CrossFit, the fitness company known for its high intensity workouts, is for sale.
The company, which has more than roughly 10,000 affiliated gyms globally, sent an email to its owners this week that said it plans to “review a wide range of buyers.”
CrossFit was founded in the 1990s by former gymnast and trainer Greg Glassman and has had significant attrition within its leadership and drama in recent years. Glassman’s high-intensity workouts surged in popularity in the 2000s and had as many as 14,000 gym affiliates globally in 2018. The workouts are a favorite among military and law enforcement because of the intense physical training it helps prepare them for in their respective fields.
Glassman stepped down as CrossFit’s CEO in June 2020 after making racially insensitive comments about the death of George Floyd. He was also accused of sexual harassment, which he denied. That same month, he sold the company to Boston-based investment firm Berkshire Partners and technology entrepreneur Eric Rosa. Two years after the sale, Rosa transitioned from the company’s CEO to a board role. Don Faul replaced Rosa as CEO in February 2022.
In August 2024, Lazar Đukić, a 28-year-old Serbian athlete drowned during the swimming portion of a workout at the CrossFit Games in Texas, which drew international attention to the company’s landmark event.
CrossFit has seen a decline in gym affiliates in recent years due to an increase in fees and fierce competition in the fitness space. CrossFit also partnered with U.S. Border Patrol in 2024 for the CrossFit Games, which helped promote the brand as a way to prepare for the job’s physical demands.
Rosa told CrossFit affiliates in a virtual town hall Thursday the company’s new owner would ideally be “someone with connection to our community,” the New York Times reported. He also said the sale was the “right thing” for the company and its business.
BeSport, a Swiss company that owns multiple sports and fitness brands including apparel brand Northern Spirit, is a front-runner to buy CrossFit, the Times reported. The company is a partner of CrossFit and also owns the app Hustle Up, which connects athletes, coaches, and gym owners.
Company president Florian Jullien told the Times it was “too early to talk about this,” but did not deny the possibility of BeSport and CrossFit merging.
