Health and Fitness Club Industry News
Friday, January 23rd, 2026
United PF Partners Celebrates 100 Club Milestone
Posted: November 29, 2018 in Chains
AUSTIN, TX - United PF Partners (United PF), the largest Planet Fitness (NYSE: PLNT) franchisee, recently reached a key milestone as they officially became the first franchisee in the system to own and operate more than 100 Planet Fitness clubs. Additionally, this month United PF Partners celebrated its second anniversary. United PF was formed two years ago, in November 2016, by JLM Financial Partners (JLM) and Eagle Merchant Partners (Eagle) with the merger of several leading Planet Fitness franchisees and the overall goal of accelerating growth and further providing access to non-intimidating fitness environments where members can build active lifestyles for an affordable price. Today, United PF has grown to 110+ clubs across 10 states, employs over 1,500, and serves over 850,000 members. Read More...
Augie’s Quest Reports First Subject Successfully Enrolled in AT-1501 Phase 1 Study, a First-of-its-Kind, Promising Treatment for ALS
Posted: November 28, 2018 in Other News
ORANGE COUNTY, CA - The ALS Therapy Development Institute (ALS TDI), the world's foremost nonprofit biotech focused solely on ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis), in partnership with Anelixis Therapeutics, LLC., and via targeted funding from Augie's Quest to Cure ALS, announced the first human was successfully given a dose of AT-1501, a promising investigative drug to treat the neurodegenerative disease. Not only does this critical step signal the continuation of the phase 1 human safety trial and the first achieved milestone for AT-1501, it is the first time a nonprofit drug discovery center has successfully brought a new molecular entity, this type of experimental treatment for ALS, from inception through to the clinical trial phase. Read More...
ClubCorp Announces the Addition of The Ridge Club on Cape Cod
Posted: November 28, 2018 in Chains
DALLAS, TX - ClubCorp – The World Leader in Private Clubs – announces the acquisition of The Ridge Club, a premier, family oriented golf and lifestyle club located in Sandwich, Massachusetts, on Cape Cod. Plans for capital improvements are currently being developed. ClubCorp acquired Brookstone Golf & Country Club near Atlanta this past July and opened The Collective, a new private club concept in Seattle in May. In recent weeks, ClubCorp also announced the launch of ClubLife Management, a comprehensive management services division for private clubs, destination resorts and premier daily-fee golf courses. Read More...
Crunch Franchise Announces Its Newest Location in Charlotte, North Carolina and Bakersfield, California
Posted: November 27, 2018 in Chains
CHARLOTTE, N.C. and BAKERSFIELD, CA - Crunch Franchise announced the January 2019 opening of a new 30,000-square-foot fitness center with state-of-the art equipment and amenities in Charlotte, North Carolina. Crunch Franchise also announced the December 1, 2018, opening of a new fitness center with state-of-the art equipment and amenities in Bakersfield, California. Crunch, known for its innovative group fitness programming, will offer a wide range of classes every week, including BodyWeb with TRX, Zumba, Cardio Tai Box and Yoga Body Sculpt. Additionally, a dedicated Ride studio will feature Crunch's signature indoor cycling classes. Members looking for more guidance or motivation can utilize the HIITZone, a proprietary high-intensity interval group training program. Read More...
FIBO USA Brings The Future of Fitness to Orlando Next Week
Posted: November 27, 2018 in Suppliers
NORWALK, CT - There is still time to register for one of the world’s leading event for fitness, health and wellness: FIBO’s inaugural U.S. event, December 5 - 8 at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando. FIBO USA is backed by the long-running success of FIBO Global events in Germany, China and South Africa. Its U.S. debut will assemble fitness professionals and enthusiasts in Orlando for an immersive exhibit of the most groundbreaking people, products and ideas propelling the global fitness industry forward. Read More...
Life Time Expands Chicagoland Presence With $42 Million Northbrook Club Opening; Convention-Busting Experience Life Magazine Expands National and Local Acclaim
Posted: November 27, 2018 in Chains
NORTHBROOK, IL and CHANHASSEN, MN - Life Time, the premier healthy lifestyle brand, is set to open its newest luxury athletic club in Chicagoland in more than ten years. The new 86,000-square-foot club employs nearly 300 team members and is the company's tenth location in the Chicago market and one of four additional Life Time destinations planned, including Oakbrook, Lake Zurich and at One Chicago Square respectively. And, on the heels of receiving four awards at FOLIO: in October, Experience Life, the whole-life health and fitness magazine, was awarded top honors in six categories at the Minnesota Media and Publishing Association (MMPA) Excellence Awards, which celebrates exceptional media and publishing work in the upper Midwest. Read More...
