As the fitness market matures, growth is becoming less exponential and more incremental, compelling operators to work harder than ever to earn their share of the market.
Those with the best strategy and execution are pulling away from the rest of the pack. The European fitness market's total revenue grew by 10 per cent in 2024, but the largest 20 operators increased revenue by an average of 15 per cent (Deloitte 2025 European Health and Fitness Market Report).
Health clubs have fixed overheads and capacity, so every decision an operator makes will have a positive or negative impact on profitability and from the floorplan to the timetable and the marketing approach, every choice matters.
A well-defined strategy provides a framework for making informed choices, ensuring they align with overall goals and long-term vision.
People power
It’s the members who make a club truly great, and the makeup of the membership is one of the biggest determinants of success. In sport, MVPs (most valuable players) are the difference-makers – the margin between success and failure. In gyms, MVPs (Most Valuable Participants) are the superusers with the potential to transform the business.
This is the standout finding of a new report – MVPs: The New Power Players in Club Growth – which offers a powerful playbook for operators to enable them win a greater share of the market.
To unearth the findings, independent fitness data experts ROR Partners and 4Global reviewed 2.6 million member journeys across leading clubs in the US and Europe, mining data about their in-club behaviours to offer a comprehensive analysis of the MVP profile.
Although innovation is a cornerstone in the modern club playbook, analysis of members’ activities found that operators nailing the fundamentals are the ones attracting the most loyal members.
“In a post-COVID world of changing behaviours, this study gives the sector the independent insight it needs to understand what’s working,” says 4Global’s Neil Tandy.
“The report – MVPs: The New Power Players in Club Growth – delivers a clear, evidence-based view of the global health club landscape.”
The findings
The analysis found that MVPs attend their club 65 per cent more than typical gym members and stay with their club 39 per cent longer (23 months vs 16 months). They’re also 88 per cent more likely to remain an active member after 12 months and have a 27 per cent higher lifetime value (LTV) than typical health club members.
As a benchmark, top performing clubs in the world see that between 30 and 50 per cent of their members are MVPs.
Loyalty and retention of MVPs are both linked to the availability of ‘favourite activities’ on the timetable, with 53 per cent of the MVP group saying they will pay more for their favourite activities and 93 per cent saying that doing their favourite activities keeps them loyal.
The study found that clubs that offer 'favourite activities' that attract MVPs have a 65 per cent lower attrition rate each month when compared with clubs that don't offer them, with the lower rate at 3 per cent, versus the higher rate at 8.6 per cent.
This means that clubs that don't offer 'favourite activities' to attract MVPs have an attrition rate that's 187 per cent higher each month.
The superuser mindset
Rather than representing a certain personality type, MVPs are defined by their behaviours, meaning anyone can become one with support and engagement.
MVPs love their club more than any other type of customer, staying longer – solving retention challenges – referring more friends to drive acquisition and spending more. By targeting the acquisition of MVPs, operators can be confident they’ll join and stay for the long haul.
MVPs are also most interested in the areas of the club that have the biggest capacity, such as studios meaning more of them can be accommodated without overcrowding.
Impact on growth
Delving further into club economics, the research spotlights the importance of strategy in enabling operators to achieve sustainable growth.
With the increasing cost of real estate placing a premium on space, it examines the contribution made by margin – how many members each area of a club can support – and the resultant impact on the bottom line if operators calibrate member acquisition to optimise space utilisation.
As well as highlighting the areas of the club where MVPs are most active, the report contains a strategic action plan for operators to enable them to apply the findings. Covering everything from capacity, instructors and marketing, it’s a toolkit to maximise a club’s superusers.
Real-world examples from leading global operators bring the action plan to life with practical perspectives on the challenges clubs face and successful tactics to overcome them.
Download the report: www.HCMmag.com/MVPs
