Athlete's Foot vs Fleet Feet Sports Franchise Comparison

Below is an in-depth analysis and side-by-side comparison of Athlete's Foot vs Fleet Feet Sports including start-up costs and fees, business experience requirements, training & support and financing options.

Start-Up Costs and Fees
 
Athlete's Foot Franchise
Fleet Feet Sports Franchise
Investment $201,600 - $640,300$187,000 - $413,000
Franchise Fee $35,000$38,000
Royalty Fee 5%4%
Advertising Fee -0.25%
Year Founded 19721976
Year Franchised 19731976
Term Of Agreement 10 years20 years
Term Of Agreement 10 years20 years
Renewal Fee --


Business Experience Requirements
 
Athlete's Foot Franchise
Fleet Feet Sports Franchise
Experience
  • General business experience
    		• -

    Financing Options
     
    Athlete's Foot Franchise
    Fleet Feet Sports Franchise
      In-House/3rd PartyIn-House/3rd Party
    Franchise Fees No/YesNo/No
    Start-up Costs No/YesNo/No
    Equipment No/YesNo/No
    Inventory No/YesNo/No
    Receivables No/YesNo/No
    Payroll No/YesNo/No

    Training & Support
     
    Athlete's Foot Franchise
    Fleet Feet Sports Franchise
    Training - On-The-Job Training: 45-101 hours Classroom Training: 45-70 hours Additional Training: Existing stores
    Support Newsletter, Meetings, Toll-free phone line, Grand opening, Internet, Security/safety procedures, Field operations/evaluationsPurchasing Co-ops Newsletter Meetings/Conventions Toll-Free Line Grand Opening Online Support Security/Safety Procedures Field Operations Site Selection Proprietary Software Franchisee Intranet Platform
    Marketing Co-op advertising, Ad slicks, National media, Regional advertisingCo-op Advertising Ad Templates National Media Regional Advertising Social media SEO Website development Email marketing Loyalty program/app
    Operations International franchisees required to buy multiple units/master licenses; 21% of all franchisees own more than one unit

    Number of employees needed to run franchised unit: 6 - 10

    Absentee ownership of franchise is allowed. (90% of current franchisees are owner/operators)

    		 8% of all franchisees own more than one unit

    Number of employees needed to run franchised unit: 5

    Absentee ownership of franchise is NOT allowed. (100% of current franchisees are owner/operators)

    Expansion Plans
     
    Athlete's Foot Franchise
    Fleet Feet Sports Franchise
    US Expansion -Yes
    Canada Expansion NoNo
    International Expansion YesNo

    Company Overviews

    About Athlete's Foot

    Robert and David Lando had a unique vision in 1971--to open a store specializing in athletic footwear. That year they opened the first The Athlete's Foot in Pittsburgh. The first franchise opened in 1972 in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, and the first international location opened in 1978 in Adelaide, Australia. The Athlete's Foot now operates company-owned and franchise locations in more than 40 countries. The company develops stores in malls, shopping districts and as freestanding locations. Each store sells name-brand athletic footwear and apparel. There are also The Athlete's Foot For Her stores, which specialize in athletic footwear and apparel for girls and women.
    The Athlete’s Foot is more than just a retail store; it’s a destination for athletic street style. At The Athlete’s Foot, we want to be known for encouraging our customers to break the rules and explore the unexpected. So we’re transforming into a place with a pulse on the street that offers them the chance to craft their own story through clothing and style.

    About Fleet Feet Sports

    Fleet Feet Sports offers you the opportunity to combine your passion for running and health with your determination to work for yourself. If you believe in yourself and want to help others become more healthy and active, this may be the next chapter in your life. We provide a proven business model with support from an experienced team of small business experts and retail leaders. Owning your own store can be fulfilling but can also be challenging. At Fleet Feet, Incorporated we promise that we will guide you through this journey. You will have access to Fleet Feet, Incorporated's experienced staff, a large pool of fellow franchisees who have been through all stages of the process, and access to our proprietary "best practices" that have been established by the Fleet Feet Sports network.


    #87 in franchise 500 for 2020.