Athletes in Franchising: A Guide for Players & Franchisors

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 & Analytics episode, I'm joined by John Martinelli from NOCAP Sports and Damiere Byrd, former NFL player and current Bumble Roofing franchise owner.

The 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.

• 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.

• 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.

• 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.

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.