Start with the books
Two to three years of clean, accrual-basis financials is the single highest-leverage preparation you can do. Move off spreadsheets. Move off cash-basis. Reconcile every account. If your accountant does not know your league in detail, hire one who will.
Buyers will forgive many operational quirks. They will not forgive books they cannot trust.
Formalize field agreements
Walk into every facility conversation with the goal of a multi-year agreement in writing. Even a two-year permit is worth substantially more than an annual one. If a field owner will not sign a longer agreement, document the historical relationship in a memo that a buyer can read.
Reduce founder dependency
Write down what you do every week. Then delegate the top five items over the next six months. Registration setup, coach communication, referee scheduling, sponsor renewal, and social media are the usual candidates.
Every item you remove from your desk lifts the multiple. The buyer is not paying to inherit your job.
Clean up staffing
Get every coach, referee, and staff member onto proper contracts. Get background checks current. Standardize pay. A tidy staffing structure eliminates one of the most common diligence surprises.
Document everything
Sponsor contracts, insurance policies, registration platform admin access, domain ownership, and vendor relationships all belong in one shared folder. Every hour you spend on documentation before you go to market saves five hours during diligence and pays for itself in offer price.
Get a directional valuation
Before you talk to a buyer, know what your league is worth. Run our valuation engine or work with an advisor. Going into a conversation without a defensible range is how owners get talked into a low number.