Blair’s POV: Top Trends for 2023

Each month Blair McHaney, the CEO of MXM, sits down with Rachel Zabonick-Chonko, the editor-in-chief of Club Solutions Magazine, for a frank discussion on the current state of the fitness industry.

BLAIR MCHANEY’S POV SHOW NOTES

Recovery and “Hardcore” Spaces

• More and more fitness operators are turning small bets they made in these spaces into big bets. That says their small bets have proven to be effective.
• Some gyms have “hardcore” weights only and there are no cardio machines at all. Organizations that have grown very fast are not afraid to get into that hardcore space, and it appears to be paying off for them.

Cycling Studios

• There are many cycling studios that are struggling in big clubs where they were formerly thriving. Companies are now rethinking these spaces.
• Possibly these spaces may be repurposed into areas for different activities.

Pickleball

• One of the biggest potential trends for 2023 is the belief pickleball will stay around for a long time.
• Racquetball and Handball had different conditions and features which made those trends less sustainable.
• Pickleball is more friendly to an audience, it lends itself to TV better and it attracts the inexperienced.
• In many ways, it has a very high trajectory because of how different it is from other racquet sports.

Video

• Thanks to social media websites like Tik Tok, many clubs are engaging with video to expand reach to their communities.
• The more consumers consume videos, the more they will expect it in other places. Videos are what people are engaging the most with right now.
• Social media is great for marketing, but there can be frustrations when things go wrong. One example of this is when accounts get hacked.

In-person Events

• In-person meetings and retreats will continue to be one of the positive trends for 2023.
• Spots are already filling up for the 2023 Club Solutions Leadership Retreat which is scheduled for September 10-12. Spots are already full for the 2023 Club Solutions Leadership Summit scheduled for May 24-26.

Customer Service

• When clubs get this right, it can be a huge addition and benefit. However, any gym that makes it difficult for patrons to cancel memberships will only cause more issues.

For more insights from Blair McHaney and to learn more about MXM, the world’s leading experts on Operational Member Experience Management, visit mxmetrics.com.