Golds vs Fitness First in Australia

[musclenz]

Just back from Sydney & its interesting to note that Golds Gyms are taking on Fitness First in Australia. They plan to have a large number of gyms in direct competition to Fitness First, Australias biggest Gym Franchaise up & running in 2009. I visited Golds at Parramatta & the gear & fitout was state of the art. Would be great to see them back on the NZ scene. But they will need to take on the new Quest Franchaise who also plan to have several new gyms operating in major NZ cities very soon. First one now open in Ferrymead, CHC. 2 more planned in Ch by end of 2009.

[orange]

Quest are pushing that whole American idea of a 'health club' rather than the stinky sweaty gyms that Kiwi's know and love. It will be interesting to see which ones survive the downturn over the next few years.

[orange]

In Singapore, Fitness First go head to head with California Fitness. Both chains offer amazing purpose built facilities, spotless cleaning, great service and loads of stunning equipment. But the membership sales people are best avoided - and memberships really cost a fortune.

[teamfatboy]

It'll be interesting indeed - I used a couple of Fitness Firsts in Melbourne last year, found them "very good" but not exceptionally well equipped.

Can't speak for other NZ cities, but Wellington area's got City Fitness, Les Mills, Lifestyle, Bodyworks, Contours, Configure, Habit, Exodus, Sync - some have 3-4 locations, some only one - and that's before you look at all the companies and building-owners putting in gyms.

I think AO's right, some of these first will go to the wall..

[Optimass]

Membership prices being driven low due to the credit crunch will make it hard for external franchises/health club operators to crack into NZ. Raising capital for a start up gym/health club is going to be hard as most banks see the investment in a membership as discretionary spending / luxury items. (Not impossible provided you know what to present)

Also food for thought is that the PPCA are currently taking on the Australian fitness industry to collect royalty revenue from music broadcast in classes and weight rooms. The estimated cost if they win will be an increase for a medium sized club of about $8 per week, per member, which in NZ would significantly inpact on the affordability of memberships as gym owners wont be keen to absorb the cost. (If they beat Oz they will walk straight into NZ as our industry doesn't have the collective funds to fight it).

http://www.ppca.com.au/

also to note ...... GOLDs NZ was not to my knowledge part of the international franchise. I believe there were a number of legal discussions before Nolan sold it to Frank who changed the name anyway.

[Luigi]

what a load of bullshit, who wants to pay an extra 8 bux a week to listen to some shitty gym music

[Optimass]

what a load of bullshit, who wants to pay an extra 8 bux a week to listen to some shitty gym music

the case they are presenting is that without music you dont have a class. Without classes the viability of med/large clubs is significantly reduced.

[musclenz]

It'll be interesting indeed - I used a couple of Fitness Firsts in Melbourne last year, found them "very good" but not exceptionally well equipped.

Can't speak for other NZ cities, but Wellington area's got City Fitness, Les Mills, Lifestyle, Bodyworks, Contours, Configure, Habit, Exodus, Sync - some have 3-4 locations, some only one - and that's before you look at all the companies and building-owners putting in gyms.

I think AO's right, some of these first will go to the wall..

Yeah the Fitness First gym I used in Syd CBD was poorly equiped for the BBer. I was searching around for enough plates for leg press More geared to machine work & cardio & the machines were not anatomically designed as those in new Golds & Quest. However, I think we need to be aware that the BBer is only a small percentage of those that use gyms these days, so they cater for general fitness & cardio training.

[musclenz]

what a load of bullshit, who wants to pay an extra 8 bux a week to listen to some shitty gym music

the case they are presenting is that without music you dont have a class. Without classes the viability of med/large clubs is significantly reduced.

This could be a really big issue for NZ gyms. Does anyone know whether they now pay any Phonographic Performance fees? they stung me in my cafe last year nearly $300. Its a racket now with Internet downloads etc.

[Sportsgirl]

what a load of bullshit, who wants to pay an extra 8 bux a week to listen to some shitty gym music

the case they are presenting is that without music you dont have a class. Without classes the viability of med/large clubs is significantly reduced.

Here's an idea: how about the people that use the classes absorb the cost? My gym does two different memberships: one for if you're using weights only and an added cost if you're using the weights AND classes.

[aidangro]

i used fitness first in the uk, one of the biggest in the country!! did not have one bench press!!!! :twisted: it had a smith machine (that sucked) and a free weights area that had dumbbells going up to 45kgS!! :evil:

it had a massive cardio and machine weights area but f*ck it sucked,

city fitness i now use in palmy is the dogs bullocks. totally set for bodybuilding

[Pseudonym]

I had thought that if you played radio, rather than your own CDs, you would be exempt from performance fees as the radio stations had already paid them. But more recently I heard someone suggest that wasn't the case. It seems wrong that fees should be collected at both ends. :?

[musclenz]

No Psuedo, radio is not exempt. Its also price determined by how many people are likely to be using/hearing the music, so I expect in a large gym it could be quite expensive.

[Dragon]

That is a huge cost for gyms driven by large memberships. What about CDs? Does buying a CD allow you to play it in the gym? I know know that buying a DVD is not a licence to play it to gatherings, events etc.

[InZane]

Anyone else used to work out at the old Golds on Nelson St?

My first Gym membership back in 1988. It was a real dungeon with more hardcore types and it was filled with fantastic Polaris heavy duty gear.