Curves NA & Oceania, Inc. Name Krishea Holloway as President
Posted: November 22, 2018 in Chains
WOODWAY, TX - Curves NA & Oceania, Inc., leaders in the fitness and wellness industry and one of the largest fitness center chains globally for women, announced that Krishea Holloway has been named President. With over 21 years of Curves operational experience and expertise, Holloway will lead all decisions for Curves across marketing, sales, and operations for North America. Read More...
Planet Fitness Ranked #1 For Fitness Centers In Newsweek’s Inaugural List of America’s Best Companies for Customer Service
Posted: November 21, 2018 in Chains
HAMPTON, N.H. - Planet Fitness, Inc. (NYSE: PLNT) (the "Company"), announced they have been named to Newsweek's inaugural 2019 list of America's Best Companies for Customer Service as the number one customer service provider for fitness centers. The America's Best Customer Service 2019 ranking was identified in an independent survey from a sample of more than 20,000 U.S. customers who were asked whether they would recommend brands to friends or family, and assessed brands in quality of communications, technical competence, range of services, customer focus and accessibility. Read More...
Sports Medicine Licensure Clarity Bill Signed into Law
Posted: November 21, 2018 in Suppliers
INDIANAPOLIS, IN - President Donald Trump has signed into law HR 302/S. 808, which includes the Sports Medicine Licensure Clarity Act that now paves the way for sports medicine practitioners to work across state lines with liability protections. The new law extends the liability insurance coverage of a state-licensed medical professional while on travel to another state when the professional provides medical services to an athlete, athletic team or team staff member. Previously, clinicians that traveled with teams across state lines could have faced allegations that they were practicing medicine without malpractice protection. The new law sufficiently remedies this problem. Read More...
Bonita Bay Club’s Buzza and Padua Named Golf Digest “Best Young Teachers in America”
Posted: November 21, 2018 in Independents
BONITA SPRINGS, FL - Bonita Bay Club’s Steve Buzza, PGA Golf Professional and Megan Padua, PGA, LPGA Teaching Professional, have been named to the “Best Young Teachers in America” list in Golf Digest Magazine’s November issue. Buzza and Padua are also among Bonita Bay Club’s more than 20 TPI-certified golf and fitness instructors who are specially trained by the Titleist Performance Institute to help players improve their skills, strength and power. Read More...
Crunch Fitness Selects Socialbakers to Accelerate and Optimize Social Media Marketing; Announces Its Newest Locations in Charlotte and Raleigh, North Carolina
Posted: November 20, 2018 in Chains
NEW YORK, N.Y. and NORTH CAROLINA - Socialbakers, the leading AI-powered social media marketing platform, announced that Crunch Fitness has selected its platform to improve the effectiveness of its social media marketing campaigns. Socialbakers gives Crunch Fitness the capability to schedule and publish posts across more than 250 social media profiles on Facebook and other sites faster than ever. Crunch Fitness has also gained new visibility into its social media campaigns with dashboards and reporting that visually display which posts perform best and which ones can be further optimized. Crunch Franchise also announced its newest locations in Charlotte and Raleigh, North Carolina. Read More...
Town Sports International Locations in Philadelphia Join the Silver&Fit Network
Posted: November 19, 2018 in Chains
PHILADELPHIA, PA - Town Sports International Holdings, Inc. (TSI), one of the largest gym networks in the Northeast, is pleased to announce that its five Philadelphia locations are now participating in the Silver&Fit program's network of fitness facilities. This allows them to provide no-cost or low-cost club access to Silver&Fit members who work out at these fitness centers. The Silver&Fit program is one of the nation's leading exercise and healthy aging programs for Medicare members. Read More...
MINDBODY Named to Deloitte’s 2018 Technology Fast 500
Posted: November 15, 2018 in Suppliers
SAN LUIS OBISPO, CA - MINDBODY, Inc. (NASDAQ: MB), a leading technology platform for the fitness, beauty and wellness services industries, is included in Deloitte's Technology 2018 Fast 500, ranking 463 among the 500 fastest growing technology, media, telecommunications, life sciences and energy tech companies in North America. 2018 is the seventh time MINDBODY has appeared on the Fast 500 list since 2010. Read More...
