Brees, who first got involved with Stretch Zone as a customer during his NFL playing days, spoke with ATN about his current business partnership with the fast-growing assisted stretching brand
Stretch Zone is on a roll. The fast-growing assisted stretching franchise just opened its 400th studio, marking another milestone in what’s been an impressive few years.
The brand, which offers one-on-one stretching sessions led by certified practitioners, has opened 250 stores in the past three years alone, giving it a presence in 41 states. As Stretch Zone pursues continued expansion, it will do so with one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time in its corner.
NFL legend Drew Brees teamed up with Stretch Zone in 2021, and he continues to work with the brand today.
Currently serving as a brand partner for Stretch Zone, Brees’ commitment to the franchise goes deeper than surface level. He first got involved with Stretch Zone as a customer late in his playing career for the New Orleans Saints, identifying assisted stretching as a way to help him recover faster from the physical toll of NFL games and practices.
“I found Stretch Zone as a way to supplement my whole training and recovery regimen,” Brees tells Athletech News. “I was amazed at the impact it had.”
An Authentic Partnership
While it might seem shocking to hear that an NFL star with access to the best sports scientists in the world was stretching inside of a franchise studio, the fact that Brees did so speaks to the quality of Stretch Zone’s method, which includes patented and proprietary equipment designed to help people improve range of motion, reduce pain and stiffness, and improve athletic performance.
It’s also designed to be an easy experience for first-timers.
“You literally walk in the studio and lay down on the table for 30 minutes,” Brees explains. “You identify your problem areas, talk to the practitioner, (and) they get to know you and understand how your body moves, the things you’re trying to regain and the problems you’re trying to solve.”
Brees says Stretch Zone is a “relaxing experience” that’s also highly effective, a combination that’s as important for an NFL player as it is for everyday people looking to feel better in their bodies.
“You get up feeling like a million bucks,” he says “Then, you begin to see the impact.”
Brees enjoyed his Stretch Zone experience so much that he decided to get involved with the brand in a business capacity. After connecting with Stretch Zone president and CEO Tony Zaccario and founder Jorden Gold, Brees signed a partnership with the brand that initially included a commitment to open franchise locations.
From NFL Star to Franchise Businessman
The 13-time Pro Bowler’s journey from Stretch Zone customer to brand partner mirrors his approach to the business world in general. In 2011, Brees became an owner of Jimmy John’s franchise locations in an effort to bring the popular sandwich chain, which he ate frequently during his college days at Purdue, down to New Orleans. Thanks in part to Brees’ efforts, Jimmy John’s is now ubiquitous in the Southern U.S.
That’s when Brees caught the “bug” for franchising, he says. Since then, he’s become involved with franchise companies including Dunkin, Walk-On’s Sports Bistreaux and The Picklr, a fast-growing pickleball brand.
“In every brand that I’m involved in, I started off as a customer,” Brees notes.
After that, “it’s all about the culture and the leadership … getting a chance to meet Tony and Jorden, feeling the passion behind the brand and just the authenticity of how it all started for them,” he says of his involvement with Stretch Zone. “And then it’s unit economics. Obviously, that has to work in order for it to be a viable business and something you can really scale.”
How Stretch Zone Became a Nationwide Success
In terms of unit economics, Stretch Zone seems to be onto something. With an initial investment ranging between $124,000 and $227,000, the brand offers a low barrier of entry compared to traditional franchising options like opening a restaurant or big-box gym, which typically cost anywhere between $500,000 to upwards of $3 million. Combine that with a high demand for assisted stretching services, and it’s no wonder that Stretch Zone franchisees appear to be raking in the cash.
Not only does Stretch Zone have 400 locations open and counting, it hasn’t had a single store close down, according to the company. This is a rare feat in the franchising industry, which is typically rife with failure stories, even for the most successful brands.
“What we’re most proud about is no studio failures,” Zaccario tells ATN. “I think that’s a testament to the support we’re able to give our franchisees, and quite frankly, a testament to the franchisees that we have inside the system.”
Looking ahead, Stretch Zone plans to continue expanding in the U.S., particularly on the West Coast. It’s also planning to launch soon in Canada, which could open the doors to more international expansion.
“There’s still plenty of white space within the domestic U.S.,” Zaccario says. “We’re excited to announce we’ll be opening our first studios in Canada in August, so international is definitely on the horizon.”
As for Brees, he’s excited to continue working with the Stretch Zone team. Asked what advice he’d give to current or former athletes looking to get into the business of franchising, Brees said to focus on authenticity.
“Do you love the product or service that you’re selling? If the answer is no, then it becomes a hard sell,” he says. “But if it’s something you’re super passionate about, then you can speak to it. You become the best testimonial.”