Now, the US Golds are really top class clean and cheerful places...not my cup of tea. :pfft:

=iZ.

[Optimass]

what a load of bullshit, who wants to pay an extra 8 bux a week to listen to some shitty gym music

the case they are presenting is that without music you dont have a class. Without classes the viability of med/large clubs is significantly reduced.

Here's an idea: how about the people that use the classes absorb the cost? My gym does two different memberships: one for if you're using weights only and an added cost if you're using the weights AND classes.

I through a whole lot of ideasa up in the air myself - the concern is the agency doesnt get clear visability and therefore easy for clubs to fudge. One bllanket fee is easier to manage.

[Optimass]

Anyone else used to work out at the old Golds on Nelson St?

My first Gym membership back in 1988. It was a real dungeon with more hardcore types and it was filled with fantastic Polaris heavy duty gear.

Now, the US Golds are really top class clean and cheerful places...not my cup of tea. :pfft:

=iZ.

:nod:

[Optimass]

That is a huge cost for gyms driven by large memberships. What about CDs? Does buying a CD allow you to play it in the gym? I know know that buying a DVD is not a licence to play it to gatherings, events etc.

Gym owners pay APRA for the use of TVs - $168 +gst per big screen per year / or for 4 x small tvs/

This is similar liscence you pay for broadcasting fees. The PCAA fee is essentially paying to play music tracks for commercial benefit.

[Optimass]

No Psuedo, radio is not exempt. Its also price determined by how many people are likely to be using/hearing the music, so I expect in a large gym it could be quite expensive.

:nod:

[Optimass]

what a load of bullshit, who wants to pay an extra 8 bux a week to listen to some shitty gym music

the case they are presenting is that without music you dont have a class. Without classes the viability of med/large clubs is significantly reduced.

This could be a really big issue for NZ gyms. Does anyone know whether they now pay any Phonographic Performance fees? they stung me in my cafe last year nearly $300. Its a racket now with Internet downloads etc.

Is that an APRA fee? sounds like it. APRA fees are not paid to the artist - the PPCA claim they distribute their fees to the artists but I'm told that not a lot of money gets past on.

What I had planned to do was to offer mix cds at the front counter and thus because I was selling the music I was merely demonstrating it in order to make a sale the same as any other music store. not sure if it would work but would take them a while to figure out how to get round it without having to charge their retailers.

[mr natural]

i don't think the music in gyms would be missed that much anyway, most people seem to bring ipods ect to the gym now anyway.

[teamfatboy]

Now, the US Golds are really top class clean and cheerful places...not my cup of tea. :pfft:

=iZ.

Um...not all Golds are clean and cheerful - I checked out a couple of Golds on the East Coast and they were ropey as, dark, suffering from lack of investment (rust on the Nautilus machine frames), and cleaners (by the smell)...I got the impression that the franchising wasn't being managed.

They'd have the same issue here, I think...once the new-paint smell has worn off the walls and the equipment, it comes down to things like how much are they prepared to pay their staff, and how badly do they want to pocket the profit...that's before they include things like paying franchise/ licensing for a known-brand group fitness scheme.

[Optimass]

Um...not all Golds are clean and cheerful - I checked out a couple of Golds on the East Coast and they were ropey as, dark, suffering from lack of investment (rust on the Nautilus machine frames), and cleaners (by the smell)...

Sounds like a real gym .... where do I sign up?

[musclenz]

the case they are presenting is that without music you dont have a class. Without classes the viability of med/large clubs is significantly reduced.

This could be a really big issue for NZ gyms. Does anyone know whether they now pay any Phonographic Performance fees? they stung me in my cafe last year nearly $300. Its a racket now with Internet downloads etc.

Is that an APRA fee? sounds like it. APRA fees are not paid to the artist - the PPCA claim they distribute their fees to the artists but I'm told that not a lot of money gets past on.

What I had planned to do was to offer mix cds at the front counter and thus because I was selling the music I was merely demonstrating it in order to make a sale the same as any other music store. not sure if it would work but would take them a while to figure out how to get round it without having to charge their retailers.

yep its a Phonographic Performance License (PPNZ). Thats an interesting idea you got Opt, not sure if that would cut the mustard with those buggers. I wonder whether a retail music shop needs one, same sort of situation I guess.

[Optimass]

This could be a really big issue for NZ gyms. Does anyone know whether they now pay any Phonographic Performance fees? they stung me in my cafe last year nearly $300. Its a racket now with Internet downloads etc.

Is that an APRA fee? sounds like it. APRA fees are not paid to the artist - the PPCA claim they distribute their fees to the artists but I'm told that not a lot of money gets past on.

What I had planned to do was to offer mix cds at the front counter and thus because I was selling the music I was merely demonstrating it in order to make a sale the same as any other music store. not sure if it would work but would take them a while to figure out how to get round it without having to charge their retailers.

yep its a Phonographic Performance License (PPNZ). Thats an interesting idea you got Opt, not sure if that would cut the mustard with those buggers. I wonder whether a retail music shop needs one, same sort of situation I guess.

I don't think it does because the angle in Australia was that an aerobics class without music wouldn't be that motivating .... so the gym was benefitting more from the relationship. a music store needs to demo to sell it on behalf of the artist. ... would be cutting off their own hands.