D1 Training CEO Will Bartholomew is passionate about goals and helping people of all ages reach theirs. Will founded D1 in 2001 when his dream of playing in the NFL was cut short after the former University of Tennessee fullback suffered a career-ending knee injury in Denver Broncos training camp. When he couldn’t find a place to train that replicated the facilities and atmosphere he experienced at UT and with the Broncos, he set about creating it.
Today, there are over 140 D1 Training franchises across the country with over 250 more in various stages of development. D1 Training’s mission is to be The Place For The Athlete, and it defines an athlete as anyone with a goal. D1 has trained over 100 NFL Draft picks and thousands of college athletes, and its 5-Star Training Program serves anyone ages 7 through adult via 1-on-1 instruction, group training, semi-private workouts and more.
What is your franchise’s unique selling proposition (USP)?
D1 offers personal and group athletic training to athletes of all ages, from 7 years old to 70, in the atmosphere of a D1 college athletics facility.
How many units do you currently have? Additionally, how many new ones are opening per month and in which geographic areas are you most popular?
As of April 2025, there are 141 D1 locations open. We are opening about 4-6 per month. We have the most locations in Texas, Florida and Tennessee (where we are headquartered).
What are the key revenue streams for franchisees?
Recurring monthly memberships and 1-on-1 training packages.
How is your brand positioned for future growth and expansion in the next 5-10 years?
We have our foot on the expansion gas pedal with a rapidly growing home office staff that supports our franchisees at every part of the process.
What are the minimum capital requirements, initial investment costs and ongoing fees for franchisees? Furthermore, are financing or other fundraising options available?
- Initial Franchise Fee: $59,500
- Initial Investment: $161,750 – $711,123
- Net Worth Requirement: $500,000
- Cash Requirement: $250,000
- Royalty Fee: 7%
- Ad Royalty Fee: 2%
- Term of Agreement: 10 years
- Is franchise term renewable?: Yes
What training and support do you provide to franchisees, including marketing, advertising, technology, equipment and real estate?
We have a full home office team dedicated to each of those areas and we provide them with detailed training and the full playbook on how to run a successful D1.
Do you grant exclusive rights to a specific geographic area or are there any limitations on competition from other franchisees?
We don’t offer exclusive rights, but once a site is selected, we work with the franchisee to draw a circle around their location (5 miles or so) so we don’t sell within that perimeter.
Can you provide any pertinent financial performance details that would assist potential franchisees?
For D1 franchises that have been opened for 2+ years, average gross revenue is $800K with the highest at $1.5M. For D1 franchises that have been opened 1-2 years, average gross revenue is $570K with the highest at $1.3M.
What are the key contact details for reaching out to your company and exploring potential collaboration?
All this information can be found at D1franchise.com
