Hi-Five Sports is a youth-focused sports-entertainment franchise founded in 1990 in Northfield, Illinois. The company is now headquartered in Boca Raton, Florida, operating under Hi-Five Sports Franchising LLC since 2014. With over 30 years of experience, the brand launched franchising in 2014.

Franchisees host leagues, camps, parties, adult clinics, and PE programs designed for ages 2 through 8th grade, all backed by a mascot-driven reward system and themed events.

What sets Hi-Five apart is its identity as the first “youth sports entertainment” franchise in the U.S., offering custom-built kid-scaled facilities, an exclusive territory model, and a mascot-led rewards approach called “Murphy Mart.”

Training

The Hi-Five franchise provides a structured training framework for franchisees and their management teams, including several core and optional programs:

1. Basic Management Training: This foundational program spans a minimum of three days and is mandatory for the franchisee or Operating Owner and their general manager. It covers operations such as programs and curriculum, purchasing, marketing, customer service, safety, technology, and sales techniques. Training is scheduled 30 to 90 days before the business opens and may be conducted in-person or virtually. Instructors include experienced personnel from Hi-Five’s leadership team.
2. Training Webinars: Franchisees are required to attend two mandatory training webinars annually. Optional webinars may also be offered. Non-compliance with mandatory webinars can result in a fee.
3. Annual Conferences: Hi-Five may require attendance at one franchise conference or similar event each year, which may include further training, team-building, and networking components. Costs to attend may be passed on to the franchisee.

Territory Protection

Hi-Five offers territory protection to its franchisees as part of the franchise agreement. Each franchisee is granted a protected territory with specifically defined geographic boundaries, which generally include a population base between 120,000 and 200,000 people.

However, the franchisor retains the right to make exceptions based on local market conditions such as existing competition or geographic features like rivers or highways.

Before finalizing the agreement, a map of the protected territory is provided for review. Although the franchisee has exclusive rights within this area, failure to meet performance standards or attend required training could lead to a reduction in territory or loss of exclusivity.