How much does a Play It Again Sports franchise cost?
The 2026 Play It Again Sports Franchise Disclosure Document estimates $346,300 to $459,700 to open one U.S. retail Store. The disclosed model is a leased Play It Again Sports location that is typically 3,500 to 4,000 square feet. The range covers pre-opening spending and the first three months of Store operations; it is not the Initial Franchise Fee alone.
Estimated Initial Investment for the 2026 single-Store model. The FDD cover states that $43,800 to $49,700 of this amount is paid to Winmark Corporation; most of the remaining capital goes to landlords, contractors, suppliers, employees and other third parties. Source: 2026 FDD cover and pp. 11-14.
Data basis: legal franchisor Winmark Corporation; Play It Again Sports FDD issued March 16, 2026; Items 5, 6 and 7 at pp. 6-14, with cost-relevant references to Items 8, 10, 11 and 17; one U.S. Play It Again Sports retail Store; information checked July 18, 2026. Winmark's official investment page publishes the same total range and store-size assumptions. Wisconsin's active franchise registration list shows current Winmark Corporation registrations expiring March 16, 2027.
The official investment range, the liquid-asset requirement and the net-worth requirement answer different questions. Item 7 estimates project spending; liquid assets measure accessible funding; net worth includes assets minus liabilities and is not necessarily spendable cash.
What is included in the $346,300 to $459,700 range?
The disclosed range includes the agreement payment, required point-of-sale hardware and software, premises work, opening stock, pre-opening expenses, three months of rent and a three-month operating allowance. It does not represent a single check to Winmark Corporation, and it does not include every cost that may arise after the initial operating period.
Franchise system, fixtures and premises
These amounts are generally committed from Franchise Agreement signing through construction and Store setup. The estimate assumes a typical 3,500- to 4,000-square-foot location, and several categories can rise with square footage, site condition and local contracting costs.
| Item 7 category | 2026 range | When due | Payee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Initial Franchise Fee | $25,000 | When the Franchise Agreement is signed | Winmark |
| Fixtures and Supplies | $40,000-$52,000 | Before opening | Third-party suppliers |
| Signs | $11,000-$16,000 | Before opening | Third-party suppliers |
| Security System and/or Cameras | $1,500-$4,000 | Before opening | Third-party suppliers |
| Point-of-Sale System | $18,800-$22,700 | On order, before training | Winmark |
| Leasehold Improvements | $7,000-$12,000 | Before opening, as incurred | Contractors and architects |
| Build-Out | $35,000-$55,000 | Before opening, as incurred | Contractors and architects |
Source: 2026 FDD, pp. 11-12. Item 8, p. 14, also discloses an approximately 4% handling fee on computer hardware component purchases; Item 7 states that POS sales tax and shipping are excluded.
Inventory, deposits and early operating cash
The second group contains the largest opening category and the working-capital amounts most likely to be confused. The three-month operating allowance is already included in the total. They should not be added a second time.
| Item 7 category | 2026 range | When due | What the amount covers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deposits and Business Licenses | $8,000-$18,000 | Before opening | Utility and security deposits plus business licenses |
| Letter of Credit | $0-$5,000 | Before inventory is purchased on credit | Bank security for a Winmark line of credit, when used |
| Opening Inventory | $100,000-$120,000 | Prepaid when ordered before opening | New and used sporting goods inventory |
| Miscellaneous Pre-Opening Expenses | $40,000-$50,000 | Before opening | Training travel, professional expenses, permits, freight, labor, advertising and related setup costs |
| Rent - First 3 Months | $20,000-$30,000 | As incurred | Initial Store rent; Item 7 estimates annual rent at $80,000-$120,000 |
| Additional Funds - 3 Months | $40,000-$50,000 | As incurred | Wages, benefits, insurance, advertising, taxes, supplies and business-loan interest |
Source: 2026 FDD, pp. 11-14. The operating allowance excludes later inventory replenishment and owner compensation during the first three months.
The chart uses a $0 to $120,000 scale and shows each disclosed low-to-high range. It does not select a midpoint or imply a typical budget.
Interpretation: Opening stock is the largest disclosed category at both ends of its range. Premises, pre-opening and working-capital categories then create much of the remaining spread. Source: 2026 FDD, p. 11.
Why does inventory need separate attention?
This retail model has a material inventory obligation because the location opens with both new and used sporting goods and must continue replenishing both categories. The disclosed opening-stock range is only the starting position; the ongoing-fee disclosure separately describes quarterly replenishment spending.
Opening stock is not the full inventory obligation
The FDD says Winmark may refuse to allow a location to open with less than $60,000 in used inventory. Quarterly inventory replenishment will vary significantly but generally ranges from $90,000 to $150,000. That replenishment range is an ongoing operating cost and is not part of the opening estimate.
The initial inventory table also distinguishes purchases made through Winmark from the full inventory budget. The initial-fee disclosure estimates $40,000 to $60,000 of new sporting goods purchases, with only $0 to $2,000 of that amount paid to Winmark. The financing disclosure permits qualified franchisees to use the Buying Group for inventory, but the Buying Group charges a 4% administrative fee and may require a $0 to $5,000 letter of credit or cash deposit.
Build an inventory funding schedule that separates Opening Inventory, the minimum used-inventory requirement, purchases financed through the Buying Group and later replenishment. The FDD gives ranges, but the seasonal product mix and the portion bought from consumers remain Store-specific.
When is the money paid?
The disclosure spreads required cash across contract signing, site development, inventory ordering, training preparation, opening and the first three months of operation. The sequence matters because the full Item 7 range is not due on one date.
