Franchise opportunities compared

    Big Blue Swim School vs Skyhawks

    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.

    Initial investment · Item 7

    Big Blue Swim School

    $1,898,350 – $3,478,100

    2026 FDD · Item 7

    Skyhawks

    $44,800 – $121,500

    2026 FDD · Item 7

    Initial franchise fee · Item 5

    Big Blue Swim School

    Not available

    Skyhawks

    Not available

    Royalty · Item 6

    Big Blue Swim School

    6%

    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 14

    Skyhawks

    8%

    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 15

    Before you compare

    • Both sets of figures come from 2026 FDDs.
    • Big Blue Swim School and Skyhawks disclose 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, Skyhawks: 7). 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

    Skyhawks

    $44,800 – $121,500
    2026 FDD · Item 7
    Standard initial franchise fee (Item 5)

    Big Blue Swim School

    Not available
    No single standard fee identified

    Skyhawks

    Not available
    No single standard fee identified
    Royalty (Item 6)

    Big Blue Swim School

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

    Skyhawks

    8%
    Royalty rate
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 15
    Brand / advertising fund (Item 6)

    Big Blue Swim School

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

    Skyhawks

    $85
    Additional marketing services hourly fee
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 15

    System scale & health

    Total outlets (Item 20)

    Big Blue Swim School

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

    Skyhawks

    Not available
    No reviewed outlet counts
    Net outlet change (Item 20)

    Big Blue Swim School

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

    Skyhawks

    Not available
    Only one year reported
    Outlet exits (Item 20)

    Big Blue Swim School

    Not available
    No complete exit records for a year

    Skyhawks

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

    Big Blue Swim School

    2018
    From a verified franchisor listing

    Skyhawks

    2011
    From a verified franchisor listing
    Franchisor founded (Item 1)

    Big Blue Swim School

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    Skyhawks

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    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
    Skyhawks
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Reporting Group comprised of locations open for all 12 months of 2025
    $37,268
    other Affiliate territory gross revenue
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 50
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Reporting Group comprised of locations open for all 12 months of 2025
    $596,824
    other Affiliate territory gross revenue
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 50
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Reporting Group comprised of locations open for all 12 months of 2025
    $801,282
    other Affiliate territory gross revenue
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 50
    +4 more groups in the full report

    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 Skyhawks: common questions

    Which costs less to open, Big Blue Swim School or Skyhawks?
    Big Blue Swim School: $1,898,350 – $3,478,100 (2026 FDD · Item 7); Skyhawks: $44,800 – $121,500 (2026 FDD · Item 7). These are each franchisor's Item 7 estimated initial investment. The low end of the disclosed estimate is lower for Skyhawks. 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 Skyhawks royalties compare?
    Big Blue Swim School: 6% (2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 14); Skyhawks: 8% (2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 15). Royalties as disclosed in Item 6; other recurring fees are listed separately.
    Do Big Blue Swim School and Skyhawks disclose financial performance (Item 19)?
    Big Blue Swim School has reviewed Item 19 figures for 10 location groups; Skyhawks has reviewed Item 19 figures for 7 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

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