Quick Answer
Esporta Fitness no longer exists as a separate brand. The parent company, Fitness International LLC, finished phasing it out in 2025. Most Esporta locations were rebranded to LA Fitness, some were sold to Genesis Health Clubs, and others permanently closed. The Esporta website now redirects to LA Fitness.
This comprehensive guide explains exactly what happened, the complete timeline of events, and what it means if you were an Esporta member.
Key Takeaways
- Esporta Fitness was launched in 2020 as LA Fitness’s budget-friendly alternative to compete with Planet Fitness
- The brand peaked at over 100 locations by 2023
- Fitness International LLC began winding down Esporta in 2024
- The last three Esporta locations were rebranded to LA Fitness on April 1, 2025
- All former Esporta members now have LA Fitness memberships with the same access rights
The Complete Timeline: Rise and Fall of Esporta Fitness
Esporta Fitness expanded rapidly after its 2020 launch before being phased out by 2025.
2020: The Launch
In January 2020, Fitness International LLC—the company behind LA Fitness—launched Esporta Fitness as a new brand concept. The first wave involved rebranding 17 LA Fitness locations in the greater Phoenix, Arizona metropolitan area to carry the Esporta name.
The strategic goal was clear: create a budget-friendly, high-volume gym brand to compete directly with Planet Fitness and other low-cost gym chains. The new Esporta locations featured:
- Lower monthly membership fees (as low as $9.99/month with promotional pricing)
- Fresh color schemes (earth tones replacing LA Fitness’s signature red)
- Enhanced functional training areas
- Redesigned club layouts optimized for group fitness
2020-2023: Rapid Expansion
Following the initial Phoenix launch, Esporta Fitness expanded aggressively across the United States. The company converted existing LA Fitness locations in markets nationwide, including:
- Rochester, New York (4 locations converted in early 2020)
- Chicago, Illinois and surrounding areas
- On Long Island, the Bay Shore Esporta club had already been rebranded as LA Fitness by 2022, according to Greater Long Island.
- Florida markets
- Multiple locations across California, Texas, and other states
By 2023, Esporta Fitness had expanded to more than 100 locations across the United States, according to the brand history outlined on Wikipedia.
2024: The Wind-Down Begins
Most Esporta Fitness locations were rebranded back to LA Fitness during 2024–2025.
In 2024, Fitness International began aggressively winding down the Esporta Fitness brand, rebranding many clubs back to LA Fitness and closing underperforming locations, as reflected in coverage from the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle and the LA Fitness company history on Wikipedia.
- Rebranding most Esporta locations back to LA Fitness
- Permanently closing underperforming Esporta locations
- Shifting corporate focus to the premium Club Studio Fitness brand instead
Members across the country began noticing temporary signs going up at their local Esporta gyms, announcing the return to LA Fitness branding. In Rochester, New York, all four Esporta locations converted back to LA Fitness by August 2024. Similar conversions happened in Chicago, Bay Shore, and dozens of other markets.
2025: Complete Brand Shutdown
The final chapter of Esporta Fitness came in early 2025:
February 27, 2025: Fitness International LLC sold eight Esporta locations to Genesis Health Clubs. These locations in Arkansas, Kentucky, and Louisiana were removed from the Esporta portfolio, leaving only three Esporta gyms in operation.
April 1, 2025: The three remaining Esporta Fitness locations—in California, Illinois, and Massachusetts—were officially rebranded back to LA Fitness. This marked the complete end of the Esporta Fitness brand.
The Esporta Fitness website now redirects to lafitness.com, with messaging that the clubs are now branded as LA Fitness.. The brand is officially defunct.
Why Did Esporta Fitness Go Back to LA Fitness?
While Fitness International LLC has not publicly detailed the exact reasons for shuttering Esporta, industry analysis and company actions suggest several factors:
1. Brand Confusion Among Consumers
Many consumers struggled to understand the difference between Esporta and LA Fitness. Since both brands were owned by the same parent company, offered nearly identical equipment and amenities, and often operated in the same markets, the distinction wasn’t clear enough to justify maintaining two separate brands.
2. Membership Access Complications
The relationship between Esporta and LA Fitness memberships created complications. While LA Fitness members could typically access Esporta locations (depending on their membership tier), Esporta members often couldn’t access LA Fitness clubs without paying additional interclub fees. This asymmetric access frustrated customers and created operational complexity.
3. Strategic Shift to Premium Positioning
In 2022, Fitness International launched Club Studio Fitness, a premium brand designed to compete with luxury fitness operators like Equinox and Life Time Fitness. The company appears to have decided that pursuing the premium market with Club Studio—while maintaining LA Fitness as the mainstream option—made more strategic sense than operating three separate brands targeting different price points.
4. Operational Efficiency
Maintaining multiple brands requires separate marketing budgets, different signage, brand-specific materials, and additional administrative overhead. Consolidating everything under the established LA Fitness brand simplified operations and reduced costs.
