Crunch Fitness
Crunch Fitness is a franchise-based gym chain with over 500 locations offering budget memberships starting at $9.99/month alongside premium Crunch Signature clubs in major cities. Founded in 1989 in New York's Greenwich Village, the brand has been through bankruptcy, multiple private equity owners (TPG Growth, now Leonard Green & Partners at $1.5B+ valuation), and rapid franchise expansion fueled by PE investment at both the brand and franchisee levels.
Score generated by AI agents based on publicly cited evidence and reviewed by the project maintainer. Not independently validated. Last assessed 2026-10-01. Score revised 2026-10-01: 50 → 49.
Score History
Timeline events are AI-curated from public reporting. Score trajectory is derived from documented events.
Doug Levine founds Crunch as a single basement studio in Greenwich Village with a 'No Judgments' philosophy combining fitness with entertainment. Low enshittification: independent ownership, quirky programming (pole dancing, capoeira, drag queen aerobics), transparent pricing, minimal lock-in. The brand is small, owner-operated, and genuinely differentiated.
Bally Total Fitness acquires Crunch for $90 million, absorbing the 19-location quirky brand into a corporate fitness conglomerate. Bally runs Crunch as a separate upscale brand with its own membership pricing. Bally's own financial troubles eventually drag Crunch down, leading to the brand being sold for half price four years later.
Angelo Gordon acquires Crunch from Bally for $45 million — half the original price — inheriting overpriced leases and a declining brand. Under PE ownership and fitness veteran Marc Tascher, Crunch operates 21 locations but struggles financially. The PE ownership structure introduces extraction incentives, though the small scale limits their impact. Financial distress leads to Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2009.
After Chapter 11 in 2009, Crunch's assets passed to New Evolution Fitness (Mark Mastrov, Jim Rowley) with Angelo Gordon, and Crunch began franchising in 2010, reaching 100 franchised clubs by 2015. The shift moved operating risk to franchisees while the brand earned royalties. Labor friction surfaced in 2016, when New York trainers sued over 15 to 21 hours a week of unpaid club duties.
Crunch passed one million members across more than 225 locations in September 2017, and the volume-driven high-value, low-price model began producing persistent overcrowding complaints. Litigation followed scale: a 2017 TCPA suit over marketing texts, an Illinois biometric suit against a franchisee, a 2018 Pennsylvania suit over an unauthorized fee upgrade, and the 2018 Ninth Circuit loss in Marks v. Crunch San Diego, which Crunch took toward the Supreme Court before settling.
TPG Growth bought Crunch (about 315 locations) in July 2019 and North Castle backed CR Fitness, starting PE ownership at both brand and franchisee level. Crunch froze memberships during the 2020 closures and grew to 400 clubs and two million members by 2022. Complaints and suits over post-cancellation billing grew, including a 2021 Florida suit alleging 60+ collection calls to a man who said he had cancelled, alongside a 2020 off-the-clock suit against Crunch LLC and 2022 wage class actions against Harman Fitness clubs.
From October 2023 private equity bought into Crunch's largest franchise groups in quick succession: VMG (Undefeated Tribe), CapitalSpring (Primetime Fitness), Trive Capital (JF Fitness and Crunch Canada) and Meaningful Partners (Fitness Ventures, debt-financed by Ares). TINA.org documented in January 2024 that the '$9.99 a month' ads left out commitment, processing, enrollment and annual fees, and a 2024 Pennsylvania suit alleged Crunch refused to let a member cancel. Pizza Hut veteran Chequan Lewis became president, and Crunch passed three million members in January 2025.
Leonard Green & Partners agreed in April 2025 to buy a majority of Crunch from TPG Growth, closing in June at a value above $1.5 billion, and the brand set a 1,000-gym target, opening 91 clubs in 2025 and planning about 100 in 2026. Franchise groups keep consolidating under PE owners while Crunch 3.0 remodels add amenities. Drip pricing and cancellation friction persist: a 2026 California suit alleges the annual fee is hidden until late in checkout. Chequan Lewis succeeded Jim Rowley as CEO in June 2026.
