Worst Gym Franchises for 2024
Explore the hidden challenges in gym franchising with our list of the worst gym franchises, ranked by declining net unit growth. Before investing, discover why these franchises may not be as promising as they seem.
Table of Contents:
Introduction
The United States, which holds 19% of the gyms and fitness centers in the world, is the largest fitness market in the world, bringing in around 1/3 of the total world revenue for gyms and fitness centers. In this article, as we learn more about gym franchises, we will list the worst gym franchises based on net unit growth.
Worst Gym Franchises
Fit Body Boot Camp
- Total U.S. Locations: 264
- Net Unit Growth (3 years): -31
- Initial Investment: $192K-$380K
- Royalty Fees: 5%
Fit Body Boot Camp is one of the low-cost gym franchises that offer services like 1-on-1 personal training, gym assessments, body fat analysis, functional movement screening, nutrition counseling, meal planning, online coaching, and Fit Body at-home workout. Despite offering different services, Fit Body Boot Camp has faced a notable decline in net unit growth over the past three years. With a negative growth rate of -110, potential franchisees may find themselves questioning the viability of investing in a brand that appears to struggle in expanding its reach.
UFC Gym
- Total U.S. Locations: 74
- Net Unit Growth (3 years): -11
- Initial Investment: $212K-$5.45M
- Royalty Fees: 5%
UFC Gym offers its clients personal training, group classes, online classes, and unique memberships that fit each and every one. As a franchisee, you will be supported by a marketing team to help you in the first few months of opening. However, this gym franchise among other worst gym franchises has had a significantly noticeable negative net unit growth in the past 3 years.
Gold’s Gym
- Total U.S. Locations: 210
- Net Unit Growth (3 years): -22
- Initial Investment: $1.78M-$4.35M
- Royalty Fees: 5%
Gold’s Gym is a premier gym franchise with excellent services for both customers and franchisees. Although Gold’s Gym supports franchisees with marketing, fitness programming, facility design and maintenance, sales, and customer service, they have witnessed a net unit growth of -20 over the past three years. This decline in growth may signal potential difficulties for franchisees in establishing a profitable and thriving business.
World Gym
- Total U.S. Locations: 24
- Net Unit Growth (3 years): -15
- Initial Investment: $1.09M-$3.69M
- Royalty Fees: 5%
World Gym is a well-known gym franchise with numerous locations all across the world. What’s special about World Gym is that it has a strong community that’s motivated to live a healthy and active lifestyle. However, World Gym still faced difficulty with keeping its locations open, with 13 units closing in the past 3 years. This decline in growth suggests challenges in attracting a consistent customer base and may impact franchisees’ ability to achieve their business goals.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the gym franchise industry could be a great way to start your entrepreneurial career. However, some franchises are facing difficulties with keeping their locations open. This article is here to provide you with an overview of the worst gym franchises based on their net unit growth.
