Power Players 2025 Announced: See Who Took Home This Year’s Awards
June 24, 2025
—Dan Gallagher, CFO of Crunch Fitness, earned the title of Dealmaker of the Year
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Crunch to Host Nationwide Fundraising Event to Support Augie's Quest to Cure ALS
May 5, 2025
—Crunch hosted a nationwide event, inviting members and non-members to support Augie's Quest to Cure ALS
Crunch Fitness Announces Strategic Investment from Leonard Green & Partners
April 15, 2025
—Leading Fitness Brand, Crunch Fitness, Welcomes New Investment Partner to Accelerate Growth
Crunch Fitness Announces Major Franchise Expansion into India, Marking South Asian Physical Location Debut
February 26, 2025
—Leading Fitness Franchisor Set to Open Minimum of 75 Gyms Across India
CRUNCH FITNESS TAKES #1 FITNESS SPOT IN ENTREPRENEUR'S FRANCHISE 500® RANKING
January 14, 2025
—The rapidly growing franchisor ranks at the top for fitness for the second year in a row
Crunch Fitness to Open Doors to those Affected by the Los Angeles Wildfires
January 9, 2025
—Gyms are open to the community to charge phones, use wifi, and take showers
Crunch Fitness Celebrates the 3-Million-Member Mark and Launches Crunch 3.0 - an Innovative Gym Design that Redefines Fitness Spaces and the Member Experience
January 8, 2025
—Crunch 3.0 reimagines traditional gym offerings with state-of-the-art equipment, Relax and Recover services and amenities, and modern aesthetics
Trive Capital Invests in Crunch Canada
November 13, 2024
—Trive Capital and 808 Capital Partners announced their investment into Crunch Canada, the primary Crunch Fitness franchisee in Canada.
Crunch Partners with NBA Shooting Guard James Harden to Bring Three New State-of-the-Art Fitness Facilities to Texas
October 28, 2024
—Crunch announced the opening of three new gyms in Texas, operated by Crunch franchisee Harman Fitness and in partnership with James Harden
Howard Alum Chequan Lewis to Deliver Executive Lecture at Howard University School of Business
October 21, 2024
—This interview previewed Crunch President Chequan Lewis' panel at Howard University - "Legendary: Powered by Legacy" - as part of the Executive Lecture Series.
Crunch Fitness Harnesses Value to Drive Double-Digit Sales Growth
September 27, 2024
—Crunch Fitness made the 2024 Franchise Times Top 400 list at No. 79 - moving up 37 spots! Chequan Lewis secured the cover story and spoke on being primed for rapid growth.
Crunch Fitness Announces Appointment of Molly Long to Chief Operating Officer
August 12, 2024
—Molly Long previously served as Chief Experience Officer at Crunch, where she drove innovation and advanced member experience
Crunch Celebrates Momentous Year at Annual Franchise Convention
August 2, 2024
—Amid a successful 2024, Crunch honors franchisees and gives back to local community
Meaningful Partners Acquires Fitness Ventures, the second largest Crunch Fitness Franchisee
August 1, 2024
—Meaningful Partners announced the acquisition of Fitness Ventures, the second biggest Crunch franchisee.
50 Power Players defining the industry’s future
July 25, 2024
—Athletech News highlights the top executives that will define the industry in the years ahead, where Jim Rowley, Molly Long, and Laura Altieri were featured.
Trive Capital Invests in JF Fitness of North America, a Leading Crunch Fitness Franchisee
June 21, 2024
—Trive Capital and 808 Capital Partners invested in JF Fitness, a leading Crunch franchisee serving the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern U.S.
Marine veteran leans on leadership skills to build Crunch Fitness
May 23, 2024
—Jim Rowley dives into his military experience, how that experience impacts his leadership style, and how Crunch supports military franchisees and members.
Crunch Fitness Appoints John Kersh as Managing Director of International Development
May 1, 2024
—Kersh brings to Crunch over 25 years of experience, strategy, and international development in fitness and franchising
Crunch Appoints Chequan Lewis, former COO of Pizza Hut U.S., as President
February 12, 2024
—CEO of Crunch Franchising, Ben Midgley, transitions to Crunch's Board of Directors
How Crunch Is Building for a New Era of Fitness
January 21, 2024
—With over 450 gyms and more to come, Crunch CEO Jim Rowley dishes on the brand’s approach to fitness and franchising in 2024 and beyond
Crunch Fitness Takes #1 Fitness Spot in Entrepreneur's Franchise 500®
January 16, 2024
—The rapidly growing franchisor ranks at the top for fitness for the first time and #29 in the U.S., demonstrating upward movement on the list since 2013
Leading Crunch Franchisee Primetime Fitness Partners with CapitalSpring for Strategic Growth
January 12, 2024
—Strategic guidance from the leading private equity firm will accelerate the franchisee group's growth in the Crunch Fitness network
CRUNCH FITNESS INVITES MEMBERS TO "FEEL GOOD, NOT BAD" IN NEW CREATIVE CAMPAIGN
December 19, 2023
—The gym's latest creative uses humor to underscore a visit to Crunch will transform life's challenging moments into positive ones
Crunch Fitness Pushes Further Into Corporate Wellness
September 20, 2023
—Crunch is seeing an increased interest in its corporate wellness arm post-pandemic, especially as employees return to the office.