Alternatives
Nonprofit community fitness centers with pools, childcare, and group classes. Significantly less enshittified than most commercial gyms. Income-based pricing makes it accessible. Cancellation is typically straightforward. Facilities vary by location but tend toward community-oriented rather than extraction-oriented.
The largest budget gym chain with 2,600+ locations and similar $15/month pricing. Comparable to Crunch with similar cancellation friction and hidden fee patterns. Not an improvement on enshittification but widely available if switching locations.
24-hour franchise gym with 5,000+ locations worldwide offering key-fob access and a more personal, less crowded experience than budget mega-gyms. Membership runs $30-50/month. Franchise quality varies, and cancellation can still be difficult, but smaller club sizes reduce overcrowding. Easy switch.
Dimensional Breakdown
Summaries below were written by AI agents based on the cited evidence. They are editorial interpretations, not independent research findings.
Dimension History
Timeline (57 events)
Doug Levine Founds Crunch in Greenwich Village Basement
Former stockbroker Doug Levine opens a small fitness studio in a Greenwich Village basement with a 'No Judgments' philosophy, combining entertainment with diverse fitness offerings. The quirky brand appeals to young, upscale New Yorkers and becomes known for unconventional classes.
Crunch Pioneers Pole Dancing and Capoeira Classes
Crunch introduces pole dancing and capoeira fitness classes, pioneering unconventional programming that blends entertainment with exercise. The brand also offers bicycle-based yoga, coed wrestling, and an 'Abs, Thighs and Gossip' class run by a drag queen, cementing its reputation as a creative, inclusive gym.
Bally Total Fitness Acquires Crunch for $90 Million
Chicago-based Bally Total Fitness acquires Crunch Fitness for approximately $90 million in cash and stock ($20 million cash plus 3 million shares). The deal transfers all 19 Crunch locations across five states. Founder Doug Levine stays on as a consultant, but Crunch loses its independent identity under a corporate fitness conglomerate.
Angelo Gordon Buys Crunch from Bally for $45M — Half Price
Private equity firm Angelo, Gordon & Co. and fitness industry veteran Marc Tascher purchase Crunch from Bally Total Fitness for $45 million — half the $90 million Bally paid four years earlier. The deal transfers 21 Crunch locations plus four affiliated San Francisco gyms. Bally's retreat marks the company's exit from the high-end health club market.
Crunch Files Chapter 11 Bankruptcy
Crunch Fitness files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in U.S. court, citing declining membership and overpriced, long-term lease agreements. Core assets are sold via Section 363 sale to New Evolution Fitness Company (co-founded by 24 Hour Fitness founder Mark Mastrov and veteran Jim Rowley) and Angelo, Gordon & Co., allowing the brand to emerge under new management.
Crunch Launches Franchise Model Under New Management
Under new owners New Evolution Ventures (co-founded by Mark Mastrov and Jim Rowley) and equity partner Angelo Gordon, Crunch begins franchising for the first time in 2010. The franchise model shifts revenue generation from direct gym operations to franchise fees and royalties. By November 2010 Crunch had seven franchise clubs open, with more than 50 others in the works.
Crunch Signs 42-Location Franchise Deal in Northeast
Crunch Franchise announces a deal with Fitness Holdings & RLB Holdings to open 42 locations across New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, and Pennsylvania, marking the brand's first major multi-unit franchise commitment. The deal signals the transition from boutique gym brand to mass-market franchise operation.
Crunch Launches Crunch Live Digital Platform
Crunch introduces Crunch Live, the first digital platform by a national gym brand featuring videos of actual class formats offered in the gym. Monthly subscriptions cost $9.99, matching the base gym membership price. The platform represents an early attempt to monetize the brand beyond physical locations.
Crunch Opens 100th Franchise Location in Five Years
Crunch Fitness opens its 100th franchise location in Mason, Ohio, achieving the milestone in just five years from the launch of the franchise company. The rapid expansion demonstrates the franchise model's scalability but begins introducing consistency challenges across the growing network.
New York Crunch Trainers Sue Over Unpaid Club Duties
Two trainers from the Crunch on East 59th Street in Manhattan file a class action in New York state Supreme Court on behalf of 30 to 40 Crunch trainers, alleging they performed 15 to 21 hours a week of club duties without pay in violation of state law and seeking up to $200,000 in lost wages.
