Opinion: Equinox Salary, Gyms Reopening, Apolo Ohno For Brrrn, Gym Owner Challenges

Athletech News was created with one goal, to apprise our readers with relevant content that will help inform their business decisions. We strive to aggregate the latest trends and happenings on all things fitness related. Below is what our team at Athletech flagged as this week’s most interesting reads in the world of fitness, tech and mental health.

This week, we are going to review the recently revealed Equinox salaries for different positions at the luxury gym chain, gyms are reopening but are their members coming back, Olympian Apolo Ohno investing in Brrrn and operational challenges facing gym operators.

Without further ado, let’s review this week’s most interesting news in fitness, tech and mental health.

Equinox Salaries Revealed: Here’s How Much Analysts, Engineers, Product Managers, and Others Make at the Luxury Fitness Company
Business | Insider | May 18, 2021

Athletech’s Take:
Curious about salaries within the fitness industry? In this Insider article you can get a glimpse of salaries at Equinox, the luxury gym chain. Equinox salaries outlined include those for US-based engineers, data scientists, accountants, project managers and others. As the brand looks ahead to a post-pandemic world, it has plans to continue to build its fitness and lifestyle empire. Equinox currently has more than 18,000 employees and is hiring for more than 100 additional positions in categories like data engineering, software development, and design.

Gyms are Mounting a Comeback. But are People Ready for Communal Sweating and Panting?
Business | LA Times | May 14, 2021

Athletech’s Take:
The conversation continues…will people come back to the gym? For the gyms that are still in service (about 17% of U.S. gyms closed permanently during the pandemic), recent loosened requirements on mask and social distancing mandates is the welcome news they have all been waiting to get. Now, gym operators are eager to see how much of their customer base will return. Gyms are working hard to lure customers back with compelling offerings and competitive pricing, as landlords are crossing their fingers that fitness centers and wellness companies such as yoga and Pilates studios will drive occupancy and customer traffic. Gym owners are also betting on people who want to lose weight gained during quarantine, have access to comprehensive equipment and seek the irreplaceable communal aspect of a gym.

Olympian Apolo Ohno Invests in At-Home Fitness Company Brrrn: ‘I Want to Be Happy, Healthy, and Strong’
Business | People | May 18, 2021

Athletech’s Take:
Olympian Apolo Ohno adds his name to the growing list of fitness celebrities leveraging their reputations to promote fitness and wellness products. Ohno, the decorated gold medalist, announced earlier this week that he is taking the role of investor and partner of Brrrn, an at-home workout that utilizes a slide board. “I’ve used slide boards my entire career in pursuit of Olympic Gold; it’s been a critical item to keep my body healthy, strong, and adaptable to any situation,” Ohno told PEOPLE. In addition to his work with Brrrn, Ohno — whose father is Japanese — has been active with advocacy work following the spike in racist attacks faced by Asians, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) in the past year.

NYC’s Boutique Gyms Face Operational Crunch in Reopening Studios
Business | Bloomberg | May 19, 2021

Athletech’s Take:
Businesses ranging from restaurants to construction, as well as boutique workout studios are struggling to get back on their feet. Operational barriers like finding workers is one more hurdle they are trying to overcome  as theyregain their footing after 14 months of financial hardship. An example of this can be seen at Mile High Run Club, a New York City based running studio, which is down to seven running coaches from 21 a year ago. Many coaches moved to more rural places like Colorado to escape from the pandemic and don’t appear to be returning soon. Staffing trouble is making it hard to get all of its locations open. Sarah Levey, owner of New York hot yoga-focused Y7 Studio, is hoping to restart classes at about half of her original 15 studios (the rest have permanently closed).  She points to challenges beyond staffing — not only did she have to lay off many of her stauff, she is now sitting on overdue rent payments and operational costs. “We’re not capitalized like bigger brands,“ Levey said. “I don’t think people realize our limited capabilities.”

Blink Fitness’ SVP of Marketing Talks Pivoting Amid the Pandemic and the Power of Influencer Marketing
Marketing | eMarketer | May 19, 2021

Athletech’s Take:
Michelle Horowitz, senior vice president and head of marketing and communications at Blink Fitness, talks about the future of Blink and how they endured the last 14 months. Key marketing strategies include expanded online workout classes that the company began offering last year and the use of micro-influencers and their respective followers. In addition to integrated marketing campaigns, Blink also recently launched on TikTok, which provides an additional opportunity to authentically reach people digitally.