CRUNCH FITNESS BECOMES FIRST GYM TO ENABLE AMAZON ONE PALM-BASED ENTRY FOR ITS MEMBERS
September 5, 2023
—With Amazon One, Crunch Fitness members can enter the gym by simply hovering their palm
Crunch Heads to IFS
June 22, 2023
—Crunch Fitness makes its first appearance at The International Franchise Show, which connects thousands of entrepreneurs with franchise opportunities from around the world.
Crunch Fitness Recognized for Outstanding Franchising Achievements
March 15, 2023
—Crunch Fitness has been recognized for ongoing success, with honors that include 2023 "Best Buy" in Franchise Times' Zor Awards and a spot in Entrepreneur's Franchise 500.
Crunch Fitness Announces Key Leadership Appointments, Including Naming Molly Long, Chief Experience Officer
March 2, 2023
—Crunch Fitness, a leading high-value, low-price gym, announced several key leadership changes that will help position the company for continued growth and success.
Crunch Fitness Wins Franchise Times Zor Award as Top Brand to Buy
February 27, 2023
—Crunch Fitness was selected as the "Top Brand to Buy" for this year's Franchise Times Awards, with its eye-catching elements and range of options and amenities.
Gyms flexing digital muscles to complement brick-and-mortar experience
February 10, 2023
—Crunch Fitness announced the launch of its 'fitness on the go' digital platform Crunch+, which provides on-demand and livestream workouts to give consumers more options.
Crunch Fitness Launches New Digital Platform Crunch+ To Elevate Your Workout Experience
February 6, 2023
—Crunch Fitness today introduced Crunch+, a new platform to access on-demand and live-streamed workouts when you want it – anywhere, anytime, and on any device.
Crunch Fitness Rises in Entrepreneur's Annual Franchise 500® Ranking
January 18, 2023
—Crunch Fitness demonstrates continued growth in Entrepreneur's 44th Annual Franchise 500® ranking, maintaining its spot in the top 10 percent for the second year in a row.
Crunch Gives 'Talk To The Hand' New Meaning
December 30, 2022
—Crunch Fitness wants to welcome even more people back to its gyms with a new campaign. The hand in its logo springs to life in an inviting and upbeat spot.
Crunch Fitness gets ready for 'biggest quarter of the year': Ben Midgley
December 22, 2022
—Crunch Fitness Franchise CEO Ben Midgley says March is the gym brand's most profitable month, and discusses the company's competitive advantages.
Crunch Fitness Sells Six Sacramento-Area Clubs to JEM Wellness Brands
December 19, 2022
—Crunch Fitness announced the sale of six company-owned gyms across the Sacramento area to JEM Wellness Brands, a first-in-class health and wellness franchise concept operator.
Crunch Hosts Sixth Annual Group Fitness Convention
November 14, 2022
—The leading fitness company announced 12 new proprietary group classes for 2023, including the debut of an in-club boxing rig from Throwdown.
Crunch Fitness Partners with ID.me to Honor Veterans with Exclusive Membership Offer
November 7, 2022
—Veterans, active-duty military, and first responders can activate a seven-day free trial gym membership and an exclusive membership offer at participating Crunch locations.
Crunch CEO Jim Rowley Sees Big Gains for Entrepreneurs Who Can Take Advantage of the Changes Coming to the Fitness Industry
October 4, 2022
—Crunch Fitness CEO Jim Rowley has seen many fitness fads come and go. The former Marine spent 15 years as an executive at 24 Hour Fitness, founded three gyms of his own...
Crunch Fitness Announces Franchisee of the Year
August 16, 2022
—Crunch Fitness announces The Undefeated Tribe as its "Franchisee of the Year" at this year's annual Crunch Franchise Convention.
Crunch Franchise CEO on company's growth following membership milestone
July 21, 2022
—Crunch Franchise CEO Bden Midgley discusses the company's growth as it hits a membership milestone, pricing, navigating COVID protocols and innovation in the wellness.
Crunch Celebrates Two Million Member Milestone
June 21, 2022
—Milestone highlights impressive and continued membership growth year-after-year
Crunch Franchise Debuts New Training Center in Jacksonville, FL
April 4, 2022
—Crunch Franchise launches its first-ever comprehensive National Training Center in Jacksonville, part of the 34,000 square foot Harbour Village gym.
