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Fitness / Sports Performance / Youth Athletics
D1 Training is a sports-performance and fitness franchise designed to bring the training experience of a Division I collegiate athlete to people of different ages and ability levels. Rather than operating as a traditional open-gym membership concept, D1 focuses on coach-led athletic development through group training, personal training, scholastic programs, adult fitness, and performance training.
A major part of the concept is its youth and scholastic market. D1 combines professional coaching, structured programming, strength and conditioning, speed and agility training, and a team-oriented atmosphere. Its programs are built around a five-part training approach that includes dynamic warm-up, performance work, strength training, core and conditioning, and cool down. D1 Training
The model can appeal to owners who want a business connected to sports, fitness, youth development, and their local community without having to personally be the trainer.
D1 Training grew out of founder Will Bartholomew's own experience as a high-level athlete. After playing football at the University of Tennessee and pursuing an NFL career with the Denver Broncos, a serious knee injury changed his career direction.
When Bartholomew returned to Nashville, he saw a gap in the fitness market. Traditional gyms did not recreate the coaching, structure, accountability and atmosphere he had experienced as a Division I athlete. His idea was to make that type of training available outside of major collegiate and professional athletic programs.
D1 began in the Nashville area in 2001 and evolved into a structured sports-performance concept serving young athletes, adults and professional athletes. D1 Training
The company subsequently developed a franchise model and expanded nationally. D1 reached its 100th location in 2024, surpassed 150 locations in 2025 and now reports more than 170 facilities in operation.
D1 Training may be particularly attractive to someone who:
- Has a strong interest in sports, fitness or youth development.
- Enjoys building relationships within the local community.
- Is comfortable managing employees and developing a team.
- Understands that sales and local marketing are important parts of the business.
- Wants a recognizable, professionally developed concept rather than creating an independent gym.
- Is comfortable with a larger initial investment and physical-location buildout.
- Can recruit and retain strong General Managers and coaches.
- Likes a recurring-revenue membership model combined with additional training opportunities.
You do not necessarily need to be a professional athlete or personal trainer. From an ownership standpoint, leadership, business development, team building and community involvement may be more important than personally coaching members.
D1 provides substantial support before and after opening.
Pre-opening assistance includes real estate and site-selection guidance, lease negotiation support, construction management, operational training, hiring support, presale strategy and launch marketing. D1 Training
Owners begin with virtual onboarding followed by in-person operator training at D1 headquarters in Nashville. Ongoing resources include its Playbook training system, weekly calls, vendor support, Regional Business Coaches, in-facility workshops, regional training and system-wide owner meetings. D1 Training
I like that the support doesn't appear to stop once the doors open. D1 assigns Regional Business Coaches who work with owners and General Managers on ongoing performance and growth.
Because D1 Training requires a significant investment, many qualified candidates may choose to finance a portion of the project rather than fund the entire investment with cash.
Depending on the buyer's financial qualifications, possible funding strategies can include:
SBA Loans: Qualified borrowers may be able to use SBA-backed financing for eligible franchise startup expenses.
Conventional Business Loans: Some buyers may qualify for traditional commercial financing.
401(k)/Retirement Rollover (ROBS): Qualified candidates may be able to use eligible retirement funds to invest in a business without taking an early distribution, when structured properly.
Home Equity or Securities-Backed Financing: Some candidates use personal assets as part of their overall funding strategy.
Combination Financing: A buyer may combine personal capital with outside financing to maintain additional working capital.
Financing availability and terms depend on the borrower's qualifications and lender requirements. Prospective buyers should speak with qualified franchise funding professionals before deciding how to structure the investment.
All investment figures are estimates based on publicly available information.
Investment figures are estimates based on D1 Training's current franchise information and 2026 Franchise Disclosure Document. Actual costs will vary depending on location, real estate, construction, financing, labor, equipment and other factors. Prospective franchisees should review the current Franchise Disclosure Document carefully and consult with appropriate legal, accounting and financial professionals before making an investment decision. Historical or average sales figures do not guarantee future sales, profitability or investment returns.
This franchise is available nationwide across all 50 states.
An independent assessment from your franchise consultant
Steve Warres, Franchise ConsultantD1 Training is interesting because I wouldn't put it in exactly the same category as a typical fitness center. Its identity is much more closely tied to athletic performance, coaching and youth sports, which gives the brand a clearer niche.
There is also an attractive community component. Parents spend significant amounts of time and money on youth athletics, and D1 gives families access to structured performance training that historically was associated more with college and professional athletes.
The current Item 19 numbers are worth studying carefully. D1 reports that qualifying facilities in its 2026 Item 19 averaged approximately $552,329 in annual gross revenue, with a median of approximately $507,699 and a top-performing location at approximately $1.686 million. D1 Training
That is a very wide performance range, which is something I would want a candidate to understand. Gross revenue also isn't profit. With a potential investment approaching $837,000, I would want to dig much deeper into occupancy, payroll, membership levels, local marketing costs, debt service and EBITDA before becoming comfortable with the economics.
Bottom line: D1 is that it isn't simply another gym. It has a very specific identity built around athletic performance, and the youth sports market gives owners a customer base that already understands the value of coaching and development
It is also a well-established sports-performance franchise that stands apart from the traditional gym model. I like its focus on youth athletics, recurring memberships, multiple revenue streams, and the ability to operate the business with a professional management and coaching team.
This is not a low-cost fitness franchise, however. Real estate, buildout and staffing make the initial investment significant, so prospective owners should pay close attention to unit-level profitability, not just gross revenue. I would want to understand payroll, occupancy costs, membership levels, EBITDA, working capital requirements and time to break-even before making a decision.
For the right owner and market, particularly someone who enjoys sports, community involvement and building a team, D1 Training is a concept I believe is worth taking a closer look at.
Fill out the form and we will reach out to answer your questions, walk through the investment details and help you decide whether this is the right fit.
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