Mainland

We, as a franchise community, have an undeniable affinity for athletes in franchising. Why? Partly because of our fascination with celebrities. Partly because we love a good story. Partly because we believe athletes can follow a playbook. And partly because of the PR power that comes with it.All of that is fair. But the real question becomes: how do we get in front of athlete franchise buyers? Where are they—and why would they want to buy?In this special Franchising Coffee &amp; Analytics episode, I'm joined by <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnmartinelli/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=athletes-in-franchising-2730529" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">John Martinelli</a> from<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnmartinelli?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=athletes-in-franchising-2730529" target="_blank" rel="nofollow"> NOCAP Sports</a> and <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/damiere-byrd/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=athletes-in-franchising-2730529" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Damiere Byrd</a>, former NFL player and current<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/damiere-byrd/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=athletes-in-franchising-2730529" target="_blank" rel="nofollow"> Bumble Roofing</a> franchise owner.&nbsp;Why Athletes Need FranchisingThe average NFL career lasts just 3.3 years. The median player salary? About $860,000 per year. Over a career, that’s roughly $2.8 million earned. The good news: that’s more than the average retiree’s net worth of $1.8 million. The bad news: after taxes, agent fees, and lifestyle costs, that $2.8 million can shrink to closer to $1 million.That’s why franchising can be such a powerful post-career path — it offers structure, community, and the opportunity to build long-term wealth.A Few Thoughts<ul><li>For Athletes: Choose a franchise in your college town or hometown. That’s where your fan base—and customer base—already exists. But remember, being a franchisee is just like being an athlete: you still have to put in the reps, race to breakeven, and build toward scale. &nbsp;</li><li>For Franchisors: Don’t get blinded by the spotlight. Treat athlete candidates like any other franchise prospect. If you skip proper qualification, you set both sides up for failure. &nbsp;</li><li>For College Athletes: With NIL opportunities growing, franchising could be a smart way to invest your earnings into a scalable business. Only 2% of NCAA athletes go pro. That means your best play might be using your platform to learn, invest, and build a career beyond sports.</li></ul>These ideas and more were discussed on the session — including how Byrd chose to become a franchisee, what Martinelli is seeing from athletes entering business ownership, and how to find and attract athlete buyers who could be the perfect fit for your system.

Coffee & analytics image with photo of Nick Powills

Athletes in Franchising: A Guide for Players & Franchisors

1851 Franchise

https://www.youtube.com/embed/_jLnVb00jSw

Athletes bring PR power and a great story to a franchise. Learning how to find and appeal to them, beyond the opportunity to turn high earnings into long-term wealth, is the trick for franchisors.

Athletes And Franchising: Why the Connection Runs Deep

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Scaling the Soon-to-Be Famous: How Layne’s Chicken Fingers Leveraged a Mainland Franchise Assessment to Fuel a 110% Growth Surge