Illinois Biometric Privacy Suit Over Fingerprint Check-Ins
A member at a Chicago-area Crunch owned by franchisee Chicago Fit Ventures sues under Illinois's Biometric Information Privacy Act, alleging the club required fingerprint scans to check in to personal training sessions without informed consent or disclosure of how long the data would be kept.
Crunch Reaches One Million Members Across 225+ Locations
Crunch announces reaching the one-million-member mark across more than 225 locations in 24 states and multiple countries, with a 77% compound annual growth rate in clubs and 42% in members since franchising began in 2010. The rapid member growth begins to outpace facility capacity at many locations.
TCPA Class Action Filed Over Unsolicited Crunch Marketing Texts
Plaintiff Maritza Castrellon files a TCPA class action (Castrellon v. Fitness Club Management LLC, Case No. 2:17-cv-08825, C.D. Cal.) against the operators of Crunch Fitness gyms in California, including franchisee Harman Fitness, alleging they sent unsolicited promotional text messages to her cell phone advertising the Van Nuys location. Messages continued despite her request to stop. The suit seeks to represent non-members who received such texts since October 24, 2013.
Ninth Circuit Rules Against Crunch in Landmark TCPA Text Case
In Marks v. Crunch San Diego, a unanimous Ninth Circuit panel vacates summary judgment for Crunch over marketing texts, holding that the TCPA's autodialer definition covers equipment that automatically dials stored numbers. Crunch petitioned the Supreme Court in January 2019, then settled, leaving the broad ruling as Ninth Circuit precedent.
Pennsylvania Class Action Alleges Auto-Renewal Without Consent
Plaintiff Valerie Abbott files a class action against Cornerstone Fitness Waterfront LLC (d/b/a Crunch Waterfront) alleging Crunch unilaterally upgraded her base membership from $9.95 to $19.95 monthly without prior notice or consent in violation of Pennsylvania's Health Club Act and Unfair Trade Practices law. Abbott had signed a membership agreement in 2014 and discovered the unauthorized upgrade in March 2018.
North Castle Partners Leads Majority Investment in CR Fitness
Private equity firm North Castle Partners makes a majority investment in CR Fitness Holdings, then a 19-club Crunch franchisee. This marks the beginning of PE layering at the franchisee level within the Crunch system, with a dedicated PE firm controlling the largest franchise group independent of the brand-level PE owner.
Crunch Launches 2019 TV and Digital Campaign with StrawberryFrog
Crunch debuts a 2019 TV, digital and social campaign with agency StrawberryFrog built around humor and its 'No Judgments' culture. At the time Crunch served over 1.3 million members at over 300 gyms.
TPG Growth Acquires Crunch from Angelo Gordon
TPG Growth, the middle market and growth equity arm of alternative asset firm TPG, partners with management to acquire Crunch Fitness from Angelo, Gordon & Co., including the company-owned Signature facilities and the global franchising business. At the time Crunch had 315 locations in the U.S., Australia, Canada and Spain. Financial terms were not disclosed.
COVID-19 Closures: Crunch Freezes Memberships
As state emergency orders close gyms, Crunch says it has put an 'indefinite freeze' on memberships affected by closures, will not pursue collections on past-due balances until clubs reopen, and will credit fees paid while clubs were closed. The policy applies to company-owned locations; franchise guidance may differ.
Personal Trainer Sues Crunch LLC Over Off-the-Clock Work
A proposed class action alleges Crunch, LLC required personal trainers in California to work off the clock, coerced them to clock out after each session and keep working, altered timecards to reduce hours, required work through meal and rest breaks, paid sick time and PTO at the minimum rate, and refused split shift premiums (Case No. 3:20-cv-02362).
Crunch Grows During Pandemic While Competitors Contract
In a 2022 sponsored profile, Crunch says it was the only major gym brand to grow memberships during the COVID shutdowns (up 5.6%) while over 20% of the fitness industry closed, that it stopped billing members during closures, and that only 2% cancelled.
