitable sports-related ventures are. Or, you may already be an entrepreneur and you’re looking for ways to expand into the sports market. Whatever your motivation is, finding the right course of action involves understanding what sports franchises UK are available.

As this article shows, this dynamic sector offers various franchising levels and opportunities ranging from home-based businesses to franchise agreements requiring considerable start-up capital.

Low-cost franchises

Let’s start by looking at ways to get into sports franchising on a limited budget. This often means franchises you can run from home, with no need for expensive premises, equipment or stock. Though in some cases these are van-based franchises.

A good example would be a sports product distribution deal, such as nutritional supplements. Some of these don’t even require you to store products yourself, as the items your customers buy go straight from the manufacturer to the customer’s home or business.

This includes sports and leisure clothing franchises, which are an exciting growth sector. In 2020, global spending on activewear was an eye-popping $353.5 billion.

Another example of a sports franchise you can run from home is community coaching activities. There are many different sports coaching franchises, across different categories of activity and age groups. Including ever-popular tennis, soccer and general fitness training, and niche endeavours such as yoga, gym and swimming lessons for preschoolers.

Some coaching sessions and fitness classes you run as a franchise will involve you renting space in a local sports hall or community centre for example.

Mid-range franchise costs

There are other franchise opportunities in sports that involve more investment, and potentially your own premises too. Or at the very least, you will need a range of specialist equipment.

Mobile fitness franchises are increasingly an option if you want to go self-employed without permanent and expensive premises. This is when you keep your apparatus and accessories in a liveried vehicle and take it to indoor and outdoor locations on demand.

Also, you can use a global franchise directory to find niche sports franchises involved in delivering regular group and individual training sessions, such as “Soccer Schools”. Your sports training programmes could then be delivered in schools, colleges or at your own purpose created venue,

A great example of this type of opportunity is martial arts franchises. You will need either your own premises or rented space on a semi-permanent basis. This will often be required by the franchisor, to show you can be consistent and reach their required quality standards.

It’s also common sense for you to have an established base, to build your reputation and local customer base.

High-end sport franchising opportunities

If you have sufficient capital to invest in a major sports franchise, there are several choices. For example, some of the biggest names in the leisure industry support gym franchises or regional sports coaching centres of excellence.

This type of sports business also includes riding stables, and other horse-related franchises, which clearly require a considerable amount of start-up capital.

One of the advantages of these types of sports start-ups is they provide a more substantial opportunity to make considerable profit long term. As well as offering strong franchise resale potential.

Also, it could be possible to start up multi-site franchises – immediately or over a period of steady growth and expansion.

Chances of success for sports franchises

Whether you opt for a home-based franchise you can fit around family commitments, or you open a gym under a franchise agreement, confidence that you will enjoy strong earning potential is vital.

There’s good news on that front.

A recent study suggested that the steady growth in the global sports market is set to continue and that the total value of this sector could be $1.1 TRILLION by 2025.

This huge potential is partly because this is a pandemic-proof franchise category. If anything, health fears and lack of travel resulting from COVID-19 have increased interest in buying sports classes, coaching and goods.

First step in sport franchising

Now you know what types of sports franchises are available, choosing the best one depends on several factors (as well as the differing investment levels outlined above). What gaps and opportunities exist in your location?

For instance, opening a gym franchise in an area with no existing provision makes good business sense. Also, some low-cost franchising partnerships support a network of entrepreneurs and home-based businesses. The franchisor won’t necessarily support a competitive start-up where they already have a franchisee.