Independent franchise review
Skyhawks Franchise Review (2026): Costs, Fees, Revenue Potential
Skyhawks is a youth sports and enrichment franchise in the Health & Wellness category. The FDD indicates the business is generally operated as a mobile business or out of the franchisee’s home, with franchisees able to purchase multiple adjacent businesses or territories.
Quick verdict: 👉 Mixed — relatively low startup cost, but recurring fees are meaningful and disclosed revenue varies widely across operators.
Snapshot
At a glance- Category: Health & Wellness
- Initial Investment: $87,550 to $119,500
- Franchise Fee: $42,500 for a Tier 1 franchise
- Royalty: Greater of minimum royalty or 5% to 9% of gross revenue, depending on annual gross revenue
- Marketing / Ad Fee: 3% local advertising requirement; brand fund up to 2% of gross revenue, though the FDD says it is not currently charged
- Key additional recurring fees: Minimum royalty of $250 to $1,100 per month; possible cooperative advertising of 1% to 2%; payment service fees up to 3%; program processing fee currently $5 per program
- Number of locations: 119 total outlets at year-end 2024, including 76 franchised and 43 affiliate-owned
- Best Fit: Manager-led or active-oversight owner
What does it cost to start?
The FDD estimates initial investment at $87,550 to $119,500 for a single territory. The largest identified upfront component is the $42,500 initial franchise fee for a Tier 1 franchise, although the disclosure also references lower fees for other franchise tiers.
Other startup funding includes additional funds of $8,000 to $11,000. The disclosure also indicates this is a mobile or home-based model, which may reduce the need for a traditional retail buildout, but the business still appears operationally involved and equipment-related.
On balance, this reads as a lower-cost franchise entry point relative to concepts that require a storefront, though it is not a minimal-cost model once the franchise fee and operating setup are included.
Fee structure
- Royalty: Greater of a minimum royalty or a variable royalty based on annual gross revenue:
- 9% if gross revenue is under $500,000
- 8% from $500,000 to $699,999
- 7% from $700,000 to $899,999
- 6% from $900,000 to $1,199,999
- 5% at $1,200,000+
- Minimum royalty: $250 to $1,100 per month depending on franchise year and tier
- Local advertising requirement: 3% of gross revenue
- Brand Building Fund: Up to 2% of gross revenue; not currently charged according to the FDD
- Advertising cooperative: 1% to 2% of gross revenue if established in the future
- Additional marketing services: Currently $85 per hour
- Additional training/assistance: Currently $300 per day plus travel and other expenses
- Payment service fees: Up to 3% of total charge
- Program processing fee: Currently $5 per program
- Late charges: $50 per occurrence plus interest
- Management fee: Currently $500 per day plus costs and expenses in specified circumstances
Overall, the fee structure is material. The royalty can be high at lower revenue levels, and the advertising and transaction-related charges can add to the ongoing burden.
Can you make money with Skyhawks?
Yes, the FDD includes an Item 19 financial performance representation, but it reports gross revenue, not profit.
For franchised businesses, the disclosure states that 59 franchised locations operating for all 12 months of 2024 were included, out of 76 franchised locations in the system at year-end. 17 franchised locations were excluded, primarily because they opened in 2024 or temporarily ceased operations. One franchised location was terminated during the period, and seven were reacquired and moved into the affiliate reporting group.
The FDD does not clearly provide systemwide average, median, range, or quartile figures in the extracted Item 19 summary. What it does provide is location-level 2024 gross revenue for reporting-group businesses. Based on the disclosed franchised reporting-group entries visible in the FDD, gross revenue ranged from approximately $63,225 to $1,902,926. Examples include:
- Arizona: $133,196 and $267,764
- California entries ranging from $63,225 to $1,315,210
- Colorado: $1,503,291
- Minnesota: $1,902,926
- Texas entries ranging from $112,341 to $1,217,512
For affiliate-owned businesses, the visible 2024 gross revenue figures range from $32,675 to $1,283,310.
This suggests substantial variability across operators. Some businesses report low six-figure revenue, while others report well above $1 million. The disclosure also notes that reported figures are cumulative for locations that may include multiple Skyhawks Businesses, so these are not necessarily single-territory, apples-to-apples comparisons.
A few important limits:
- Revenue is not profit. The FDD does not establish owner earnings or net income from these figures.
- The reporting group excludes a meaningful number of locations, including newer and temporarily closed operations.
- The disclosure does not clearly establish audited status for the Item 19 figures.
- Some reported entries include multiple businesses in one location grouping, which can affect comparability.
- One figure appears as $399.340 for Wisconsin, and the disclosure does not clearly establish whether that is a formatting issue or the intended amount.
Business model
- Model: Primarily B2B according to the disclosure’s classification
- Revenue pattern: Program-based rather than purely recurring subscription revenue
- Operating format: Mobile and home-based operations are common
- Operational characteristics: Multi-territory ownership is possible; equipment and technology appear meaningful; the business appears to require a dedicated manager and active oversight rather than passive ownership
Pros and considerations
Advantages
- Initial investment is below many brick-and-mortar concepts at $87,550 to $119,500.
- The system had 119 total outlets at year-end 2024, including 76 franchised locations.
- The model can be operated as a mobile or home-based business, which may reduce fixed occupancy costs.
- Item 19 includes actual 2024 gross revenue figures for a sizable reporting group of franchised and affiliate locations.
Considerations
- Royalty is relatively heavy at lower revenue levels, starting at 9% of gross revenue before stepping down.
- Required local advertising is 3% of gross revenue, with potential for additional brand fund or cooperative contributions.
- Reported revenue varies widely, so outcomes appear inconsistent across operators.
- Item 19 excludes 17 franchised locations, which limits how representative the reporting group may be for newer operators.
- Some reported revenue figures reflect multiple businesses grouped together, which can make direct comparison difficult.
Who this franchise may fit
This franchise may fit an owner who wants a lower-cost, non-storefront operating model and is comfortable managing a mobile, program-driven business with ongoing local marketing demands.
It likely does not fit someone seeking a passive investment, a simple fixed-fee model, or a business with clearly established unit-level profit data in the FDD.
FDD-based risk notes
- The territory is non-exclusive, which can limit geographic protection.
- The franchise term is 7 years, and the renewal fee disclosed is $22,500.
- The system consolidated the Skyhawks and SuperTots brands in 2024, which may affect historical comparability.
- The disclosure indicates litigation mentions.
- The franchisor may impose management-related charges in certain situations, including a current $500 per day management fee plus costs.
Final assessment
Skyhawks presents a tradeoff between a relatively accessible startup cost and a fee structure that can take a meaningful share of revenue, especially at lower sales levels. The disclosed revenue figures show that some operators generate substantial gross revenue, but the spread is wide, the reporting group excludes a notable number of locations, and the FDD does not establish profit.
FAQ
How much does it cost to start a Skyhawks franchise?
The FDD estimates **$87,550 to $119,500** for a single territory.
What is the franchise fee?
The disclosed Tier 1 initial franchise fee is **$42,500**.
What revenue does Skyhawks disclose?
Item 19 provides 2024 gross revenue figures for reporting-group locations. Visible franchised entries range from about **$63,225** to **$1,902,926**.
Is Skyhawks profitable?
The FDD does not establish profitability. It discloses **gross revenue**, which is not the same as profit.
Is this owner-operator or semi-absentee?
The disclosure points more toward **manager-led or active-oversight ownership** than passive ownership.
How many locations does Skyhawks have?
At year-end 2024, the system had **119 outlets**: **76 franchised** and **43 affiliate-owned**. ---
Related links
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