Ontario Crunch Franchisee Charges Members During Lockdown
Members of Crunch clubs in Cambridge, Ontario report monthly dues being charged while the gyms were closed under provincial lockdown. Lawyers overseeing the franchise group's court-supervised restructuring, begun after the Bank of Montreal sought receivership over unpaid debt, accuse it of using member fees to stay solvent; some members file Consumer Protection Act complaints.
Florida Suit Alleges 60+ Collection Calls After Member Cancelled
An Orlando man who says he completed all the paperwork to cancel his Crunch membership shortly after joining in late 2019 files a proposed TCPA and Florida Consumer Collection Practices Act class action (No. 6:21-cv-01177), alleging Crunch placed no fewer than 60 autodialed collection calls telling him to come into a gym to fix his account, after he repeatedly asked them to stop.
Crunch Exceeds 128% of Pre-Pandemic Membership Levels
By October 2021, Crunch Franchise reports membership levels at 128% of pre-pandemic numbers, significantly outpacing the industry, with its closest competitor reporting only 97% recovery. The aggressive post-COVID growth drives increasing overcrowding complaints at popular locations as membership sales outpace facility capacity.
Crunch Settles Transgender Discrimination Lawsuit with ACLU
Crunch Fitness reaches a settlement in a discrimination lawsuit filed in 2018 by the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing on behalf of Christynne Wood, a transgender woman denied access to the women's locker room at the Crunch gym in El Cajon after nine years of membership. Announced by the ACLU, the settlement includes a payment and anti-discrimination training for all the gym's employees.
North Castle Recapitalizes CR Fitness for Continued Expansion
Private equity firm North Castle Partners, which led a majority investment in CR Fitness Holdings in 2019, recapitalizes the business in 2022. CR Fitness becomes the largest Crunch franchisee.
Crunch Opens 400th Location in San Angelo, Texas
Crunch opens its 400th gym location in San Angelo, Texas, operated by franchisee Undefeated Tribe. Crunch had about 315 locations when TPG acquired it in 2019. Crunch says the milestone makes it the number one brand in the high-value, low-price gym category.
Crunch Celebrates Two Million Members
Crunch reaches the two-million-member mark, growing from one million to two million in less than five years at a 15% compound annual member growth rate. Membership is 30% above pre-COVID levels. Franchise CEO Ben Midgley says franchisees were 'hugely instrumental' in the brand's growth.
Crunch Launches Crunch+ Digital Streaming Platform
Crunch introduces Crunch+, a new on-demand and live-streamed workout platform priced at $6.99/month retail or $1.99/month for existing Crunch members. The platform replaces the legacy Crunch Live service, adding another monetization layer and providing an additional revenue stream for the franchise system.
Wage and Hour Class Actions Filed Against 25 Crunch Gyms
Custis Law announces two class actions (filed in 2022 in Los Angeles County Superior Court, Case Nos. 22STCV18360 and 22STCV18386) against 25 California Crunch Fitness gyms, 23 owned by franchisee Harman Fitness and all managed by Harman with Fitness Club Management. They allege failures to pay minimum wages and overtime, off-the-clock work, edited time records, denied meal and rest periods, unreimbursed expenses and inaccurate wage statements, for employees from June 2018 onward.
Crunch Franchise Sued in Florida Over Promotional Texts
A proposed class action is filed against a Crunch franchise in Florida alleging plaintiff Monica Meraz received around 20 promotional text messages in one month although her number was on the National Do Not Call Registry. Because of 2023 amendments to the Florida Telephone Solicitation Act, the case proceeds as a Do Not Call claim.
VMG Partners Acquires Majority Stake in Crunch Franchisee Undefeated Tribe
Private equity firm VMG Partners acquires a majority stake in Undefeated Tribe, a 16-unit Crunch franchisee across Texas and Oklahoma. CEO Tony Hartl remains the largest minority stakeholder, with a 'stretch goal' of 50 locations by 2025. The deal marks VMG's entry into franchise investment.
