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An Athletech News report outlines how gym owners can use HYROX, DEKA and Deadly Dozen affiliations to offer hybrid fitness training and host events. The report cites gym-owner revenue and membership examples, but those results are individual accounts, not a guarantee of returns.
Athletech News has identified three hybrid fitness affiliations—HYROX Training Club, DEKA and Deadly Dozen—as options for gym owners seeking to add race-focused training and events. The report says the programs can create new revenue and help recruit or retain members, while its examples come from individual operators and do not establish typical results across gyms.
The report frames these affiliations against rising interest in hybrid fitness races. It says more than two million people were expected to participate in a HYROX race that year, while other event formats were also attracting participants. The Hybrid Games drew more than 3,000 people to a two-day event in Glasgow in October, according to the report; DEKA FIT events often drew more than 2,000 participants each. Those figures describe event attendance or expected participation, not gym membership or affiliation growth.
HYROX Training Club is described as the most familiar option for gyms already considering hybrid race programming. The report put the affiliation fee at $130 to $150 a month, compared with $4,500 a year for CrossFit affiliation. It cites several gyms reporting growth after adding HYROX services: Islander Athletics in Newfoundland said its membership rose from 182 to 330; Catalyst Gym’s latest training camp grossed $30,000; and 8th Day Gym said its membership increased from a range of 500 to 550 to 600. The same gym reported earning $7,000 to $9,000 from each one-day simulation event. These are operator-reported figures, and gross revenue is not the same as profit.
DEKA, owned by Spartan, charges $159 a month for affiliation, the report says. Affiliates can host multiple events, with revenue shared between DEKA and the gym. Its event formats include DEKA STRONG, which has 10 functional fitness stations without running; DEKA MILE, which includes short runs between stations; and DEKA ATLAS, a strength-based format. The report counted 600 DEKA affiliates worldwide and quoted founder Yancy Culp saying gyms typically make $5,000 to $20,000 in annual profit from events. The report did not provide an independently verified calculation or specify how results vary by location.
How Race Events Could Support Gyms
The affiliations offer gyms a way to turn a race calendar into a structured training product and an on-site event, rather than relying only on regular membership fees. A competition date may give members a reason to keep attending, while public events can introduce the gym to people who are not yet members. The report’s examples suggest these possibilities, but do not show that affiliation alone caused every reported change.
Costs and revenue arrangements differ. HYROX’s stated monthly fee is lower than the cited annual CrossFit affiliation fee, while DEKA shares event revenue with affiliates. Deadly Dozen says affiliates keep all registration fees, but gyms still pay a monthly fee and must account for event expenses, staffing and promotion. Owners weighing the options would need to compare likely local demand and operating costs, not just headline participation or revenue figures.
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Three Race Models for Local Gyms
The three programs use related but distinct event structures. HYROX’s flagship race pairs functional fitness stations with one-kilometer runs; DEKA FIT uses 10 stations and 500-meter runs. Deadly Dozen’s Track Race has 12 stations, with a 400-meter run before each one. The report says gym affiliates more commonly host DEKA formats such as STRONG or MILE than the large-scale DEKA FIT race.
Deadly Dozen was founded in 2024 and offers several formats, including rowing, barbell and strength events. The report counted 160 affiliates across its network and said the organization had reached 35 countries. Founder Jason Curtis expected it to reach 100 countries by 2028; that is a forecast, not a confirmed outcome. The article also profiled Pete Saenz, owner of Bodify Functional Fitness in Texas, who had been a DEKA affiliate since 2021 and added Deadly Dozen the previous year.
“Most gyms earn anywhere from $5,000 to $20,000 in profit a year from hosting various events.”
— Yancy Culp, DEKA founder, as quoted by Athletech News
Returns Depend on Local Demand
The source report does not establish how representative its gym examples are, or provide a common accounting method for comparing revenue and profit. It is also unclear how much of the reported membership growth came directly from an affiliation, rather than other changes at each gym. Event costs, registration totals, staffing needs and local competition could affect a gym’s results, but the report does not provide a full cost breakdown.
Participation estimates and affiliate counts reflect the figures presented in the report and may change. The report does not independently verify all operator claims, nor does it establish whether Deadly Dozen will meet its stated 2028 expansion target. The financial examples should be read as reported experiences, not promised returns.
Owners Weigh Costs Against Events
For gym operators, the next step is to check current affiliation terms, event revenue rules and any requirements for hosting races, then estimate whether a local audience can support the format. They can also compare the expense of a monthly affiliation with likely registration income and the staff time needed to run events. The source report does not announce a new policy or upcoming industry decision; its focus is on the business options and examples available to owners.
Saenz told Athletech News that he expected more participants at a November DEKA event than at his previous one, but the source material does not confirm the event’s eventual attendance or results. The broader growth outlook likewise remains uncertain: future adoption will depend on whether participant interest holds and whether individual gyms can make the event model work.
Key Questions
Which three affiliations does the report cover?
It covers HYROX Training Club, DEKA and Deadly Dozen, each of which offers gyms a way to connect training with hybrid fitness events.
How much do the affiliations cost?
The report lists HYROX Training Club at $130 to $150 a month, DEKA at $159 a month and Deadly Dozen at $150 a month. Fees and terms may change, so gym owners should confirm current details with each organization.
How do the event revenue arrangements differ?
According to the report, DEKA shares event revenue with the gym, while Deadly Dozen affiliates keep 100 percent of registration fees. The report does not give a comparable HYROX event revenue arrangement.
Do the reported earnings guarantee a return for other gyms?
No. The figures are examples and estimates reported by individual operators or program representatives. Results for another gym would depend on local demand, costs, event attendance and other factors.
Source: athletechnews.com