NBC News Now - Tonight with Joshua Johnson
January 21, 2022
—Crunch Franchise CEO Ben Midgley joins Joshua Johnson to discuss how fitness routines are changing during the pandemic.
Crunch Continues to Climb Entrepreneur's Annual Franchise 500®
January 12, 2022
—Crunch cited as Top 10% franchise and #1-ranked full-service fitness franchise in the country on Entrepreneur's highly competitive 2022 list
Crunch Fitness Franchise CEO on How Gyms Are Tackling Omicron Surge
December 22, 2021
—As the omicron variant of COVID-19 surges, Crunch Franchise CEO Ben Midgley joined Cheddar to talk about proactive steps gyms are taking to maximize the business.
How Crunch Grew Membership Despite the Pandemic
December 20, 2021
—Crunch Franchise CEO, Ben Midgley, joins Cheddar to discuss how the brand grew during the pandemic, both in total members, and in club count — opening its 400th gym.
Crunch Franchise CEO on vaccine requirement for gyms in NYC
September 14, 2021
—Ben Midgley expressed his optimism over the new rule, citing increases in memberships since the pandemic began.
How Crunch Fitness Stayed in Shape During COVID
July 30, 2021
—The Wall Street Journal chats with Ben Midgley, Crunch Franchise CEO, about how the brand adapted during the pandemic and what's on the horizon for Crunch Fitness.
Crunch Fitness CEO gives positive outlook on mask mandate in LA: 'We're ready'
July 19, 2021
—Ben Midgley says the gym chain is ready to roll with the punches of round two of COVID-19 restrictions.
Gyms See Membership Increase as COVID Restrictions Ease
May 21, 2021
—Crunch Franchise CEO Ben Midgley discusses fitness center reopenings and how the industry is bouncing back as COVID restrictions ease.
Bloomberg - Crunch Memberships Up Over 5% Despite Pandemic
May 13, 2021
—Bloomberg Businessweek host, Carol Massar, discusses why Crunch sees membership grow in the past year with Ben Midgley, CEO of Crunch Franchise.
Crunch Franchise CEO on the impact of COVID-19 on the fitness industry
March 11, 2021
—Ben Midgley, Crunch Franchise CEO, joined Yahoo Finance Live to discuss how COVID-19 has impacted the fitness industry over the past year.
Crunch Fitness Increases Leads with HubSpot CRM Platform
March 8, 2021
—Learn from Crunch Technology Manager, Haley Irwin, how Crunch used its CRM platform, HubSpot, to engage members and prospects while facing pandemic challenges.
Club Insider - Overnight Success is Not Over Night
March 1, 2021
—Crunch Franchise CEO, Ben Midgley, joins Club Insider's Justin Cates to discuss Crunch's business model and how the brand became the industry's leading challenger brand.
Crunch Franchise CEO updates Bloomberg Quicktake "Take the Lead" on the strength of the fitness industry
February 4, 2021
—Ben Midgley discusses the pandemic's impact on Crunch, what at-home connected fitness means to gyms, and how Crunch's Apple Watch program is progressing. (at 1:07:28 mark)
Crunch Ranked a Top Franchise in Entrepreneur's Annual Franchise 500®
January 20, 2021
—Crunch Fitness recently ranked #52 in Entrepreneur's Franchise 500®, for its outstanding performance in areas including unit growth, financial strength and brand power.
Ben Midgley, CEO, discusses leadership and success
December 1, 2020
—In this podcast with The CEO Forum Group, Ben relates his experiences with leadership, overcoming challenges, and how franchising can build a successful business.
Third-party data suggests gyms are 'not spreaders' of coronavirus: Crunch Fitness Franchise CEO
November 30, 2020
—Crunch Fitness Franchise CEO Ben Midgley discusses gyms facing new restrictions amid coronavirus surges, explaining that they are doing everything they can to ensure safety.
Reopening Crunch Fitness Amid Coronavirus Pandemic
July 17, 2020
—Ben Midgley, CEO of Crunch Franchise, joined Wake Up With Cheddar to discuss how gyms can safely invite customers back in during the pandemic.
Global Franchise Magazine Interview with Ben Midgley
March 10, 2020
—Ben Midgley, CEO of Crunch Franchise, details the meteoric rise of Crunch Fitness, and how the gym brand has formed such healthy relationships with its franchisees.
Yahoo! Finance Interview with Ben Midgley
March 8, 2019
—Ben Midgley, CEO & Founding Partner of Crunch Franchise talks about fitness trends and the industry with Adam Shapiro and Julie Hyman at Yahoo! Finance.
The Six Reasons The Fitness Industry Is Booming
September 26, 2018
—Ben Midgley shares six factors driving the 3% - 4% annual growth in the U.S. $30 billion health and fitness industry.