CapitalSpring Takes Controlling Stake in Primetime Fitness Crunch Franchisee
Private equity firm CapitalSpring takes a controlling stake in Primetime Fitness Partners, owners of nine Crunch gyms in Michigan, in a deal finalized in mid-December 2023. Crunch franchising CEO Ben Midgley says 50 to 75 new locations in the Detroit and Lansing area are 'very realistic', and that about seven PE firms are already in the franchise system, with at least 20 more hunting for deals.
Crunch Ranks #1 Fitness Franchise on Entrepreneur 500 List
Crunch Fitness takes the #1 spot in the fitness category and #29 overall on the 2024 Entrepreneur Franchise 500, the most competitive year with a record 1,389 franchise submissions. The ranking reflects strong unit growth, training support for franchisees, and robust financial performance — but does not account for consumer satisfaction or cancellation complaints.
TINA.org Documents Hidden Fees in Crunch Advertising
Truth in Advertising (TINA.org) investigates Crunch Fitness TV ads promoting memberships 'starting at $9.99 a month' and documents undisclosed fees: the $9.99 rate requires a 12-month commitment (otherwise $15.99), plus a $2/month processing fee, $34-$40 enrollment fee, and annual fee up to $89. Fee disclosure appears in 'minuscule print for only a couple seconds.'
Crunch Appoints Pizza Hut COO as President, Midgley Moves to Board
Crunch appoints Chequan Lewis, former COO of Pizza Hut U.S., as President. Ben Midgley, who had led franchising since 2009, transitions from CEO of Crunch Franchising to the Board of Directors. The hire signals Crunch's prioritization of rapid franchise scaling over fitness industry expertise — Lewis's background is in fast-food franchise operations.
Meaningful Partners Acquires Second-Largest Crunch Franchisee
Private equity firm Meaningful Partners completes its acquisition of Fitness Ventures LLC, the second-largest Crunch franchisee, operating 47 locations. Debt for the transaction is financed by Ares Management's credit group. Terms were not disclosed.
Crunch Sued for Sharing Workout-Video Data With Meta
A class action alleges Crunch LLC violated the Video Privacy Protection Act by embedding Meta's Pixel on its website and sending customers' Facebook IDs and the titles of workout videos they watched to Meta without consent.
HFA Achieves 48-1 Record Blocking Consumer Protection Bills
The Health & Fitness Association, of which Crunch is a member, reports a 48-1 record on key state legislation in 2024, successfully blocking or amending total-pricing transparency bills in five states. The HFA argues that total-pricing requirements would cause 'vague pricing' and 'reduced consumer clarity' — the opposite of the bills' stated intent.
Pennsylvania Member Sues, Alleging Crunch Refused to Let Him Cancel
A Pittsburgh-area member files suit in Allegheny County alleging Crunch told him he could not cancel without 30 days' notice, charged him for an extra month, 'refuses to let Plaintiff cancel' and kept charging and contacting him, in violation of Pennsylvania's consumer protection and credit extension laws.
Trive Capital Backs Crunch Canada, Its Second Crunch Franchisee
Trive Capital and 808 Capital Partners invest in Crunch Canada, the country's master franchisee with 19 company clubs and 13 sub-franchised clubs, which aims to nearly triple to 85-90 locations. It is Trive's second Crunch franchisee after JF Fitness of North America (24 clubs) earlier in 2024.
Crunch Reaches Three Million Members, Launches Crunch 3.0 Design
Crunch celebrates reaching three million members and unveils its Crunch 3.0 gym design at the Plano, Texas grand opening. The three-millionth member receives $3,000 in prizes. Growth from 1M to 2M took five years; 2M to 3M took just over two years. The rapid growth accelerates overcrowding at popular locations.
Crunch Announces 75-Gym Master Franchise Agreement for India
Crunch signs a master franchise agreement to bring a minimum of 75 gyms to India, led by former Gold's Gym India COO Nikhil Kakkar. India joins Australia, Canada, Costa Rica, Portugal, and Spain in the brand's international footprint. The expansion extends the franchise model's PE-driven growth logic to emerging markets.
PAGA Suit Alleges Crunch Underpays California Workers
A Private Attorneys General Act suit alleges Crunch Fitness failed to pay California employees for all hours worked, miscalculated overtime and had no procedure for accruing paid sick time.
