Mystery Letter Reveals ClassPass Is Up to Something—Again
So picture this: Two days ago, Vanity Fair receives a mysterious envelope from a group by the name of Save Our Studios LLC. The package allegedly contains a pitch for several new business initiatives for ClassPass—you know, the uber-successful start-up that offers up memberships for classes in popular fitness studios and gyms around the world, yes the world. The Vanity Fair reporter soon finds out no such company exists. So why would documents like this be of interest? And why would they be leaked in such an anonymous or—let's be honest—sketchy way?
The insider (or someone who knows a ClassPass snitch, or, quite frankly, maybe someone who was just tired being gauged from the company's price increases,) sent the document in hopes that the news would help, well, save boutique studios by putting ClassPass' plans out to the public.
Apparently, the documents lay out several new business strategies to amp up the company's global takeover through new initiatives like a gym pass, which sounds like a standalone membership that would allow members to use gyms near their home, work, while traveling, or even near their significant other. Another plan: A video off-shoot that will "bring an immersive, live studio fitness experience from top studios in urban centers to the rest of the world via Apple TV and/or Chromecast." Sounds like ClassPass is looking to go on-demand à la Peloton.
Perhaps most interesting, however, is the mention of an initiative called LifePass, a non-fitness related membership that would grant you access to art and language classes as well as cultural events like concerts and other performances. According to Vanity Fair, the documents claim this LifePass business alone could bring in $600 million in revenue for the ever-expanding brand.
With all of these figurative-until-proven offerings on the ClassPass table, you might start to feel like if you aren't using their services, you aren't really doing it right. Are you the only one of your friends who's missing out on the most amazing concert ever? Will you be destined to sit on the waitlist for your favorite studios again and again? What it boils down to is the clear fact that ClassPass is not letting any negative press about its big price spike tear its monopoly on life down. The giant is solidifying its place in not just your fitness life but your social life too, and that makes the $199 a month price tag sounds a little more reasonable, doesn't it? Clever.