What This Means for Former Esporta Members
Former Esporta members were automatically transitioned to LA Fitness memberships.
If you were an Esporta Fitness member, here’s what you need to know:
Your Membership is Now LA Fitness
All former Esporta memberships have been automatically converted to LA Fitness memberships. You don’t need to take any action—the transition happened automatically.
Pricing Remained the Same (Initially)
During the initial rebranding, Fitness International maintained existing membership pricing. However, some locations have since adjusted their rates. It’s worth checking your current monthly charges to see if they’ve changed.
Amenities May Have Changed
Some former Esporta locations have seen changes to their amenities. Notably, some locations shut down their swimming pools in late 2023, citing low use and high operating costs on posted signs. Other amenities like basketball courts, racquetball courts, and group fitness classes have generally remained available.
Membership Access
If you had a multi-club or nationwide Esporta membership, you now have equivalent access to LA Fitness locations based on your membership tier. This is actually beneficial, as LA Fitness has over 630 locations across the United States—significantly more than Esporta ever operated.
The Current Fitness International Portfolio
Fitness International consolidated its gym brands after discontinuing Esporta Fitness.
As of early 2025, Fitness International LLC operates roughly 700 fitness clubs under several brand names:
LA Fitness (633 locations)
The flagship brand operating in 25 U.S. states and 2 Canadian provinces (Alberta and Ontario). LA Fitness serves as the mainstream, affordable fitness option with comprehensive amenities including pools, basketball courts, group fitness classes, and modern equipment.
City Sports Club (21 locations)
Launched in 2012, City Sports Club operates exclusively in Northern California (San Francisco Bay Area and Sacramento). This brand targets urban fitness enthusiasts with locations designed for metropolitan markets.
Club Studio Fitness (35 locations, 16 currently open)
The company’s luxury fitness offering launched in 2022. Club Studio brings together boutique fitness classes and high-end amenities to compete with premium brands like Equinox and Life Time Fitness. Currently operates in 13 states, with 19 additional locations listed as “coming soon.”
Recent Developments: XSport Acquisition
In July 2024, Fitness International announced the acquisition of XSport Fitness, adding 35 locations to its portfolio in the Chicagoland, New York, and Virginia markets. This acquisition occurred during the same period the company was winding down Esporta, suggesting a strategic consolidation approach—grow through acquisition while simplifying the brand portfolio.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Esporta Fitness the same as LA Fitness?
Esporta Fitness no longer exists as a separate brand. It was owned by the same parent company (Fitness International LLC) as LA Fitness and has now been completely absorbed back into the LA Fitness brand. All former Esporta locations are now LA Fitness clubs.
Can I still use my Esporta membership?
Yes, but it’s now technically an LA Fitness membership. Your membership was automatically converted when your location was rebranded. You can access LA Fitness locations based on your membership tier (single club, multi-club, or nationwide).
Why did LA Fitness get rid of Esporta?
While the company hasn’t provided detailed public statements, the decision likely stemmed from brand confusion among consumers, operational inefficiencies of running multiple brands, and a strategic shift to focus on LA Fitness as the mainstream option and Club Studio as the premium alternative.
How many LA Fitness locations are there now?
As of early 2025, LA Fitness operates over 600 locations across multiple U.S. states and 2 Canadian provinces (Alberta and Ontario).
This includes all former Esporta locations that were rebranded rather than closed.
What happened to Esporta pools?
Many former Esporta locations (and some LA Fitness locations) closed their swimming pools in late 2023, citing low usage and high operating costs. Not all pools were closed—some locations still maintain their pool facilities. Check with your specific gym for current amenities.
The Bottom Line
Esporta Fitness’s five-year run from 2020 to 2025 represents an interesting case study in fitness industry branding. What started as an ambitious attempt to create a budget-friendly alternative to compete with Planet Fitness ultimately proved unnecessary for parent company Fitness International LLC.
The brand is now completely defunct, with all locations either rebranded to LA Fitness, sold to other operators, or permanently closed. For consumers, this simplification actually makes things easier—instead of trying to understand the differences between Esporta and LA Fitness, gym-goers now have a clear choice: LA Fitness for mainstream fitness needs or Club Studio for premium experiences.
If you were an Esporta member, your membership continues seamlessly as LA Fitness—just look for the updated signage at your local gym.
The brand is now completely defunct, with all locations either rebranded to LA Fitness, sold to other operators such as Genesis Health Clubs, or permanently closed.
Author Bio
Healthbloomin content is written to be practical and easy to understand across topics like health, technology, business, marketing, and lifestyle. Each article is based mainly on reputable, publicly available information, with AI tools used only to help research, organise, and explain topics more clearly so the focus stays on real‑world usefulness rather than jargon or unnecessary complexity.
Disclaimer:
This article is for informational purposes only and is based on publicly available sources at the time of writing. Brand statuses, locations, and membership terms may change without notice; readers should confirm current details directly with Esporta/LA Fitness before making any decisions.
