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Let’s talk about “the great consolidation” in fitness and what tf that means 👇
Part 1 of my series where I guide you through where fitness and wellness is headed in culture, commerce, and design.
I sat in on a panel in New York this past month with @athletechnews and execs from Xponential, Barry’s, and Life Time and they said plainly that
The fitness industry is consolidating - fast.
Brands are merging.
Consumer loyalty is thinning.
Now listen this isn’t to say demand is shrinking - if anything, it’s picking up speed RAPIDLY. But this IS a make or break era for fitness brands.
We’re seeing it already:
→ Recovery studios partnering with tech platforms.
→ Big-box gyms absorbing boutique DNA.
→ Connected fitness brands turning to IRL activations just to stay visible.
If you’re a brand in this space I think Barry’s CEO has the best insight - The winners of this consolidation won’t be the biggest. They’ll be the ones who know exactly who they’re for and show up for them across product, content, experience, and community.
So if you’re building a brand in fitness, stop trying to be everything and start getting sharp.
If you’re interested in more on the state of the fitness industry, follow along. This is part one of many. 🫡
#fitnessbrand #brandstrategy #gymmarketing #marketingstrategy #wellnessbrand #sportmarketing
Transcript
We are in what strategists are calling the great consolidation era for fitness brands. Welcome to my series where I guide you through where fitness is headed in culture, commerce, and design. And today, I wanna talk about how the category once flooded with boutique studios, wearables, apps, supplements, and at home gear is getting smaller, tighter, more competitive. Some call it, like, a post pandemic correction. Others say this is just reality setting in. I sat in on a panel in New York this past month with execs from Barry's Boot Camp, Lifetime, and they said plainly that the fitness industry is consolidating best. Brands are merging, and customer loyalty is thinning. And the ones who survive are not necessarily the strongest. They're the clearest. Because in 2025, you can't just be in fitness. If you've consumed any of the content that I previously posted, you've heard me say this. You need to be something specific to someone intentional. And we're seeing this already, like recovery studios partnering with tech platforms, big box gyms absorbing boutique fitness, and connected fitness brands turning to IRL activations just to stay visible. Now listen, this isn't a collapse per se. It's a reshaping, but it is a make or break era for fitness brands. So if you are a brand trying to grow in this space, stop trying to be everything. Start getting sharp because the winners of this consolidation won't be the best. They'll be the ones who know exactly who they're for rank show up for them across product, content, experience, and community. It's not about staying in the game. It's about playing the right one.