Leonard Green & Partners Acquires Majority Stake from TPG Growth
Leonard Green & Partners agrees to acquire a majority interest in Crunch Fitness from TPG Growth and Crunch's minority shareholders. Since TPG's 2019 investment, Crunch added over 2.1 million members (a 176% increase) and 275 locations, more than doubling its unit count. The deal completes a buy, grow and sell cycle and makes LGP Crunch's third private-equity owner.
Largest Franchisee Buys 24 Hour Fitness's Florida Clubs
CR Fitness Holdings, then the largest Crunch franchisee at 75 gyms, buys all nine 24 Hour Fitness locations in Florida to convert to Crunch 3.0. CEO Tony Scrimale says it is better to take a competitor out of a territory whenever possible than to fight for market share.
Leonard Green Closes Crunch Deal Above $1.5 Billion
Leonard Green & Partners finalizes its majority acquisition of Crunch from TPG Growth and minority holders in June 2025 at a value above $1.5 billion. Rowley later says the brand, at about 575 gyms and opening at least two a week, is targeting 1,000 units and expects more than $2 billion in systemwide sales in 2026, up from $1.2 billion in 2024.
8th Circuit Vacates FTC Click-to-Cancel Rule
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 8th Circuit vacates the FTC's Click-to-Cancel rule days before it took effect, finding procedural deficiencies in the rulemaking. The Health & Fitness Association, which filed an amicus brief and lobbied against the rule, calls the decision 'a major victory for the fitness industry.' The vacatur removes the main federal cancellation mandate facing Crunch; state laws still apply.
Crunch Named to Inc. 5000 Fastest-Growing Private Companies
Crunch Fitness is named #4022 on the Inc. 5000 list with three-year revenue growth of 90%, a 48% increase in gym count, and 79% membership growth.
Sixth Street Invests $350M in Largest Crunch Franchisee CR Fitness
Global investment firm Sixth Street makes a $350 million minority investment in CR Fitness Holdings, the largest Crunch franchisee with 88 units. North Castle Partners, which invested in 2019 and recapitalized in 2022, remains the majority shareholder. The investment adds another layer to the multi-PE ownership structure.
NYC Issues Subscription Trap Compliance Warnings to 187 Gyms
New York City's Department of Consumer and Worker Protection sends warning notices to 187 gyms and health clubs regarding subscription trap compliance, following dozens of consumer complaints about bait-and-switch pricing and burdensome cancellation requirements. The crackdown follows Mayor Mamdani's executive orders targeting hidden junk fees and subscription traps across the city.
Crunch Opened 91 Clubs in 2025, Plans About 100 in 2026
Crunch reports opening 91 clubs in 2025, up 49% from 61 in 2024, and signing an estimated 4.27 million square feet of leases, with about 100 gym openings planned for 2026.
California Class Action Targets Crunch's Hidden Annual Fee
In Gao v. Crunch Holdings LLC (N.D. Cal. No. 5:26-cv-01170), a member alleges Crunch's online checkout uses drip pricing: advertised membership prices omit a mandatory annual fee that is revealed only late in checkout, in violation of California's Consumer Legal Remedies Act, False Advertising Law and Unfair Competition Law.
PE-Backed Fitness Ventures Buys Harman Fitness's 22 Clubs
Meaningful Partners-backed Fitness Ventures acquires 22 Crunch clubs in California and Texas from franchisee Harman Fitness, becoming the system's largest operator at 115 locations, ahead of Sixth Street- and North Castle-backed CR Fitness at nearly 100. It pledges more than $50 million in facility upgrades.
Chequan Lewis Succeeds Jim Rowley as CEO
Crunch names president Chequan Lewis, a former Pizza Hut U.S. COO, as CEO; Jim Rowley, CEO since 2019, becomes Executive Chairman. Crunch describes itself as a $1.5 billion systemwide enterprise with more than 550 gyms and 3.5 million members.
Crunch Corporate Buys Bay Area Franchise Group
Crunch closes its acquisition of the eight clubs run by franchisee Bay Area Crunchers, bringing its corporate-owned Bay Area footprint to 16 clubs and consolidating all regional locations under one owner.
