History
The company began as a one-club operation in 1983 called 24 Hour Nautilus. Mark Mastrov and Leonard Schlemm began the firm, with Mastrov and Schlemm remaining to continue its expansion.
CEO Mark Mastrov hired Mark Golob and Dean Moloney as Vice President of Marketing. Golob created promotional campaigns with Pamela Anderson, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Mike Tyson that increased membership and sales. During Moloney's tenure, he and Mastrov, along with Tom Gergley and Golob, began planning an international chain of health clubs.
In 1994, 24 Hour Nautilus partnered with McCown De Leeuw and soon thereafter acquired the Southern California-based Family Fitness Centers chain, renaming the company 24 Hour Fitness.
In 2004, 24 Hour Fitness became a sponsor of the 2004-2008 United States Olympic teams. The sponsorship grants memberships to some U.S. Olympic hopefuls and includes upgrades to some U.S. Olympic Training Centers across the country, including renovation of the facility in Colorado Springs, CO in 2004 to be followed by Lake Placid, NY and Chula Vista, CA.
24 Hour Fitness worked with NBC to develop a reality show, The Biggest Loser, which features 12 to 22 overweight contestants competing to lose weight over several million dollars. The show first aired in late 2004.
From 2005 to 2008, 24 Hour Fitness co-sponsored the Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team.
Starting in April 2011, 24 Hour Fitness membership teams are no longer commission based making the gyms a more "customer-friendly" atmosphere.
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