FDD Talk 2017: What You Need to Know About the Play It Again Sports Franchise Opportunity (Financial Performance Analysis, Costs and Fees)

In this FDD Talk 2017 post, you’ll learn the following:

• Section I – Background information on the Play It Again Sports franchise opportunity, including relevant news updates

• Section II – Estimated initial investment for a Play It Again Sports franchise, based on Item 7 of the company’s 2017 FDD

• Section III – Initial franchise fee, royalty fee, marketing fee, and other fees for a Play It Again Sports franchise, based on Items 5 and 6 of the company’s 2017 FDD

• Section IV – Presentation and analysis of Play It Again Sports’ financial performance representations, based on Item 19 of the company’s 2017 FDD, including information on the:

• 2016 average, high, and low gross sales and average gross profit of the 270 franchised Play It Again Sports Stores in the United States and Canada that had been in operation by the same franchisee or owners for the 12-month period ended December 31, 2016, grouped by year opened (2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011, and 2010 and prior)

• 2016 average, high, and low gross sales and average gross profit for the first, second, third, and fourth quartiles of the 270 franchised Play It Again Sports Stores in the United States and Canada that had been in operation by the same franchisee or owners for the 12-month period ended December 31, 2016

Section I – Background Information

9 Things You Need to Know About the Play It Again Sports Franchise

‘Start Your Season Sweepstakes’ with Rawlings

1.  Play It Again Sports teamed up with professional sports equipment company Rawlings for the ‘Start Your Season Sweepstakes.’ Contestants had from April 2 to April 11 to enter the sweepstakes on the Play It Again Sports website.

2.  The Grand Prize was an on-field meet and greet with a Rawlings pro baseball player. Contestants also had a chance to win daily prizes such as autographed pro baseballs, pro model bats, pro model gloves, custom gloves, and personalized bats.

New Locations Opened in 2016

3.  In 2016, Play It Again Sports opened new locations in Washington and Massachusetts. The franchise owner of the new Spokane, Washington location wanted to bring Play It Again Sports back to the city after the original location where he worked over a decade ago closed in 2013.

4.  Jared Fields opened the new location over the summer and says that his store is great for the community. Not only does Fields sell new and used sports equipment for any sport being played in the Spokane area, but he also provides information about Spokane sports leagues and organizations on the store’s website, as well as sells supplies for coaches.

Not Just Used Sports Equipment

5.  Although Play It Again Sports specializes in reselling used sports equipment, many of the products sold at each location are actually brand new. The company’s business model allows customers to purchase brand new sports equipment and then sell them back for cash on the spot when their children have outgrown the gear.

6.  While every location differs in what products it is looking to buy/sell, Play It Again Sports prefers items from Adidas, Nike, Franklin, Under Armour, Wilson, and Louisville Slugger. Some of the sports that the franchise stocks gear for include baseball and softball, football, soccer, hockey, lacrosse, winter sports, and water sports.

Company History

7.  Play It Again Sports was founded in 1983 by Martha Morris in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Morris sold the company to the Winmark Corporation in 1988; franchising began that same year. The Winmark Corporation owns four other resale franchises:  Once Upon A Child, Music Go Round, Plato’s Closet, and Style Encore.

8.  As of 2017, Play It Again Sports has over 250 locations in the United States and Canada.

Entrepreneur’s Franchise 500

9.  Play It Again Sports has ranked on Entrepreneur’s annual Franchise 500 list almost every year in the last decade. However, the franchise did not make the list for 2017; this is the second time in the past ten years that the company did not rank. The company’s highest rank was No. 177 in 2009 and its lowest rank was No. 327 in 2016.

Section II – Estimated Costs

• Please click here for detailed estimates of Play It Again Sports franchise costs, based on Item 7 of the company’s 2017 FDD (updated).

Section III – Initial Franchise Fee, Royalty Fee, Marketing Fee, and Other Fees

• Please click here for detailed information on Play It Again Sports’ initial franchise fee, royalty fee, marketing fee, and other fees, based on Items 5 and 6 of the company’s 2017 FDD.

Section IV – Financial Performance Representations (Item 19, 2017 FDD) and Analysis