How the hell do MMA gyms stay in bussiness??

[gracie_barra**]

I mean the rent for these places (especially in a good location) must be crazy high, plus the equipment costrs (bags, weights, mats, rings, etc. etc.) and then schools usually only have liek 100 members. Plus there are usually like 5 instructors per school. Ok say the school charges 100/month (which is pretty average) 100x100= 10,000 per month on income. 10,000 minus rent, equipment, instructors etc etc. So how do these places stay open? My old gym for example charged 75/month and it was in a prime location (downtown) so the rent must have been nuts!

 

[D3thr0n3d K1ng]

Thats a good question. Having a lot of different instructors and styles means they can share the rent but it still seems like they would have to eat alot of overhead or screw their students with contracts unless they happen to be in a super-prime location such as NY.

 

[TapDG]

My gym stays in business by offering aerobic classes just to bring in business for people trying to lose weight and get in better shape

 

[D3thr0n3d K1ng]

My gym stays in business by offering aerobic classes just to bring in business for people trying to lose weight and get in better shape

The gym that I go to splits the rent between a gymnastics class, a jujitsu/MMA class, a karate class, TKD class, bando/kickboxing class, and a tai chi class and their individual rent is still horrendous.

 

[rktg84]

loyal students like us?

 

[fdupnct]

Well you don't really need to include equipment. That and upfront type cost because once you pay for it's done. I don't think anyone will be leasing mats or heavy bags. As far as rent goes it's always negotiable so it might not be as bad as you think, or if it is a high number maybe it includes the utilities as well. As far as multiple instructors and such I don't know. They must be making money or how could they stay open.

 

[TapDG]

yea..probly low overhead for a gym..Your just paying for instruction so there not actually producking an actual product..Just gotta pay the rent..Staff..equipment upkeep id think

 

[Stoic1]

Steroid sales on the side.

 

[johil d'o]

They are NOT big money makers. No question about that. You run the numbers and realize that they can't make much money. They don't have enough members typically to make much profit.

 

[Mark Allen]

Our school is nearly 3000 square feet. In San Diego you are gettin ga good deal on rent if you can get it for less than $1.50 a sguare. The three isntructors are also the owners. They all have other jobs, and run the school becuse it is their passion. Having at least two systems to train in helps a lot. Self Defense using MMA and combat grappling. about a 10 to one ratio, for every ten taking self defense using MMA there is one for the grappling side.

 

[D3thr0n3d K1ng]

Yeah I think alot of instructors arent making money and are just teaching for the love of the art. Theres just not enough of a demand for real MMA to create livable profits.

 

[Gavin LeFever]

someday, mma will be bigger than american boxing in the states. someday when people realize that punches, elbows, knees, kicks, throws, slams, wrestling, and subs > just punches.

 

[jiujitsujayhawk]

The idea is to get kids tae kwon do and karate, and women's self-defense and krav maga to subsidize mma. My gym takes pretty much all comers, but our fight team is the majority of mmaers at the gym, which is less than 10 people. And we don't pay anywhere near $100 a month.
We basically follow the meat truck model and it's worked pretty good for us.

 

[Doctor Anomalo]

exactly. try to make money off the kids classes. parents are willing to fork over money if it is for the kids.

 

[Sauron]

someday, mma will be bigger than american boxing in the states. someday when people realize that punches, elbows, knees, kicks, throws, slams, wrestling, and subs > just punches.

what has this got to do with rent?

 

[bigdude1]

My gym makes money by offering dance classes, I'm not kidding. Upstairs is a dance floor where they teach salsa, ballroom, etc.

 

[triggertap79]

not much overhead

 

[aaron_mag]

The idea is to get kids tae kwon do and karate, and women's self-defense and krav maga to subsidize mma. My gym takes pretty much all comers, but our fight team is the majority of mmaers at the gym, which is less than 10 people. And we don't pay anywhere near $100 a month.
We basically follow the meat truck model and it's worked pretty good for us.

I think that is pretty much the way it is. Realistically you need those kids and soccer moms to keep the doors open if you are in an area of high overhead.

First off martial arts has never been a big money maker. That is why so many of them go out of business. This is true for TMAs as well. Most people have another job and hope the their passion doesn't drain them of too much money. That is also why so many martial artists get out of shape. They get burnt out working basically two jobs (the day job and then teaching at night).

For guys like Royce and family and other really good retired MMA stars they have seminars to help them out. That is probably where they make the real money. And more power to them. It takes a lot of time and dedication to stay in peak physical condition and all that jazz. You can't be working a day job and do it. They deserve whatever they can get...

 

[Timbaland]

I don't think the instructors get paid much at all. From the ones I talked to, they make more money from private lessons than from their salary. (monthly) Most of them have other jobs or sponsors if they're pro fighters.

 

[DKM76]

you gotta be creative and take in money from all directions:

regular classes
kids classes
throw seminars with inviting big names and charging $100 per person
sell DVDs
Sell clothing and equipment
pay instructors based on how many people show up to their class
sublet the space at allocated times
rent out the space to film and movie studios once in a while
hold fight events where local schools compete (big money here)
charge double for private instructions
welcome walk-ins and charge $25 per class