Mandeville Members Sue After Employee's Voyeurism Arrest
Six women file a proposed federal class action against Crunch Fitness of Mandeville, Louisiana, after a former employee was arrested for allegedly recording women in tanning booths. They allege the club failed to bar personal devices from private areas, failed to vet and supervise the employee, and never notified members after learning of the arrest. Crunch said it fired the employee immediately.
Evidence (43 citations)
D1: User Value Erosion
D2: Business Customer Exploitation
D3: Shareholder Extraction
D4: Lock-in & Switching Costs
D5: Twiddling & Algorithmic Opacity
D6: Dark Patterns
D7: Advertising & Monetization Pressure
D8: Competitive Conduct
D9: Labor & Governance
D10: Regulatory & Legal Posture
Scoring Log (7 entries)
Checked 86 items (40 timeline, 37 evidence, 6 milestones, 3 alternatives) + prose. 41 verified, 35 corrected (19 date-only), 8 re-sourced, 2 removed (dead/soft-404). Invented: 'Feel Good, Not Bad' as a 2019 StrawberryFrog campaign (Adweek: Familiar Creatures, Dec 2023); Florida TCPA 'autodialed collection calls, 60 calls' (TCPAWorld: promotional texts to DNC number); ~225 locations at 2019 TPG deal (Club Solutions: 315); VMG franchisee CEO 'Keith' Hartl (Franchise Times: Tony Hartl); ACLU plaintiff '11 years' of membership (ACLU: nine); Jim Rowley as 2010 CEO (Wikipedia: chairman 2009-2019). Wage suits re-dated (2020, 2022), Sixth Street to Oct 2025, era summaries 1/5/6/7 fixed. [Amended by regrade 2026-10-01: The 'autodialed collection calls, 60 calls' detail flagged as invented for the 2023 Florida texts suit belongs to a separate, real July 2021 Florida suit (No. 6:21-cv-01177, ClassAction.org); added that suit as its own timeline event and d6 evidence.]
50→49. Since Feb 2026: LGP deal (closed Jun 2025) drives a 1,000-gym push (91 clubs opened 2025, ~100 planned 2026); Gao v. Crunch Holdings junk-fee suit (Apr 2026); Fitness Ventures bought Harman's 22 clubs (May 2026); Lewis succeeded Rowley as CEO (Jun 2026); corporate bought Bay Area Crunchers (Aug 2026); Mandeville voyeurism suit (Aug 2026); FAQ shows online cancellation at some clubs. D1 5→4 (recalibration + event: review-level overcrowding fits mid band; Crunch 3.0 remodels and $50M franchisee upgrades), D3 6→5 (recalibration: growth-and-flip PE with capital going to units/remodels; no layoffs, recaps or maintenance cuts documented), D5 4→5 (event: 2026 Gao suit alleging annual fee shown late in checkout, plus TINA drip pricing). Eras: 2001-10-01→2001-10-15 and 2006-01-01→2006-01-20 re-dated to deal events; 'Rapid Franchise Scaling' 2017-01-01→2017-09-13 re-dated (1M members) and relabeled 'Million-Member Scale-Up'; 'PE Layering Begins' 2023-01-01→2023-10-01 re-dated (VMG stake) and relabeled 'Franchisee PE Wave'; current era 2026-02-18 (scoring date)→2025-04-15 (LGP deal) relabeled 'Leonard Green Scale-Up'; 3 kept (1989, 2010, 2019). Era 2017 D10 3→4 (Marks/BIPA), era 2019 D7 4→3 (no events found), D9 4→5. Historical gap-fills: 2016 NY trainer wage suit, 2017 BIPA suit, 2018 Marks 9th Cir, 2021 Ontario lockdown billing, 2021 FL collection-calls suit, 2024 VPPA suit, 2024 PA cancel suit, 2024 Trive, 2025 PAGA, 2025 CR Fitness/24HF. Trajectory worsening→stable.
Removed typed-in site scores from alternatives text (they go stale on re-score; the page shows live scores). No other changes.
Added 1 missing dimension narrative