Next Athletic Republic Grand Opening: AR Louisville on November 6-8 ☆ Next Athletic Republic Grand Opening: AR Louisville on November 6-8 ☆ Next Athletic Republic Grand Opening: AR Louisville on November 6-8 ☆Next Athletic Republic Grand Opening: AR Louisville on November 6-8 ☆ Next Athletic Republic Grand Opening: AR Louisville on November 6-8 ☆ Next Athletic Republic Grand Opening: AR Louisville on November 6-8 ☆
SPORTS TRAINING & FITNESS FRANCHISE OPPORTUNITY AT ATHLETIC REPUBLIC
SPORTS TRAINING & FITNESS FRANCHISE OPPORTUNITY AT ATHLETIC REPUBLIC
Athletic Republic franchise system allows owners to make a positive contribution to their community, while building a business that generates a positive return on investment. The AR system includes proprietary equipment, evidence-based training protocols for youth teen, college, pro, and endurance athletes, plus active adults, comprehensive training and education curriculum for owners, managers and trainers, marketing programs that drive customer retention, referral and acquisition, a technology stack that improves efficiency and productivity while processing business intelligence, and an on-boarding program that begins the day a new franchise signs on and continues until (the earlier of) the center reaches cash-flow break-even or 6 months post open.
The Athletic Republic Advantage:
Athletes choose to train at Athletic Republic because they want to improve their performance. Utilizing our science-based, data-driven and individualized approach, AR helps athletes of all ages improve speed, power, agility, and stamina to deliver a better game-day or race-day performance.
Franchisees choose Athletic Republic because they have a passion for helping athletes improve on and off the field. While earning a return on their investment by doing something they enjoy. AR franchise owners benefit from a proven system honed over 3 decades of experience developing Proprietary Equipment; Science-Based Training Protocols; Owner, GM & Trainer Education; Marketing & Business Development strategies which combine customer acquisition, referral and retention programs, and an On-Boarding process that begins the day of contract signing and extends until the center reaches cash-flow break-even.
What sets Athletic Republic Apart?
Join the Republic
We’re looking for owner operators with a passion for excellence, both athletic and personal.
AR HQ Team
District Heights, MD
Russell Thomas
“We are humbled witnessing how Athletic Republic is serving as a catalyst for growth and change in our surrounding area. We are able to serve and develop athletes of ages and levels; impact the health and well-being of families; and drive economic growth in the areas around our facility. It’s a triple bottom-line win for us and the communities we serve.”
Sioux Falls, SD
Jason Askew
“I think the most rewarding aspect of operating a center is helping athletes achieve training goals and helping them get to the next level. Athletic Republic’s protocols and program are second to none and allow each trainer the ability to target specific areas of an athlete’s training to make them faster and more explosive. Watching athletes that we trained play on Friday nights, play basketball, run track – it’s extremely rewarding for me to know we had a part in their success.”
Cary, NC
Alen McKnight
“I made the decision to join Athletic Republic as an owner because I am confident in the positive impact we will have on scholastic and adult athletes in the local community. I find purpose in that. During my search, AR differentiated from other franchise options in the space not only in its approach to training, but in the vetting process. AR’s transparency allowed me to quickly develop a high level of confidence in the executive team, the support provided, the strategy of the organization, the quality of owners and trainers throughout the Republic, and the opportunity I would have to be successful.”
Clearfield, UT
Troy Barker
“Being an Athletic Republic owner allows me to combine my passion for developing athletes with a proven system that delivers results. The science-based training protocols, brand credibility, and franchisor support give me the tools to focus on what I love most—helping serious athletes chase big dreams and achieve their goals. It’s deeply rewarding to see those dreams become reality while building a sustainable business.”
St. Louis, MO
Dale Huff
“Athletic Republic has come a long way since our purchase of the franchise in 2006, but several facets remain unchanged to this day. Primarily, it has always been forged in science with tremendous effort and thought put into every protocol leading to amazing results for our athletes. AR has adapted to industry trends and created some of their own, which is necessary for a business to survive for almost 30 years. As a franchisor, Athletic Republic is as caring, considerate and flexible as I have seen any franchise be. Our relationship is stronger today than it ever has been due to their interest in bettering their programs and each individual franchisee.”
Business Model
Athletic Republic is looking for ‘active owners’ who will be involved setting culture, managing priorities, tracking Key Performance Indications (KPIs) against priorities, and mentoring their team. The investment typically takes one of two forms, the ‘Side-Hustle’ where the owners keeps their full-time position while pushing their creativity and entrepreneurship into a business they truly enjoy, or the ‘Career Pivot’ where the owner chooses to invest in their passion for sports with a proven franchise system that will help them develop a built a business for income replacement and ROI. The full-time commitment to owning and operating an Athletic Republic franchise usually has the owner assuming the General Manager role and overseeing membership development, marketing, customer service and staff management. They hire a Director of Sports Performance Training to manage athlete development and the training team’s development.
There are deviations from each of these options, that may be discussed in more detail during the due diligence period.
Frequently Asked Questions
Athletic Republic centers take 7 – 11 months to open. It’s not uncommon for it to take 3-6 months from the start of site selection to signing a lease. Add a month or two to work through local permitting. Then two months for demolition and build-out. Plus, two weeks for installing turf, rubber flooring, equipment, interior graphics, exterior signage, and finishes. Before two weeks of soft opening, before the grand opening.
We prefer the term ‘semi-active’, as even with a commitment of 5-10 hours a week, you will be active working on the business vs. in the business.
Athletic Republic looks at on-boarding process, or our Business Acceleration Program, as more than getting a new center open … it’s about helping a new center become profitable. The BAP program leads an owner and their team from agreement signing through opening to cash flow break-even.
Athletic Republic’s 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD) states in Item 7, the initial investment is between $299,900 and $673,500 with the biggest variable being: the amount of training equipment selected, if there are leasehold improvements that are beyond the Tenant Improvement Allowance (TIA), wages paid to staff prior to opening and working capital.
Athletic Republic’s 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD) includes a statement in Item 19, that the average Athletic Republic gross sales, meaning the sales for just Athletic Republic training services, for its training centers in its top 2 quartiles was $508,619 in 2024. This amount does not include revenue from non-Athletic Republic services, such as sub-leasing space to a Physical Therapists, retail merchandise or supplement sales, turf rental, birthday parties or other complementary services that are not part of Athletic Republic royalties.
Athletic Republic looks for franchisees who: a) embrace our core values, b) have an authentic passion for sports training and athlete development, c) enjoy the process of networking and building community, d) have the experience to mentor staff, e) have sufficient net worth to afford the business (the SBA looks for AR owners to have a net worth of a least $750,000); and f) are prepared to follow the AR franchise system.
