Opens in a new tab

FRANCHISE RESALES

Buy a Crown Trophy Franchise

Crown Trophy was founded in 1978 in Brooklyn, New York, and grew into the largest retailer of award and recognition products in the United States. The brand’s motto, “Where Everyone Wins,” reflects its community-first approach, with locations across more than 40 states supported by a 100,000-square-foot corporate headquarters and warehouse in Hawthorne, New York.

Each franchise operates a retail showroom offering trophies, plaques, medals, cups, crystal awards, corporate recognition items, custom gifts, and team apparel. A significant portion of the product catalog is exclusive to Crown Trophy franchisees. Stores serve both retail customers, including youth sports leagues, schools, clubs, and civic organizations, and corporate B2B accounts seeking ongoing recognition programs.

The Hawthorne headquarters houses the franchise support team and a dedicated graphic artists department, giving each location access to in-house design resources. Franchisees use proprietary software and a shared franchisee intranet, and benefit from exclusive product lines developed by the corporate team. Crown Trophy began franchising in the mid-1980s and has built a mature national system with more than four decades of operating history.

Latest Resales

  • There are currently no Crown Trophy resales available
Register your interest

Why buy a Crown Trophy Franchise?

Crown Trophy operates in a franchise category with few direct competitors, positioning franchisees as the primary branded awards and recognition retailer in their territory. The product catalog includes many items exclusive to Crown Trophy locations, creating differentiation that independent shops cannot replicate. The national brand carries recognition among schools, sports leagues, and corporate buyers, giving existing and incoming franchisees a credibility base to build on.

The business model supports both walk-in retail and B2B account sales, with revenue flowing across sports seasons, academic calendars, and corporate recognition cycles. Stores can be operated with a small team, giving owner-operators a structure well suited to relationship-led local growth.

Crown Trophy Franchise Costs & Information

Based on 2024 data reported in the 2025 FDD

  • Brand Profile

    • Year Founded

      1978

    • Franchising Since

      1985

    • New Startup Cost

      $168,150 – $199,200

    • Avg. Resale Price

      Contact us for details

  • Franchise Fees

    • Initial franchise Fee

      $35,000

      for new territories

    • Transfer Fee

      $12,500

      includes transfer and training

    • Royalty Fee

      5%

      of Gross Revenue

    • Marketing Fee

      2%

      of Gross Sales

  • Unit Performance

    • Total Units *

      129

    • New Units Opened *

      0

    • Units Transferred *

      4

    • Avg. Unit revenue *

      Not Disclosed

    * Based on 2024 data reported in the 2025 FDD

Crown Trophy – Additional  Information

  1. Training & Support

    Crown Trophy's initial training covers 52 hours of classroom instruction and 12 hours of on-the-job training. Ongoing support includes access to proprietary software and a franchisee intranet, co-op advertising, social media, SEO and email marketing programs, and in-house graphic artists support at the Hawthorne headquarters. The network convenes at annual franchise meetings for shared learning. Buyers of a Crown Trophy resale should confirm what onboarding and proprietary software access the franchisor provides to incoming owners.

  2. Ideal Owner

    The ideal Crown Trophy franchisee is a relationship-oriented owner-operator comfortable with both retail customer service and local B2B outreach. Prior experience in retail or business ownership is useful but not required given the structured training program. The model suits someone community-minded who enjoys engaging with sports leagues, schools, and local businesses to build a recurring client base. Good organizational skills help manage custom orders, walk-in traffic, and account fulfilment across multiple recognition categories.

  3. Recognition & Awards

    Crown Trophy is widely recognized as the largest retailer of award and recognition products in the United States, a position built over more than four decades of franchising. The brand has historically appeared in Entrepreneur's Franchise 500 rankings. For resale buyers, brand-level recognition in this category is closely tied to local store reputation (including visibility among youth sports leagues, schools, and corporate accounts) rather than national advertising, making local reviews and referral relationships a key signal for any unit evaluation.

  4. Industry / Market

    The North American custom trophy and awards market was valued at approximately $2 billion in 2025, with the United States accounting for the majority of that total. Demand comes from youth sports programs, schools and academic institutions, and corporate employee recognition spending, all of which generate recurring and seasonal order cycles. For resale buyers, a unit's position within local sports leagues, school accounts, and business relationships reflects the health and growth potential of the location.

Learn more about
how to own a Crown Trophy 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.