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    Franchise opportunities compared

    Big Blue Swim School vs Fred Astaire Dance Studios

    Reviewed figures from each brand's Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD), side by side. Each figure carries its FDD year and page. This is not a ranking or recommendation, and the two FDDs may cover different years and location groups.

    Big Blue Swim School2026 FDDFred Astaire Dance Studios2026 FDD

    Initial investment · Item 7

    Big Blue Swim School

    $1,898,350 – $3,478,100

    2026 FDD · Item 7

    Fred Astaire Dance Studios

    $298,000 – $665,000

    2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 32

    Initial franchise fee · Item 5

    Big Blue Swim School

    Not available

    Fred Astaire Dance Studios

    $35,000

    2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 20

    Royalty · Item 6

    Big Blue Swim School

    6%

    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 14

    Fred Astaire Dance Studios

    7% · percent of Gross Revenue for the preceding week

    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 22

    Before you compare

    • Both sets of figures come from 2026 FDDs.
    • Big Blue Swim School discloses more than one business format, so the investment range spans formats; the full report breaks them out.
    • Item 19 figures cover the location groups each FDD names (Big Blue Swim School: 10, Fred Astaire Dance Studios: 3). Different groups are not directly comparable.

    Financial commitment

    Estimated initial investment (Item 7)

    Big Blue Swim School

    $1,898,350 – $3,478,100
    2026 FDD · Item 7

    Fred Astaire Dance Studios

    $298,000 – $665,000
    TOTAL
    2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 32
    Standard initial franchise fee (Item 5)

    Big Blue Swim School

    Not available
    No single standard fee identified

    Fred Astaire Dance Studios

    $35,000
    2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 20
    Royalty (Item 6)

    Big Blue Swim School

    6%
    Royalty rate
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 14

    Fred Astaire Dance Studios

    7% · percent of Gross Revenue for the preceding week
    Royalty Fee
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 22
    Brand / advertising fund (Item 6)

    Big Blue Swim School

    3%
    Brand fund maximum — 3%
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 15

    Fred Astaire Dance Studios

    $150/mo
    Advertising Fees — per month
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 22

    System scale & health

    Total outlets (Item 20)

    Big Blue Swim School

    52
    Outlets at end of 2025
    2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 71

    Fred Astaire Dance Studios

    285
    Outlets at end of 2025
    2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 86
    Net outlet change (Item 20)

    Big Blue Swim School

    +23
    Calculated: 29 at end of 2023 → 52 at end of 2025

    Fred Astaire Dance Studios

    +39
    Calculated: 246 at end of 2023 → 285 at end of 2025
    Outlet exits (Item 20)

    Big Blue Swim School

    Not available
    No complete exit records for a year

    Fred Astaire Dance Studios

    Not available
    No complete exit records for a year
    Franchising since (Item 1)

    Big Blue Swim School

    2018
    From a verified franchisor listing

    Fred Astaire Dance Studios

    Not expressly stated
    2026 FDD · Item 1 · PDF p. 11
    Franchisor founded (Item 1)

    Big Blue Swim School

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    Fred Astaire Dance Studios

    1995
    2026 FDD · Item 1 · PDF p. 10

    Financial performance (Item 19), by location group

    Big Blue Swim School
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — All 42 schools open throughout calendar year 2025: 20 affiliate-owned and 22 fr…
    20 schools
    other Affiliate-owned sample
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 68
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — All schools All Swim Schools
    $1,636,545
    other All schools All Swim Schools Average gross revenue
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 69
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — All schools Affiliate-Owned Swim Schools
    $2,707,122
    other All schools Affiliate-Owned Swim Schools Highest gross revenue
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 69
    +7 more groups in the full report
    Fred Astaire Dance Studios
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record
    $85,567 – $4,117,263
    range Gross Revenue
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 85
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record
    $624,953
    median Gross Revenue
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 81
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — "all Mature Studios"; a “Mature Studio” is any Studio in the United States that…
    $250,000
    other For 2025, the Performance Standards are: YEAR OF OPERATION PERFORMANCE STANDARD 2 $250,000 3 $312,476.66 4 $343,724.33 5 $374,971.99
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 85

    Item 19 groups are shown separately and never combined. Revenue or sales figures are not profit. Net outlet change and turnover are Franopolis calculations from the disclosed counts; turnover is a count-based rate, not a measure of owner earnings.

    Big Blue Swim School vs Fred Astaire Dance Studios: common questions

    Which costs less to open, Big Blue Swim School or Fred Astaire Dance Studios?
    Big Blue Swim School: $1,898,350 – $3,478,100 (2026 FDD · Item 7); Fred Astaire Dance Studios: $298,000 – $665,000 (2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 32). These are each franchisor's Item 7 estimated initial investment. The low end of the disclosed estimate is lower for Fred Astaire Dance Studios. At least one range spans several business formats. Estimates are not quotes, and the FDD years may differ.
    How do Big Blue Swim School and Fred Astaire Dance Studios royalties compare?
    Big Blue Swim School: 6% (2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 14); Fred Astaire Dance Studios: 7% · percent of Gross Revenue for the preceding week (2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 22). Royalties as disclosed in Item 6; other recurring fees are listed separately.
    Which has more locations, Big Blue Swim School or Fred Astaire Dance Studios?
    Big Blue Swim School: 52 (2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 71); Fred Astaire Dance Studios: 285 (2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 86). Total outlets from Item 20. Outlet counts do not indicate territory availability or franchisee results.
    Do Big Blue Swim School and Fred Astaire Dance Studios disclose financial performance (Item 19)?
    Big Blue Swim School has reviewed Item 19 figures for 10 location groups; Fred Astaire Dance Studios has reviewed Item 19 figures for 3 location groups. Different location groups are not directly comparable, and revenue is not profit.

    Answers restate the reviewed figures above. Not a ranking or recommendation.

    How Franopolis reviews FDD figures

    Keep researching

    Full Big Blue Swim School report

    Every reviewed fee, Item 19 group, outlet table and territory disclosure

    Full Fred Astaire Dance Studios report

    Every reviewed fee, Item 19 group, outlet table and territory disclosure

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