Franchise Facts Report → compare → Wild Birds Unlimited vs Play It Again Sports
Wild Birds Unlimited vs Play It Again Sports
Two retail franchises, compared on the numbers their own Franchise Disclosure Documents put on record — investment, fees, Item 19 earnings, outlet churn, and litigation. Not marketing copy.
| Wild Birds Unlimited | Play It Again Sports | |
|---|---|---|
| Total initial investment FDD Item 7 | $231,635 – $376,392 | $346,300 – $459,700 |
| Initial franchise fee FDD Item 5 | $40,000 | $25,000 |
| Royalty FDD Item 6 | 4% | — |
| Item 19 earnings disclosed FDD Item 19 | Yes | Yes |
| Avg unit revenue (headline) FDD Item 19 | disclosed (not machine-read) | $1,172,630 |
| Franchised outlets FDD Item 20 | 344 | 309 |
| Net outlet change (latest yr) FDD Item 20 | +4 | +7 |
| Closure rate FDD Item 20 | 0.3% | 0.3% |
| Franchisee lawsuits FDD Item 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Risk level our read | Low | Low |
| FDD year registration | 2026 | 2026 |
Are Wild Birds Unlimited and Play It Again Sports the same company?
No — Wild Birds Unlimited and Play It Again Sports are franchised by separate companies. Wild Birds Unlimited's franchisor is WILD BIRDS UNLIMITED INC; Play It Again Sports's is Winmark Corporation. Each registers and files its own Franchise Disclosure Document, and you would be signing with a different entity depending on which you chose. Note that a registry filing names the franchisor, not necessarily its ultimate parent — two brands owned by the same parent company can still have separate franchisors.
Cost to open
Wild Birds Unlimited is the cheaper franchise to open: its FDD Item 7 puts the total initial investment at $231,635 – $376,392, against $346,300 – $459,700 for Play It Again Sports.
How much does each make? (Item 19)
Both franchisors make an Item 19 financial performance representation — the detailed figures are in each brand's FDD (Item 19).
Closures & failure rate
Wild Birds Unlimited reports 344 franchised outlets, net change +4 in the latest reported year, a 0.3% closure rate (FDD Item 20). Play It Again Sports reports 309 franchised outlets, net change +7 in the latest reported year, a 0.3% closure rate (FDD Item 20). Outlet churn — closures, terminations, non-renewals — is the closest thing an FDD has to a failure rate.
Litigation
Wild Birds Unlimited discloses no franchisee-initiated proceedings in FDD Item 3. Play It Again Sports discloses no franchisee-initiated proceedings in FDD Item 3.
Deciding between Wild Birds Unlimited and Play It Again Sports?
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Wild Birds Unlimited vs Play It Again Sports — frequently asked
Are Wild Birds Unlimited and Play It Again Sports the same company?
No — Wild Birds Unlimited and Play It Again Sports are franchised by separate companies. Wild Birds Unlimited's franchisor is WILD BIRDS UNLIMITED INC; Play It Again Sports's is Winmark Corporation. Each registers and files its own Franchise Disclosure Document, and you would be signing with a different entity depending on which you chose. Note that a registry filing names the franchisor, not necessarily its ultimate parent — two brands owned by the same parent company can still have separate franchisors.
What is the difference between Wild Birds Unlimited and Play It Again Sports?
Wild Birds Unlimited and Play It Again Sports are retail franchises from different franchisors (WILD BIRDS UNLIMITED INC and Winmark Corporation). Wild Birds Unlimited is the cheaper franchise to open: its FDD Item 7 puts the total initial investment at $231,635 – $376,392, against $346,300 – $459,700 for Play It Again Sports. Both franchisors make an Item 19 financial performance representation — the detailed figures are in each brand's FDD (Item 19).
Is Wild Birds Unlimited more profitable than Play It Again Sports?
Both franchisors make an Item 19 financial performance representation — the detailed figures are in each brand's FDD (Item 19).
Which is cheaper to open — Wild Birds Unlimited or Play It Again Sports?
Wild Birds Unlimited is the cheaper franchise to open: its FDD Item 7 puts the total initial investment at $231,635 – $376,392, against $346,300 – $459,700 for Play It Again Sports.
Is Wild Birds Unlimited or Play It Again Sports growing faster?
Wild Birds Unlimited reports 344 franchised outlets, net change +4 in the latest reported year, a 0.3% closure rate (FDD Item 20). Play It Again Sports reports 309 franchised outlets, net change +7 in the latest reported year, a 0.3% closure rate (FDD Item 20).
Go deeper on each brand
Retail rankings
Figures are as disclosed in each brand's most recent registered FDD (Wild Birds Unlimited 2026, Play It Again Sports 2026). “—” means the FDD does not disclose it or the table did not parse cleanly — never an estimate.