D1 Sports vs 9Round
Two franchise systems, side by side. For a software vendor, they are not the same opportunity.
More open target
D1 Sports
wins 3 of 12 vendor rows
D1 Sports is the clear pick, and it’s not close. The growth trajectory alone decides it: 22% unit expansion versus a 29% contraction at 9Round. Shrinking chains mean shrinking TAM, franchisee churn, and franchisors too distracted by survival to champion new tech. D1’s 155 franchised units (and climbing) give you a larger, expanding base to sell into, with new openings creating natural software evaluation moments. That’s a timing and TAM advantage you
fitness
D1 Sports
fitness
9Round
Total units
160
142
Franchised units
155
141
Unit growth YoY
22.047%
-29.146%
Average unit revenue (AUV)
$535K
—
Royalty
7%
6%
Ad fund
2%
2%
Initial franchise fee
$63K
$20K
Investment range (low)
—
$160K
Investment range (high)
—
$390K
Procurement model
Approved supplier
Approved supplier
FDD fiscal year
2026
2026
Filing freshness
CURRENT
CURRENT
Common questions
D1 Sports vs 9Round, answered
D1 Sports has 160 total units and 9Round has 142, so D1 Sports is the larger system.
D1 Sports grew units +22.047% year over year vs -29.146% for 9Round, so D1 Sports is growing faster.
D1 Sports charges a 7% royalty and 9Round charges 6%, so 9Round has the lower royalty.
D1 Sports's initial franchise fee is $63K and 9Round's is $20K, so 9Round has the lower fee.
See this comparison scored to your product.
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