Pay the initial fee in a lump sum. It is non-refundable. A qualifying existing Winmark franchisee opening a second or subsequent Store pays $15,000, but the FDD does not publish a separate reduced Item 7 total for that path.
Lease deposits, business licenses, leasehold improvements, Build-Out, Signs, Fixtures and Supplies and the Security System are paid before opening or as the work is incurred. Item 11 says Store development typically takes about 9 to 12 months after acceptance of the Franchise Agreement.
The required system is generally purchased about four weeks before the open-to-buy period and is due on order before training. Opening Inventory is prepaid when orders are placed. A letter of credit or cash deposit may be required for inventory bought through Winmark's Buying Group.
Miscellaneous Pre-Opening Expenses are paid before opening. The separate rent and operating allowances are then used as incurred during the first three months.
Source: 2026 FDD, pp. 6-14, 18 and 23-24. The FTC franchise buying guide explains the federal 14-day disclosure period before a prospective franchisee signs a binding agreement or pays the franchisor or an affiliate.
Which Play It Again Sports fees continue after opening?
The core continuing obligations are a percentage-based weekly charge, a fixed annual marketing charge, local and cooperative advertising spending, and a monthly software charge plus applicable taxes. Item 6 also reserves contingent advertising and technology charges.
| Ongoing obligation | Amount or basis | Timing | Important qualification |
|---|---|---|---|
| Continuing Fee | 5% of Gross Sales | Weekly, by Wednesday for the prior week | Winmark withdraws continuing and other fees from the franchisee's bank account |
| Marketing Fee | $1,500 per year | January 1; first year prorated and invoiced immediately | May increase on 60 days' notice, by no more than $1,000 during the agreement term |
| Cooperative and Local Advertising | Combined minimum 5% of Gross Sales | During each calendar year | A cooperative contribution cannot be less than 0.5% where a cooperative exists |
| North American Ad Fund | Up to 3% of Gross Sales | Weekly if established | Not established as of the FDD issuance date; would be part of a possible 6% total advertising requirement |
| Software Fee | $295 per month plus tax | First day of each month | Starts on the later of the month after opening or September 1, 2026; subject to annual 10% compounded and cumulative increases |
| Technology Fee | Currently $0 | Periodic, if established | Estimated at $500-$2,500 per year per Store if introduced after at least 60 days' notice; subject to 10% compounded and cumulative annual increases |
Source: 2026 FDD, pp. 7-10. “Gross Sales” is the Store's revenue from goods and services, including permitted internet sales, less customer refunds and returns, excluding collected and remitted sales tax and qualifying wholesale transactions between Play It Again Sports franchisees in good standing.
Current requirements and contingent maximums share the same 0%-6% scale. Advertising rows overlap by design and must not be added together.
Current weekly fee
Cooperative plus local spending
When a cooperative exists
After 60 days' notice
Within the 6% total
Interpretation: the 5% Continuing Fee and the 5% current advertising minimum are separate obligations. If Winmark raises total required advertising to 6%, up to 3% of Gross Sales may be directed to an Ad Fund; that 3% is a component of the 6%, not an additional 3%. Source: 2026 FDD, pp. 7-10.
How much liquid capital and net worth does Winmark publish?
Winmark's current official franchise pages state that a candidate should have $90,000 to $105,000 in cash or liquid assets and $400,000 in net worth, individually or with a financial partner. The official qualification page presents those thresholds, while the Winmark franchise FAQ describes the liquid-assets amount as non-borrowed personal resources and says candidates need enough equity to collateralize the balance.
What financing does the franchisor provide?
The FDD says Winmark offers only limited financing assistance to qualified franchisees purchasing Store inventory through its Buying Group. Except for that arrangement, Winmark does not offer direct or indirect financing and does not guarantee a note, lease or other obligation. The official FAQ says franchisees obtain third-party financing and that many use SBA loans. The SBA 7(a) program page explains eligible uses and lender-controlled underwriting; it does not guarantee that a Play It Again Sports applicant will qualify.
The disclosed $0 to $5,000 letter-of-credit amount secures inventory purchases through the Buying Group; it is not the amount of financing available. The Buying Group also charges a 4% administrative fee on purchases made through it.
Which cost obligations can change after the Store opens?
Several contractual obligations are event-driven rather than routine monthly charges. The amount may be fixed, percentage-based or unknown until a transfer, renewal, modernization, audit, default or technology change occurs.
Source: 2026 FDD, pp. 7-10, 23 and 33-36. The official franchise disclaimer notes that offers remain subject to applicable state registration and disclosure rules.
What does Item 7 not fully resolve?
The opening-cost table provides a nationwide estimate, not a site-specific construction bid or a complete post-opening cash forecast. The largest unresolved variables are local premises costs, inventory cadence, owner living expenses, financing terms and later system upgrades.
The official total applies to a new location using the standard $25,000 initial fee. A qualifying existing Winmark franchisee may pay a $15,000 fee for a second or subsequent Store, but Winmark does not publish a separate Item 7 total for that case and its official FAQ says it does not offer multi-unit agreements.
What capital figure should a prospective franchisee use?
Use $346,300 to $459,700 as the verified 2026 opening estimate for one Play It Again Sports location, not as a promise that every site can open within that range. Opening stock is the largest disclosed category, while premises work, pre-opening expenses, rent and early operating cash create substantial local variation.
Keep the capital measures separate: the initial fee is one line inside the opening estimate; published liquidity is a qualification measure; net worth is not cash; and percentage charges, advertising obligations, software charges and inventory replenishment continue after opening. The main unresolved question is the site- and inventory-specific cash schedule after the three-month period covered by Item 7.
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