How to become the Starbucks of fitness
August 16, 2018
—Ben Midgley, CEO of Crunch Franchise, sat down for an interview with TheStreet to talk about the future of fitness and how technology is changing the space.
Interview on Crunch branding with EVP of Marketing & Branding, Chad Waetzig
July 13, 2018
—Crunch's EVP of Marketing & Branding, Chad Waetzig, shares with MiND Magazine what makes up Crunch's brand DNA, how consumer insights shape the business and where the brand is headed in the future.
The Business of Fitness
June 13, 2018
—Crunch's Ben Midgley appears on the Fox Business Network show, Mornings with Maria, joining Maria Bartiromo and her panel to discuss the business of fitness.
Can Fitness Centers Become the New Mall Anchor Store?
June 12, 2018
—Ben Midgley, CEO, Crunch Franchising, and Brian Kunkel, VP of Real Estate, Crunch Franchising, reveal why non-traditional retail such as gyms are attractive tenants for malls and shopping centers, and how these gyms can be successful.
Bloomberg Markets: Midgley on Owning Crunch Franchise
May 7, 2018
—Ben Midgley, CEO and Founding Partner of Crunch Franchising, discussing the advantages of owning a gym franchise on the Bloomberg podcast.
3 Common Mistakes First-Time Franchisees Make and How to Avoid Them
April 16, 2018
—Crunch Franchising CEO, Ben Midgley, shares his insights on common first-time franchisee mistakes.
Fitness Heats Up in 2018
January 2, 2018
—CNBC's Diana Olick, on location at Crunch Fitness, highlights the top fitness trends heading into the new year.
It’s not your imagination — new gyms and fitness centers are cropping up at an impressive rate in metro Denver
December 26, 2017
—Ben Midgley, CEO of Crunch Fitness Franchise, was quoted in a Denver Post article about gyms in Denver.
Fitness Clubs Growing Fast with Help from Real Estate Market
December 11, 2017
—The Orlando Sentinel featured Vince Julien from Crunch in an article about gyms in shopping centers.
How Relationships Are The Driving Force Behind Crunch Fitness’ Success With Founder And CEO Ben Midgley
November 28, 2017
—Joe Fairless Podcast “Best Show Ever” spoke with CEO, Ben Midgley about the driving force behind a successful franchise.
The Secret to a Successful Franchise?
November 8, 2017
—Crunch Franchising CEO, Ben Midgley, shares the critical steps necessary for franchise businesses to be valuable community assets.
Entrepreneur Top 500
September 11, 2017
—Crunch named to Hottest New Franchise, Top Franchise to Own and Top Global Franchise lists. See where Crunch Franchise lands on the Top 500 list!
Top 50 Franchise
September 10, 2017
—The brands featured on the Top 50 Multi-Unit Franchises list earned their spot as a result of survey rankings by their own franchisees in areas that are crucial to franchisee success...
3 Leadership Lessons From One Of The Biggest Names In The Fitness Industry
September 6, 2017
—Three leadership takeaways from Ben's experience as a CEO and franchise founder
A Guide to Purpose-Driven Franchise Investing
September 5, 2017
—Ben Midgley shares perspective on the role purpose-driven brands play in this contributing columnist article.
The Family-Like Franchise Model Behind Crunch Fitness
July 17, 2017
—Broadcast from inside the New York Stock Exchange. Ben Midgley, the CEO of Crunch Franchise, discusses how all 60+ of the company's franchisees are treated like family.
Handling Entrepreneurship
June 5, 2017
—How to Be Healthy Enough to Handle the Late Nights and Early Mornings of Entrepreneurship
Finding the Right Franchise Investment Opportunity
May 23, 2017
—4 Steps for Finding the Right Franchise Investment Opportunity
The Best Thing 20-Somethings Can Do For Their Careers
March 13, 2017
—Ben Midgley, CEO of Crunch Franchise provides his insight
You Have One Less Excuse to Avoid Working Off Thanksgiving Dinner
November 25, 2016
—CEO discusses why there are more Crunch Franchises now than ever
Crunch Sells 100th Franchise This Year
October 21, 2016
—With an annual growth rate of 40 percent, Crunch is one of the fastest-growing national chains in the high value/low price fitness space.
Crunch Franchise Announces Sale of 100th Franchise This Year
October 18, 2016
—Read the press release
Public Good and Crunch Fitness
January 30, 2016
—Crunch Fitness Franchise CEO, Ben Midgley, reveals how his low-cost high-value model has garnered him over 100 franchisees nationwide.
Interview with Ben Midgley, CEO of Crunch Franchise
October 6, 2014
—Watch the Video
Interview with Ben Midgley, CEO of Crunch Franchise
January 2, 2014
—Insights on the fastest-growing full-size fitness franchise
Franchise Expo Live! Interview with Ben Midgley, CEO of Crunch Franchise
August 1, 2013
—View From the Expo!