With the deal, one of the fitness industry’s most iconic brands switches hands. Its new owners are said to be eyeing serious global expansion
Los Angeles-based World Gym International has been acquired by World Fitness Services, Ltd, the parent company of World Gym Taiwan, the largest franchisee in the World Gym network, the sides announced.
With the deal, the Taiwan-based World Fitness Services (WFS) takes control of the entire World Gym network, which currently includes over 230 franchised gym locations on six continents, including many gyms in the United States.
The deal is worth $9 million, according to the Taiwan News. Representatives from World Gym International were unable to immediately confirm that figure with Athletech News.
Through its World Gym Taiwan subsidiary, WFS owned and operated 130 World Gym locations in Taiwan before the acquisition.
John Caraccio, the chairman of WFS, will serve as interim CEO of World Gym International, and Michael Sanciprian, the former CEO of WFS, will serve as executive director.
According to WFS, Caraccio and Sanciprian grew World Gym Taiwan from a single gym location in 2001 to 130 locations in 2024. WFS says it intends to accelerate global expansion of the World Gym brand and enhance the member experience.
“As long-time partners and passionate advocates for the World Gym brand, we are thrilled to lead this next phase of growth,” Caraccio said. “We are committed to upholding the values that have made World Gym an iconic name in fitness while driving innovation and expansion in international markets.”
Under Caraccio and Sanciprian, World Gym plans to add between 30 and 100 new franchise locations annually over the next several years, eventually reaching 500 gyms worldwide, the Taiwan News reported.
The deal marks a changing of hands for the World Gym brand, founded in 1976 in Southern California by Joe Gold, who also founded Gold’s Gym. World Gym International had been based in Los Angeles before the acquisition and was led by CEO Lewis Stanton.
In the 1970s and 80s, World Gym built a reputation as one of the most iconic gym brands in bodybuilding, welcoming legends including Arnold Schwarzenegger and Lou Ferrigno at its early locations. In recent years, the brand has sought to reposition itself as a more inclusive fitness concept, attempting to bring more women into strength training and leveraging technology to personalize workouts.
World Gym currently counts more than 230 franchised gym locations in a handful of countries across the globe, according to its LinkedIn page. The brand has a significant presence in Australia, Brazil, Canada, Taiwan and the U.S., with additional locations in countries including Egypt, Germany and Mexico, among others.
This is a developing story and may be updated with additional information.
