Opens in a new tab

FRANCHISE RESALES

Buy a Big Blue Swim School Franchise

Big Blue Swim School is a children’s learn-to-swim franchise founded in 2009 by Chris DeJong, a former US National Champion swimmer. The brand teaches water-safety and stroke skills to children from roughly three months to 12 years old, operating on a membership-based lesson model that supports recurring participation and long-term relationships with local families.

Lessons are delivered in purpose-built indoor facilities, typically 6,500 to 10,000 square feet, with multiple teaching areas that let instructors run several classes at once while keeping visibility across the pool deck. The brand’s distance-based curriculum, designed with elite swimmers and an Olympic champion, advances students by demonstrated skills and distances rather than by age. Its proprietary LessonBuddy platform handles scheduling, swimmer progress tracking and family communication.

Big Blue has grown to 170+ schools open or in development across the country, concentrated in suburban markets with strong family demographics. Level 5 Capital Partners acquired a majority interest in 2017 and has backed the brand’s national expansion since.

Latest Resales

  • There are currently no Big Blue Swim School resales available
Register your interest

Why buy a Big Blue Swim School Franchise?

Big Blue Swim School sits in a resilient children’s service category where demand is driven by safety rather than discretionary spending, which has historically helped swim instruction hold up across economic cycles. To buy a Big Blue Swim School franchise is to enter a membership-based model that generates recurring lesson revenue rather than relying on one-off sales.

The purpose-built facility format and distance-based, Olympian-backed curriculum give the brand a differentiated position against independent operators and pool-based programs. The LessonBuddy platform standardizes scheduling, billing and progress tracking, and the model lets certified instructors and school managers run daily lessons while owners focus on leadership and growth, supporting a semi-absentee approach for multi-unit operators. Private-equity backing from Level 5 Capital Partners has supported system-wide growth and development resources.

Big Blue Swim School Franchise Costs & Information

Based on 2024 data reported in the 2025 FDD

  • Brand Profile

    • Year Founded

      2009

    • Franchising Since

      2018

    • New Startup Cost

      $2,108,000 – $3,760,500

    • Avg. Resale Price

      Contact us for details

  • Franchise Fees

    • Initial franchise Fee

      $50,000

      for new territories

    • Transfer Fee

      $25,000

      $12,500 among existing owners/family/controlled entity

    • Royalty Fee

      6%

      of Gross Revenue or $5,500/4-week min

    • Marketing Fee

      2%

      of Gross Revenue; up to 3%

  • Unit Performance

    • Total Units *

      42

    • New Units Opened *

      8

    • Units Transferred *

      1

    • Avg. Unit revenue *

      Not Disclosed

    * Based on 2024 data reported in the 2025 FDD

Big Blue Swim School – Additional  Information

  1. Training & Support

    Franchise owner training covers 16 hours of classroom instruction and 57 hours of on-the-job training spanning instructor development, management and customer experience, while swim instructors complete 75+ hours on the Big Blue curriculum. Ongoing support includes operations guidance on staffing and lesson scheduling, marketing resources for local brand awareness, and IT training on the proprietary LessonBuddy platform for progress tracking and family communication. Resale buyers should confirm what transfer training and LessonBuddy access the franchisor provides to incoming owners and staff when ownership changes.

  2. Ideal Owner

    No aquatics or swimming background is required; Big Blue is built for sales- and operations-minded owners who can recruit, lead and retain instructional teams and deliver a consistent family experience. The membership model rewards owners who are strong with customer relationships and local marketing and comfortable managing staff and standardized systems. It suits hands-on local operators as well as multi-unit and semi-absentee investors who oversee managers rather than teach lessons themselves, and who value child development and community visibility.

  3. Recognition & Awards

    Big Blue Swim School was named to the Inc. 5000 list of America's Fastest-Growing Private Companies (2024) and recognized by Franchise Times on both its "Fast & Serious" list and Top 400 ranking (2024/2025), following an earlier Franchise Dictionary Magazine Top 100 Game Changers listing (2020). Its rapid multi-unit growth and Olympian-backed curriculum have also drawn coverage in outlets including Entrepreneur and 1851 Franchise. For resale buyers, brand-level recognition should be weighed alongside the specific school's local reviews, membership retention and community reputation.

  4. Industry / Market

    Children's swim instruction is a needs-based segment of the US youth-activity market, valued in the low billions of dollars and resilient because parents prioritize water safety in any economy. Demand is anchored by drowning prevention: drowning is a leading cause of death for young US children, with roughly 4,000 fatal drownings annually, and the CDC reports formal lessons can sharply cut drowning risk for young children. The category stays fragmented across independents and recreation centers, favoring branded, purpose-built operators. For resale buyers, local demand depends on family demographics and territory competition.

Learn more about
how to own a Big Blue Swim School franchise resale

Please fill out the form below and a Franchise Flippers expert will be in touch with you shortly.

The Franchise Brand Index

This page is part of Franchise Flippers’ independent franchise Index, designed as an educational resource to help potential buyers explore the franchise resale market and compare brands.

Trademark & Affiliation Disclaimer

This website is an independent, informational resource. All trademarks, logos, and brand names displayed are the property of their respective owners and are used solely for identification and educational purposes. Their use does not imply any affiliation with, endorsement by, or sponsorship from the respective trademark holders.