What should I check before buying a hockey school or training facility?

A hockey school sells coaching, not goods. There may be little to see on a visit besides a rink and a roster. What you are buying is a set of bookings, a group of coaches and the trust of families who sign up each year. That changes your checks. Instead of counting stock, you look at what holds the program together and what might leave with the person selling it.

Ice time and facility contracts

Most schools rent ice rather than own it. Ask for every booking agreement and find out how long each runs, who the arena contact is, and whether a new owner can keep the slots. Some arenas favour the existing operator, and some reallocate time each season. Ask your lawyer what the contracts say about transfer. Ask what happens to the schedule if the best ice times are lost.

Coaches and the head instructor

Find out who actually coaches, whether they are employees or contractors, and whether they plan to stay. If the founder is the face of the school, ask how many families would leave without them. Many buyers ask for a paid transition period so the founder introduces them and stays on for a defined time. See also how to negotiate transition support.

Registrations, deposits and seasons

Ask for registration lists across several seasons, split between in-season programs and summer camps. Look at how many families return and how many are new. Ask about prepaid registrations and deposits already taken, because someone will owe those families their sessions, and the purchase agreement should say who. If the school runs its own space, check the condition of any synthetic ice, shooting lanes and training gear.