212 Contender eSports franchise
2022 filing · June 1, 2022Growing
212 Contender eSports at a glance
An on-site video gaming center with game play, events and parties. At the end of 2021 there were 9 212 Contender eSports locations in the US, all franchised.
The business
- Industry
- Entertainment
- Franchisor
- Contender eSports, LLC
- The company that sells the franchises
- Franchising since
- 2018
- 4 years of selling franchises
- Franchisor based in
- Springfield, Missouri
- Typical size
- 1,500–2,000 sq ft
What you pay
- Cost to open
- $216K–$350K
- A single gaming center
- Franchise fee
- $39,000
- Paid once, when you sign
- Royalty
- 6%
- 6% of gross sales, paid monthly, subject to a minimum monthly royalty, plus up to 2% to the brand development fund
- Brand fund
- Yes
- Up to 2% of gross sales, paid monthly
- Renewal fee
- See terms
- 20% of our then current initial franchise fee
- Agreement length
- 10 years
- Territory
- Limited
- Limited protection
- Franchisor financing
- None offered
Where it is
- US locations, 2021
- 9
- Franchised and company-owned
- Franchised
- 9
- Company-owned
- 0
- Change in 3 years
- +9
- Franchised locations, 2019–2021
- States
- 8
- Most in Oklahoma, Florida and Georgia
From Contender eSports, LLC’s 2022 filing; SBA status from the SBA Franchise Directory, October 28, 2026.
Where it ranks
212 Contender eSports among all franchises with the same figure.
| Figure | 212 Contender eSports | Among all franchises |
|---|---|---|
| Cost to open, midpointHalfway between the low and high estimate | $283,005 | Costs less than 59% of franchises |
| Franchise feePaid once, when you sign | $39,000 | Lower than 58% of franchises |
| RoyaltyShare of sales paid to the franchisor | 6% | Higher than 35% of brands with a set rate |
| US locationsFranchised and company-owned | 9 | Fewer than 63% of franchises |
How much a 212 Contender eSports franchise costs
Opening a single gaming center costs an estimated $215,980 to $350,030. That covers the franchise fee and everything else needed to open, through the first months of working capital.
The biggest costs are furniture, fixtures and equipment ($105,000 to $159,000) and additional funds – 3 months ($20,000 to $45,000). Here is every line of the estimate as filed:
| What it pays for | Range | Low | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Initial Franchise Fee | $39,000 | ||
| Construction, Network Installation, and Leasehold Improvements | $17,280 | $35,000 | |
| Furniture, Fixtures and Equipment | $105,000 | $159,000 | |
| Signage | $3,150 | $5,250 | |
| Point of Sales System | $1,000 | $2,000 | |
| Grand Opening Marketing | $5,000 | ||
| Initial Inventory | $5,250 | $10,500 | |
| Prepaid Rent and Lease Deposits | $11,500 | $26,000 | |
| Utility Deposits | $1,000 | $3,000 | |
| When Due Insurance Deposits – 3 Months | $1,800 | $3,780 | |
| Professional Fees | $5,000 | $15,000 | |
| Printing, Stationary and Office Supplies | $1,000 | $1,500 | |
| Additional Funds – 3 months | $20,000 | $45,000 | |
| Total | $215,980 | $350,030 | |
Source: Contender eSports, LLC, 2022 filing, page 17
212 Contender eSports franchise fee
The franchise fee is $39,000. You pay it when you sign the franchise agreement.
Source: Contender eSports, LLC, 2022 filing, page 11
Royalty and ongoing fees
| Royalty | 6% of gross sales, paid monthly, subject to a minimum monthly royalty, plus up to 2% to the brand development fund. |
|---|---|
| Brand or marketing fund | Up to 2% of gross sales, paid monthly. |
| Technology | Up to $400 per month |
| Transfer | $10,000 |
| Renewal | 20% of our then current initial franchise fee |
| Additional Employee Initial Training | Our then current training fee, currently $300 per person per day |
| Local Marketing | 2% of Gross Sales |
The typical franchise royalty is 6% of sales, plus 2% for marketing. See franchise fees and royalties to compare.
