I was one of the first CrossFit affiliates to pay $1000 per year. In 2008, there were only eight CrossFit affiliates in Ontario. We used to get on conference calls and talk about paying for radio ads to “get the CrossFit name out there.” No one around us had ever heard of it, and if they had, they were already doing CrossFit in their garage. They were probably better at it than we were. Over the last ten years, I’ve watched CrossFit grow from a counterculture signpost to the most leveragable brand in fitness. I’ve had a unique vantage point, from early affiliate owner to HQ employee to business mentor for its affiliates. I wish every affiliate owner could see inside the HQ machine; while the mission isn’t always clear to outsiders like me, the INTENT is immediately obvious, and carried like a flag by every single human on the inside. They believe in the mission, and they’re willing to suffer for their affiliates. This is nothing new. But having a HQ full of caring humans is very rare, especially in a company growing at CrossFit’s pace. Any company with 3 staff members has an “amazing support team”. It’s much harder to do that at scale, but CrossFit has done it. And that’s the foundation for the rising value of the brand. Consider what your $3000 per year (even payable monthly now!) gets you: The most powerful brand in fitness TV play for your brand, thanks to ESPN and subsidiaries Posters and t-shirts and shoes with your brand on them, thanks to Reebok Immediate brand recognition by anyone considering fitness, at least in North America Media you can copy and share every single day A plastic brand you can use almost any way you want Daily content you can repeat to your clients An industry-wide standard for coaching. We no longer accept drop-ins from people ...
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