In the U.S., 81 million residents belonged to a gym or fitness facility in 2025 — a record — up 5.2% compared to 2024, according to the Health & Fitness Association’s 2026 U.S. Health & Fitness Consumer Report. More than a quarter (26.1%) of people aged 6 or older had a membership in 2025. All told, more than 100 million Americans, including gym members and non-members, made nearly 7 billion visits to fitness facilities (also a record) during the year. All demographic groups showed year-over-year increases in gym usage.
It stands to reason that gym brands, licensed gyms, and related products would capitalize on this current surge in popularity through new and expanded licensing ventures. Here are some examples from the last six months, focusing on brands that cater mostly to a clientele interested in bodybuilding, mixed martial arts, and other intense workouts:
- World Gym announced a licensing deal in March with Philcos for a World Gym-branded apparel line for all demographics. The products are being sold across North America, in retailers such as Urban Outfitters, Pacsun, and Abercrombie & Fitch. World Gym has more than 280 locations worldwide, serving 900,000 members. Licensor World Gym Corporation purchased World Gym International in 2024.
- Mixed martial arts brand UFC is expanding its UFC Gym brand with plans to open new locations in major cities in mainland China, announced in February of this year, and a new gym in Mumbai, India, announced in January. UFC Gyms offer MMA techniques, powerlifting, high-intensity interval training, HYROX fitness stations, and other features for those, whether beginners or veterans, who want to maintain rigorous fitness routines. Some of the training regimens offered have been developed by MMA athletes.
- Gold’s Gym named IMG as its global licensing agent, in a deal revealed last fall. While the brand has been heavily involved in licensing in the past, this is the first time it has retained an agent to handle its activities on a global basis, the company said. Plans include nutrition and supplements, footwear, sports and leisure goods, and travel products. The company also expects to grow its presence in fashion and apparel, which currently includes Classic, Grand, and Performance lines for a range of consumers, from gym users to streetwear fans. Gold’s Gym currently operates more than 600 gyms around the world.
- Gymshark, a global gymwear brand for men and women with roots in bodybuilding, partnered with Dick’s Sporting Goods in October to debut its apparel, including its Power and Vital lines, at 12 Dicks’s House of Sport stores. House of Sport is the retailer’s larger-format, experiential concept boasting turf fields, golf simulators, batting cages, and the like. This marked Gymshark’s first wholesale partner in the U.S. The same month, the U.K.-headquartered brand also opened its first permanent branded retail store in the U.S., at Roosevelt Field Mall in New York.
These gym-related licensing and brand-extension efforts can be seen as part of the broader health and wellness trend, which saw an uptick during the pandemic and for the most part has remained strong ever since. From a licensing perspective, this space is broad, encompassing supplements, nutraceuticals, and functional foods and beverages; sleep-enhancing products of all types; collagen and CBD; saunas and cold plunges; protein in its various forms; and much more.
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