PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — For some time now, gyms in Pennsylvania have had the green light to reopen after coronavirus pandemic public health measures forced them to close.
As states progress through various stages of reopening their economy, researchers have found a large number of gyms are being left behind.
“More than a fifth of gyms are still closed globally. In the U.S., that number is the highest, where it’s 23.9% of gyms had yet to reopen or had reported as being permanently closed,” explained Nicholas Rizzo, research director at Run Repeat.
His group has conducted several gym reopening studies through the pandemic. He said, in Pennsylvania, 1.8% of gyms have permanently closed or are yet to reopen, and those are devastating numbers.
“It's tough to see nearly 2% of those businesses in the state are struggling to survive,” Rizzo said.
Rizzo said it will be no surprise if these numbers soon take a sharp turn in one direction or the other.
“Gym membership sign ups are going to be critical for gyms’ survival over the next six to 12 months, depending on how long this pandemic goes for,” he said.
Rizzo said a lack of employees, costs of mandated cleaning products, and a surge in canceled memberships are some of the main reasons why some gyms that have not yet reopened their doors.