THE RISE OF THE FAMILY Entertainment Franchise

Family-friendly franchises help familes enjoy time together away from home.

By Christopher Conner

It all started around March of 2020. Families’ consistently busy schedules came to a screeching halt thanks to the onset of coronavirus. Children and their parents suddenly found themselves under the same roof and within the same four walls day after day. At first, it was uncomfortable, but then, something happened: families learned to not only get along, but to enjoy each other’s company. What does this unprecedented priority shift mean for family entertainment? It means that the culture has experienced an evolution that welcomes the nostalgic mentality of time spent together.

It’s not just from this pandemic. Franchises and businesses focused on the constantly replenishing consumer. The child, as well as the family unit, have long flourished in the marketplace. I have been in the franchise industry for two decades and have seen this evolution take place before my eyes. Culture places more and more emphasis on the whole family—which is great—and we are seeing more business opportunities because of it! These places serve as anchors for other small businesses as an added economic bonus. The global family entertainment market is expected to reach over $40 million by 2025 according to Allied Market Research, and we are seeing this in a variety of different packages.

Get Your Head in the Game Likened to something from Star Trek, virtual reality technology has made huge advances in graphics, presentation, and game environments in just the last five years or so. Brands like VR Junkies, Virtual X, and Virtual Sting have homed in on the concept to span generations. Virtual reality may require a larger upfront investment, but these have reasonable overhead and an incredible opportunity for revenue based on per minute or per hour charges.

Escape Together Who doesn’t love a good escape room? These businesses have done a fantastic job at taking precautions for groups and sanitizing to keep the environments safe (using sanitizing technology from franchises like Bactronix and Jantize America). The game levels keep it interesting even for the youngest player, and they typically rotate their games for fresh experiences. All in Adventures is one such business

that has taken advantage of existing foot traffic by setting up shop in malls—another family hotspot—and using the block of time for more entertainment options, including axe throwing and a game show experience.

Just Bouncing Around Trampoline parks first made their debut in the early 2000s. Birthday parties, family outings, and even corporate teams have seen their way to a trampoline park at one time or another. Franchise Marketing THE GLOBAL Systems developed Launch Trampoline FAMILY Parks, an innovaENTERTAINMENT tive and diversified family entertainment MARKET IS experience park that EXPECTED TO REACH OVER successfully scaled the brand to almost 100 units across the $40 MILLION BY United States in 2025. a short time. This model exemplifies the market and

PHOTO BY FIZKES

It’s not just from this pandemic. Franchises and businesses focused on the constantly replenishing consumer. The child, as well as the family unit, have long flourished in the marketplace.

potential for children's entertainment and party-oriented brands. iRise is a park based out of Texas that contains several other elements, like a Ninja Park, dodgeball, and kids’ adventure areas. Again, family entertainment industries that have their own gravity like iRise serve as excellent anchor stores for other businesses, making them a favorite in local communities. Sharpen the Axe Axe throwing isn’t exactly a toddlerfriendly pastime, but for the family with teens, this concept definitely hits the bullseye. Most of these places do not serve alcohol—axes and alcohol don’t mix—and the atmosphere tends to feel like good-ole-fashioned competition. Blue Ox Axe Throwing, which we developed last year, is a great example of how these are safe places for teens and parents to bond, make for some great social media posts (hello, Instagram), and emphasize safety in a family-friendly way. Axe throwing attracts bigger spending events, too, such as bachelor/bachelorette parties, corporate outings, and birthdays.

The population of children in the U.S. is projected to rise to 76.3 million by 2030, which means the demand for family-centered entertainment is not slowing down! Families are growing and seek new places to go. Tired from screen time from virtual learning, families have broken free of their tablets and phones and want to do something different. If you are seeking a family entertainment franchise opportunity or would like to expand your own business through franchising, the team at Franchise Marketing Systems can help. Visit www.FMSFranchise.com for more information.

Christopher Conner started his career in franchising in 2002 working for a franchise consulting firm in Chicago. He founded Franchise Marketing Systems in 2009 after seeing a need for full service franchise development services for new and start-up brands. Today, Conner's team has expanded to 27 consultants between the US and Canada and has worked with over 200 brands to support successful franchise development strategies. For more information on Chris Conner or Franchise Marketing Systems, visit www.FMSFranchise.com