Source: Contender eSports, LLC, 2022 filing, page 12
Other fees as filed, from pages 12–14. The filing lists every fee, including late fees and audit costs.
Sales and earnings
No figures 212 Contender eSports does not share sales or profit figures for its locations. Talking to current and former franchise owners is the usual way to learn what a location earns.
Source: Contender eSports, LLC, 2022 filing, page 46
SBA loans to 212 Contender eSports franchisees
Lenders approved 8 SBA 7(a) loans for 212 Contender eSports franchisees from 2021 to 2026, $1.93M in all. All 2 that have ended were paid in full; none was charged off. The other 6 haven’t ended yet.
A charged-off loan is one written off as uncollectible. See SBA franchise loans for how 7(a) and 504 loans work.
Source: SBA 7(a) and 504 loan data, as of September 30, 2026
How 212 Contender eSports compares
Of the 168 entertainment franchises on this site, 212 Contender eSports is the 71st cheapest to open and the 72nd largest by number of locations.
| Figure | 212 Contender eSports | Typical entertainment brand | Typical franchise |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cost to open, low end | $216K | $286K | $222K |
| Cost to open, high end | $350K | $598K | $477K |
| Franchise fee | $39K | $45K | $40K |
| Royalty | 6% | 6% | 6% |
| US locations | 9 | 8 | 21 |
| Closed or left per year | 14.3% | 4.5% | – |
| Shares earnings figures | No | 113 of 168 | 2,147 of 3,352 |
Typical is the median across the 168 brands in entertainment franchises; typical franchise, across every brand here.
Locations opened and closed
| Year | Franchised | Company-owned | Opened | Closed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 2 (+2) | 0 | +2 | 0 |
| 2020 | 7 (+5) | 0 | +5 | 0 |
| 2021 | 9 (+2) | 0 | +4 | −2 |
Closed or left counts terminations, non-renewals, locations bought back by the franchisor and locations that stopped operating.
See which brands grew most in the fastest-growing franchises rankings.
More in the guides: franchise failure rates.
Source: Contender eSports, LLC, 2022 filing, page 47
Where 212 Contender eSports locations are
At the end of 2021, 212 Contender eSports had franchised locations in 8 states. The most are in Oklahoma, Florida and Georgia.
- Oklahoma2
- Florida1
- Georgia1
- Missouri1
- New York1
- North Carolina1
| State | Franchised |
|---|---|
| Oklahoma | 2 |
| Florida | 1 |
| Georgia | 1 |
| Missouri | 1 |
| New York | 1 |
| North Carolina | 1 |
| South Carolina | 1 |
| Texas | 1 |
Source: Contender eSports, LLC, 2022 filing, page 48
Who owns 212 Contender eSports?
212 Contender eSports franchises are sold by Contender eSports, LLC. Its filing names no parent company.
From Contender eSports, LLC’s 2022 filing, page 8.
Lawsuits and bankruptcy
| Lawsuits and regulatory actions | None. The filing says no litigation has to be disclosed. |
|---|---|
| Bankruptcy | None. The filing says no bankruptcy has to be disclosed. |
Franchisors must disclose lawsuits and bankruptcies involving the company, its parents and affiliates, and its executives. Many cases are routine disputes with franchisees over fees or contracts; read the descriptions in the filing and ask current owners about anything that worries you.
Source: Contender eSports, LLC, 2022 filing, litigation on page 10, bankruptcy on page 10
212 Contender eSports filings
The figures on this page come from Contender eSports, LLC’s 2022 filing, issued June 1, 2022, on record with the NASAA Electronic Filing Depository.
| Filing | Issued | Registry | On this page |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 filing | June 1, 2022 | NASAA depository | Costs, fees and locations, 2019–2021 |
Each link opens the filing as a PDF. See the newest filings across all brands.
