What to expect during diligence, week by week

The buyer opens a secure folder and requests financials, registration history, facility agreements, staffing structure, sponsor contracts, and insurance policies. The faster you populate the data room, the more momentum the deal has. Deals that stall in the first two weeks often do not recover.

The buyer or their accountant will walk through your P&L, tie revenue back to registration records, and stress-test each add-back. Expect questions on any line item that looks unusual. Answering with documentation instead of memory is what protects the offer price.

This is where the buyer talks to you at length about how the league actually runs. Coaching structure, referee pipeline, field scheduling process, registration platform, communication cadence, and vendor relationships. Sometimes the buyer will speak with a few coaches or board members with your permission.

Facility agreements get reviewed carefully. Municipal contacts may get informal calls. Your attorney and the buyer's attorney negotiate the purchase agreement, transition services agreement, and any escrow or holdback terms.

Final signatures, wire instructions, and the first joint communication to families and staff. A well-structured deal includes a transition plan that carries you through at least one season of hand-off. Most owners are relieved by how quiet the transition feels once it is running.