Former Athletes Are Taking a Page out of Franchising Playbook

They’ve won extravagant trophies and gaudy championship rings. They’ve been feted by the press and hounded by the paparazzi. They’ve got millions in the bank and a handful of mansions in different area codes. Whether it’s in the NFL, MLB or NBA, athletes seemingly have it all—until, just like that, they don’t.

It’s a sobering reality —the money-making skills many athletes spend years honing have an innate way of disappearing overnight. In an industry with a turnover rate that’s second to none, thanks to the high risk of debilitating injuries, unruly trades and an endless stream of fresh talent, where do athletes turn to when their spotlight in sports comes to a sudden end? For many pro athletes, their post-field strategy is taken straight from the pages of the franchising playbook.

Over the past few years, many chains have made recruiting former players a part of their game plan—and for good reason. Athletes bring with them millions of dollars, a history of leadership and a strong work ethic built upon years of back-breaking practice. According to Alex Roberts, Chief Development Officer for Title Boxing Club, a Diamond Ambassador, for the Professional Athlete Franchise Initiative, they see more than 30 athletes a year who are interested in becoming franchisees. As one of PAFI’s sponsors, Title Club Boxing attends various events to network with professional athletes—both current and retired—their advisors and their agents. He believes that the athlete-entrepreneur parallels are many, and one of the biggest similarities is that both groups tend to be highly focused on accountability—meaning they won’t stop putting in the hard work until they’ve reached their goals.

“We found that athletes can be good leaders and motivators. Just like in franchising, they’re used to working within a team and following a playbook. In many ways, other franchisees are like your teammates and the franchisor is like your coach,” Roberts said.

Whereas people from large corporate environments may tend to be specialized in their skills and single-minded in their objectives, athletes are oftentimes equipped to see the bigger vision of all that goes into making a company thrive. They have the drive to practice a task rigorously, relentlessly and even in the midst of failure until they succeed. If one avenue is blocked, they know how to find another path to success. And they also know how to leverage the unique and complementary strengths of each member of their team for the greater good of an entire entity.

“Businesses value athletes as franchisees and athletes value the career option of franchising. But it’s important that athletes plan early to make this work,” Roberts added. “Get educated on your options while you’re still playing. Go to seminars, make connections and learn as much as you can about franchising so that when you’re suddenly faced with retirement, you’re not scratching your head wondering what to do next.”

Bryan Scott, a former NFL linebacker who was drafted by the Atlanta Falcons in 2003, first heard of a franchising opportunity with Title Boxing Club during a networking event in 2013—the year he retired. It was around that time that he was looking for ways to re-identify himself into something other than a football player. Scott knew the second he wrapped up his career in the NFL that he wanted to stay in the fitness world. To him, fitness was always more than just helping people get back into an old pair of pants—it was about prolonging one’s well-being with a healthy lifestyle. So when he toured his first Title Boxing Club, his next career move was clear.

“The stories I heard of how this franchise had changed people’s lives really drew me in. This was my little way of giving back,” Scott said in an interview. “But beyond the fact that this was a career in a field I cared about deeply, I realized that franchising in general was the right move for me. I am a by-the-book type of person—as an athlete, I spent most of my life executing strategies from a playbook. As I transitioned out of the football world, I thought why not continue on a path that allows me to incorporate a lot of what has helped me in life thus far.”

Today, he’s the proud owner of two locations, both within the greater Atlanta-area, where he spends much of his time teaching classes and running the day-to-day operations. And as Title Boxing Club continues to ride out the growth of niche fitness studios, Scott has his sights set on opening additional locations in the years to come.

In the end, if there’s one thing Scott has learned from this experience, it’s that it’s never too early to start planning for your future.