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The chicken wars aren’t slowing down. If anything, the quick-service chicken category feels more crowded than ever, with brands battling for real estate, franchisees and customer loyalty. Some have hit a wall.&nbsp;<a href="https://layneschickenfranchising.com/">Layne’s Chicken Fingers</a> has not.&nbsp;In 2025, the Texas-founded Soon to Be Famous™ concept posted 110% footprint growth, doubling its restaurant count in a single year. For a brand that built its early following in College Station near Texas A&amp;M, the leap to national relevance has been swift — but it wasn’t accidental.Behind the expansion is a coordinated effort between Layne’s leadership and PR firm&nbsp;<a href="https://hellomainland.com/">Mainland</a>. The partnership blended operational discipline with sustained media visibility, giving the&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/layneschickenfingers/info">Layne’s</a> brand both the infrastructure and the spotlight needed to grow. With a focus on perfecting chicken fingers, fries and toast, the Layne’s menu is pretty straightforward. But the growth strategy employed was anything but casual.<h2>A Defining Year</h2>By the end of 2025, Layne’s had 40 restaurants open and 10 new franchise owners added to the system. Development momentum continued with a 44-unit agreement and a 15-unit expansion in Wisconsin, pushing the brand toward its ambitiously stated goal of 300 units by 2030.Those numbers quickly began attracting national attention. Layne’s secured the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.restaurantbusinessonline.com/future-50-2025/laynes-chicken-fingers">No. 6 position</a> on the Restaurant Business 2025 Future 50 list and ranked No. 366 on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.entrepreneur.com/franchise500">Entrepreneur’s Franchise 500</a>. Systemwide sales grew as well, climbing 67% to reach an impressive $30 million.For the Layne’s leadership team, the growth traces back to a clear philosophy: delicious food and franchise support above all else. Layne’s COO&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/samir-wattar-0a4187a/">Samir Wattar</a> describes the company’s unique approach."Franchisees sign with us for services," he said. "That’s a mind shift because they run restaurants. Part of servicing franchisees is saying no to protect them and protect the brand. We’re building a support organization for a brand that we’re really passionate about."Layne’s treats franchisees as the primary customer. And it’s a mindset that shapes everything from operations to development strategy.<h2>Getting the Word Out Before the Doors Opened</h2>A central piece of Mainland’s approach was securing credible, third-party exposure. Rather than relying solely on traditional advertising, the focus was on great storytelling that would secure earned media in each new market.In Little Rock, Arkansas, Layne’s appeared on KARK-TV (CBS), where Director of Marketing&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashley-reynolds-957a3151/">Ashley Reynolds</a> introduced local viewers to the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kark.com/video/game-day-made-easy-with-layne%e2%80%99s-tailgate-packs/11136197/">brand’s tailgate packs</a>. In Oregon, KDRV-TV (ABC) profiled franchisee Dalton Dennis and his efforts to bring&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/laynes-chicken-fingers-dalton-dennis-southern-oregon-2730210">Layne’s to Grants Pass</a>. KWTX-TV (CBS) in Waco covered an&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kwtx.com/2025/12/06/restaurant-report-card-waco-central-texas-12525/">upcoming opening in Lampasas</a>.At the national level, outlets such as QSR Magazine, Nation’s Restaurant News and Franchise Times ran deeper features on the brand’s culture and leadership, including coverage of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/cuyler-e-51047a2a/">Cuyler Esposito’s</a> appointment as vice president of culture and operations.&nbsp;For prospective operators, this kind of coverage signals more than enthusiasm for the brand. It signifies organizational maturity.<h2>Turning Attention Into Traffic</h2>The real impact of that media push showed up at store openings.In Virginia, a franchisee reportedly opened without spending on traditional marketing. As a result of Mainland’s marketing efforts,&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/layneschickenfingers/laynes-chicken-fingers-franchise-six-figure-opening-2729437#stories">opening day traffic backed up onto the highway</a>. Local news coverage had already introduced the brand to the community and explained what made it different.That kind of momentum carries weight beyond consumer traffic. For potential franchisees, seeing a brand featured in Restaurant Business, or highlighted on local television, reinforces confidence. Visibility suggests stability. Stability supports multi-unit decisions.<h2>More Than a Vendor Relationship</h2>Wattar has worked with Mainland across three different concepts. He describes the relationship as long-term and built on trust rather than transaction."They’ve been there for me through thick and thin," Wattar said. "They’ve been there when things are bad and helped me out of it. And they’ve been there for me when things are good and helped me celebrate. I’ve never had the intention of looking elsewhere. The most important thing is having the relationship with the person you’re dealing with and building that trust."Layne’s sets development targets each year: how many restaurants to open, how many franchisees to bring on. And Mainland has become a significant part of that strategic conversation."I’m not an expert in getting leads or PR. But I know how to sell and I believe in our brand," Wattar said. "I rely on Mainland to come up with the ideas. ‘How am I going to achieve my goal?’"<h2>Scaling With Structure</h2>As Layne’s pushes toward 2026 and beyond, the company views public relations and media exposure as part of the scaffolding that supports growth. National expansion requires more than signed agreements. It requires awareness in markets where the brand name might still be unfamiliar. And Mainland can help.The investment to open a Layne’s Chicken Fingers franchise ranges from $451,500 to $1,050,000. For many operators, that figure represents years of saving, planning and personal commitment. It’s something Layne’s Chicken Fingers not only understands but embraces, supporting franchisees at the local level which helps further scale the brand."To us, it’s a job. To them, it’s a livelihood," Wattar said. "The restaurant business has evolved, but the fundamentals haven’t changed. Service. Transparency. Be open. Franchisees are your bread and butter. They’re making the investment. We have to listen to them.”Layne’s growth story isn’t built solely on a hot category or a trending menu item. It’s built on disciplined operations, selective franchise development and a steady drumbeat of visibility in the markets it enters.For brands hoping to follow a similar path, the lesson is straightforward: growth requires both a strong internal foundation and a clear external voice. When those two move in sync, a regional favorite can begin to look like a national contender. And a&nbsp;<a href="https://hellomainland.com/company/#our-services">Mainland franchise assessment</a> can help deliver strategic growth.Growing and selling franchises is difficult. Want to learn more about how 1851 helps franchisors grow their franchises with confidence? Visit&nbsp;<a href="http://www.1851growthclub.com">www.1851growthclub.com</a> and see what we can do for you.

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image of morgan wood, content manager at mainland, pr methods at mainland

How To Craft PR Stories That Connect: How Mainland Focuses On The Human Hero Of A Story

Athletes And Franchising: Why the Connection Runs Deep

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