Freedom Boat Club
Entertainment & Recreation · Sports & Recreation
- Active units
- 269
- Royalty
- 6.0%
Franchised, year-end 2024
of weekly Net Sales
About Freedom Boat Club
Welcome to Freedom Boat Club – the world's largest members-only boat club. Founded in 1989 in Sarasota, Florida, Freedom Boat Club offers an affordable alternative to boat ownership. With over 400 locations in the US, Canada, and Europe, the Club welcomes more than 50,000 boaters who call it home. The vision behind Freedom Boat Club was to provide a hassle-free recreational boating experience for its members, revolutionizing the industry. Previously, boaters were limited to traditional ownership or relying on friends who owned boats. Freedom Boat Club changed that by offering a new alternative that opened the waterways to newcomers and lapsed boaters. Under the leadership of President John Giglio, Freedom Boat Club continues to thrive. In May 2019, the Club was acquired by Brunswick Corporation, a leader in the marine space. Today, Freedom Boat Club embraces a broad mix of members, from first-time boaters to seasoned salts and former boat owners. Whether you're a young family or an active retiree, anyone who loves the water and water-related activities is welcomed at Freedom Boat Club. Join the Club and enjoy a day on the water while Freedom Boat Club takes care of everything else, including fueling, cleaning, maintenance, and more. Explore the diverse markets and locations and make Freedom Boat Club your new boating home.
Key terms
- Franchise fee
$50k
- Conversion Owner discount
Reduction equal to 6% of last full month’s membership dues × 12; maximum discount up to $25,500 off Initial Franchise Fee.
- Adjacent territory multi-unit discount
50% off the then-current Initial Franchise Fee for additional Franchises that border an FBC Business you operate.
- Brand fund
0.5% of Net Sales
- Local advertising
1.0% of Net Sales
- Footprint
200 sq ft
- Veteran discount
10.0% off franchise fee — Honorably discharged U.S. veterans and spouses receive a 10% discount on the Initial Franchise Fee.
Brand Percentile Rankings
Rankings compare brands in the same operating year. Fee and investment figures come from the FDD (2026 filing); filings on file: 2024, 2025, 2026.
Growth
- Total locations288
Franchised units open at year-end
- New openings33
Gross new units opened during the calendar year
- 1-year unit growth rate7.1%
Net unit growth versus prior year
- 3-year unit CAGR4.1%
Compound annual growth rate of unit count over the trailing 3 years
- Unit growth ratio16.5×
Cumulative opens / closures through year-end
Unit economics
- Annual unit volume (Median)—
Per FDD Item 19 disclosure
- Annual unit volume (25th percentile)—
Per FDD Item 19 disclosure
- Annual unit volume (75th percentile)—
Per FDD Item 19 disclosure
- 1-year Median AUV growth rate—
Year-over-year change in median AUV
- Store-level EBITDA Margin—
Median unit-level EBITDA / AUV
Investment profile
- Estimated initial investment$443k
Midpoint of estimated initial investment range
↓ Lower is better - Time to open—
Midpoint of average time from agreement to opening
- Royalty rate6.0%
Percent of net sales paid to the franchisor
↓ Lower is better - Sales-to-investment ratio—
Median AUV / estimated initial investment midpoint
- Cash-on-cash returns—
Median unit-level EBITDA / estimated initial investment midpoint. Steady-state estimate; year 1 returns will be lower as the unit ramps to median volumes.
Franchisee healthLocked
- Unit closure ratio
- Transfer vs. closure ratio
- Percent multi-unit franchisees
- Litigation rate
- EBITDA multiple on sales & transfers
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Location footprint
Showing 227 of 351 mapped locations
Sources
Financial and operating figures are sourced from the brand's Franchise Disclosure Documents. Brand percentile rankings are based on comparisons to other brands that include the same metrics in their Franchise Disclosure Documents.