Nike Makes Fitness Comeback, Taps The Yard as First Global Gym Partner

Nike’s deal with the strength franchise marks its first brick-and-mortar fitness move since closing Nike Studios, its boutique studio chain

Nike Training, the sportswear giant’s division dedicated to strength, conditioning and gym-based fitness, has named The Yard Gym (TYG) its first global gym partner.

TYG’s website lists more than 100 locations across Australia, the U.S., New Zealand and Mexico. The brand recently stated on social media that it has sold over 100 franchise territories in Australia alone. It’s also actively expanding franchise sales in the U.S.

The deal sees the two sides collaborate on training experiences, activations and community events and puts Nike products and branding inside existing and future TYG studios.

It also marks Nike’s return to the boutique gym category after the Swoosh wound down Nike Studios, the boutique fitness chain it operated in partnership with FitLab.

The Yard Gym, founded in Australia in 2020 by husband-and-wife duo Daniel and Tiarne Bova, has been expanding into the U.S. on a deliberately selective franchise model, rejecting roughly half of prospective franchisee applicants and running three-day VIP Discovery Experience events each month to vet alignment before signing partners.

YYG trainers and team members will be outfitted in Nike footwear, apparel and accessories.

“Nike Training embodies the same grit we see inside every TYG studio,” Daniel Bova, one of F45’s original franchisees, said. “It’s about showing up and putting in the work, every single day. We share the same obsession: building stronger, better humans in and out of the gym.”

Nike continues to weave its brand into the fitness arena in other ways, too. Earlier this year, it announced a partnership with Everlast Gyms in the U.K. and Ireland to bring its branded strength equipment to the chain’s facilities, including Nike Grind dumbbells, bumper plates, kettlebells and power bars, alongside branded signage and artwork.

Still, Nike’s gym endeavors haven’t pulled focus from its core product mission, though the crossover is plain to see. The brand recently launched the Free Metcon 7, the seventh iteration of its cross-training shoe which, Nike said is for athletes whose workout is a mix of weights and cardio. Nike tapped into its network of trainers and even talked to athletes at L.A.’s Muscle Beach to inform the design, the brand said.