Planet Fitness, Inc. Announces Accelerated Share Repurchase Program
Posted: November 14, 2018 in Chains
HAMPTON, N.H. - Planet Fitness, Inc. (NYSE: PLNT) (the "Company"), announced that it has entered into a $300 million accelerated share repurchase agreement (the "ASR Agreement") with Citibank, N.A. ("Citibank"). The Company will acquire shares under the ASR Agreement as part of its $500 million share repurchase authorization previously announced on August 9, 2018 (the "Share Repurchase Authorization"). As of November 12, 2018, before giving effect to the ASR Agreement, approximately $458 million remained available for share repurchases pursuant to the Share Repurchase Authorization. Read More...
In-Shape Health Clubs Raises Over $150,000 For Cancer Research
Posted: November 14, 2018 in Chains
STOCKTON, CA - In-Shape Health Clubs, California's top community destination for health and fitness, announced it raised $153,500 for cancer research during its annual Fight Cancer campaign, a 15% increase on last year's record breaking campaign. Funds will go to the American Cancer Society and St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. Read More...
The Bay Club Company Announces Collaboration With Leisure Sports, Inc.
Posted: November 13, 2018 in Chains
SAN FRANCISCO, CA - The Bay Club Company (“Bay Club”) announced it has agreed to acquire five properties from Leisure Sports, Inc. and enter into a development relationship for future opportunities. This agreement between two tradition-rich companies, both Northern California based brands, creates a premier membership offering throughout the West Coast. As part of the agreement, Bay Club will merge ClubSport properties in Walnut Creek, Danville, Pleasanton and Fremont, in addition to a location in Portland, Oregon, bringing the total number of Bay Club properties to 26 across nine campuses in the Bay Club portfolio. The properties will be operated by Bay Club, and over time, they will be converted to the Bay Club brand name. Read More...
Blink Fitness Restores Ridgewood Theatre To Open A New Hub of Health In The Community; Also Opens First Orange County Location In Anaheim, California
Posted: November 13, 2018 in Chains
NEW YORK, N.Y. and ANAHEIM, CA - After a decade of being closed, Blink Fitness will re-open the restored Ridgewood Theatre to create a premium quality, affordable fitness brand for the community. Blink Fitness is also excited to announce the grand opening of its 74th gym, in Anaheim. The Anaheim location is the first Blink Fitness located in Orange County, and third location in California. The newest Blink Fitness facilities boast a broad offering of top-of-the-line strength equipment that includes free weights, plates, and machines for upper body, lower body and core. Read More...
ACE Applauds Revisions to the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans
Posted: November 12, 2018 in Suppliers
SAN DIEGO, CA - The American Council on Exercise (ACE) supports the first-ever revision to the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans (Guidelines), underscoring the essential role they play in setting the bar for a more physically active nation. The second edition, released by U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, recommend as before, daily physical activity to reduce the risk for many chronic diseases. They now also state that any amount of daily activity, no matter how big or small, is beneficial to health. Finally, the revised guidelines reflect the latest science from the past 10 years, which is that physical activity not only wards off disease but helps individuals to sleep better, feel better and more easily perform daily tasks. Read More...
The HHS Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion Releases the Second Edition of the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans
Posted: November 12, 2018 in Suppliers
INDIANAPOLIS, IN - The HHS Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion released the second edition of the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans. The second edition is based on the latest scientific evidence that shows that physical activity conveys even more health benefits than previously known. New aspects include discussions of... Read More...
Tough Mudder Spins Off Thriving Gym Business Into Separate Enterprise
Posted: November 9, 2018 in Chains
BROOKLYN, N.Y. - Tough Mudder, Inc. Founder and CEO, Will Dean, announced that the company is in the process of securing capital investment, setting the stage for continued growth in 2019. As part of this, the company will spin off its thriving new fitness business, Tough Mudder Bootcamp, into a separate business enterprise from its traditional live event business in order to allow both businesses to more successfully navigate their respective categories. Dean will continue to head the Bootcamp business while also supporting the live event side. Both businesses will remain privately held. Read More...
