Which items in the Big Blue Swim School disclosure document relate to the opening of the franchise?
Big_Blue_Swim_School Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
[Item 1: THE FRANCHISOR, AND ANY PARENTS, PREDECESSORS, AND AFFILIATES]
The Franchise Offered
We grant franchises to develop and operate a swim school concept identified by the Marks (defined below) that currently provides, following a proprietary curriculum, swim lessons and skills in approximately 90-degree water to children ranging in age from 3 months to 12 years old (the "Swim School Concept"). We call these swim schools "BIG BLUE Swim Schools." We also might permit other services provided in a swimming pool. In this disclosure document, we refer to your BIG BLUE Swim School as the "School." BIG BLUE Swim Schools operate under the trademarks, service marks, and other commercial symbols we periodically designate, including "BIG BLUE SWIM SCHOOL®" (the "Marks"), and the mandatory specifications, standards, operating procedures, and rules we periodically specify for BIG BLUE Swim Schools ("Brand Standards"). Your School must offer the services and products we specify.
We also may grant multi-unit development rights to qualified franchisees, which then may develop a specific number of BIG BLUE Swim Schools within distinct geographical development
areas encompassed within a larger protected territory according to a pre-determined, mandatory development schedule. Those franchisees may open and operate their BIG BLUE Swim Schools directly or through "Approved Affiliates," which are entities whose majority ownership is owned and controlled by you or your owners. Our Development Rights Agreement (Exhibit C), which we also reference as "DRA," governs a franchisee's multi-unit development rights and obligations. If you sign a Development Rights Agreement, you (or your Approved Affiliate) also will sign a Franchise Agreement for your first BIG BLUE Swim School at the same time.
[Item 22: CONTRACTS]
3. Grant of Franchise
3.A. Grant of Franchise
Subject to this Agreement's terms, we grant you the right, and you commit, to operate a BIG BLUE Swim School at the address identified on Exhibit A (the "School") using the Franchise System and the Marks. (If the School's address is unknown as of the Effective Date, the address will be determined as provided in Section 4.B and then listed on an amended and restated Exhibit A we will give you.) Your right to operate the School is limited to services you provide and products you sell at the School's physical location. You do not have the right to distribute services and products over the Internet or to engage in other supply or distribution channels.
Franchisees signing our DRAs must sign our then-current form of Franchise Agreement for each additional BIG BLUE Swim School they develop under the DRA.
[Item 20: OUTLETS AND FRANCHISEE INFORMATION]
Our franchisees as of this disclosure document's issuance date are identified on Exhibit J (including which franchisees have multi-unit development rights). Also identified on Exhibit J are the franchisees that had BIG BLUE Swim Schools terminated, canceled, or not renewed, or that otherwise voluntarily or involuntarily ceased doing business under our Franchise Agreement or Development Rights Agreement, during our last fiscal year or that have not communicated with us within 10 weeks of this disclosure document's issuance date.
[Item 23: RECEIPTS]
This disclosure document summarizes certain provisions of the franchise agreement and other information in plain language. Read this disclosure document and all agreements carefully.
If Big Blue Swim School Franchising, LLC offers you a franchise, it must provide this disclosure document to you 14 calendar-days before you sign a binding agreement with, or make a payment to, the franchisor or an affiliate in connection with the proposed franchise sale.
Source: Item 9 — FRANCHISEE'S OBLIGATIONS (FDD pages 34–37)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to the 2025 Big Blue Swim School Franchise Disclosure Document, several items pertain to the opening and operation of a franchise. Item 1 discusses the franchise being offered, which is the right to develop and operate a swim school concept under the Big Blue Swim School trademarks, providing swim lessons and skills to children aged 3 months to 12 years in 90-degree water. This item also mentions the possibility of granting multi-unit development rights, allowing franchisees to develop multiple Big Blue Swim Schools within a protected territory according to a predetermined schedule.
Item 22 outlines the franchisee's commitment to operating a Big Blue Swim School at a specific location using the franchise system and marks. The franchisee's right to operate is limited to services and products provided at the physical location, excluding online distribution or other channels. Furthermore, franchisees signing Development Rights Agreements (DRAs) must sign the current form of the Franchise Agreement for each additional Big Blue Swim School they develop.
Item 20 refers to Exhibit J, which identifies current franchisees, including those with multi-unit development rights, and those who have had their agreements terminated or have ceased doing business. This information is relevant to potential franchisees as it provides insights into the existing network and the turnover within the Big Blue Swim School system. Item 23 serves as a receipt, acknowledging that the disclosure document summarizes the franchise agreement and other information. It emphasizes the importance of carefully reading the document and all related agreements, and it outlines the legal requirements for providing the disclosure document to prospective franchisees within specific timeframes before signing any binding agreements or making payments.