Popular MultiSport benefit will expand its network of Prague fitness centers

The popular MultiSport card in Czechia, which offers employees attractive health-related benefits such as gym and activities discounts, is set to have more fitness centers affiliated with it.

Polish company Benefit Systems, which is owner of the MultiSport employee card in Czechia and also runs popular gym chain Form Factory, recently acquired two additional fitness centers in Prague, further expanding its empire of gyms in the country – to 21 – with plans for further growth in the near future.

The Czech fitness center market is fragmented compared to other EU countries. Only about 10 to 15 percent of the approximately 1,200 sports venues are owned by a chain or brand – the rest are independent. This can make it harder to involve them in MultiSport packages.

Speaking on the topic, president of the Czech Chamber of Fitness Jana Havrdová tells Czech media outlet Seznam Zprávy that: "The smaller independent [fitness center] market in the Czech Republic must accept the fact that the fitness and health market is strong, has huge potential in healthcare and disease prevention, and is attracting investors. I think more foreign players will enter the market."

The MultiSport card is a popular choice for approximately 1 million employees, routinely gaining new customers from major companies such as Avast, Alza, Česká spořitelna, Kaufland, Ahold, and Seznam.cz. However, it has also faced criticism for its potential advantage over non-participating gyms and access to sensitive customer data.

Benefit Systems has confirmed it will acquire two more Prague fitness centers belonging to the Factory Pro Prague company in Smíchov – one of the oldest and largest nationwide – and near the Hradčanská metro station. The Polish firm currently owns over 20 gyms, of which 16 are in Prague, three in Brno and one in Ostrava. It has previously bought gyms from Holmes Place, BBC Fitness, Pure Jatomi, and World Class.

Benefit Systems’ expansion underlines the growth of the fitness center market in the Czech Republic. As Havrdová says: "The post-Covid-19 market is in full swing, it has a significantly upward trend, and many gyms are at pre-pandemic numbers." This trend is expected to continue as the importance of physical activity in overall health and well-being becomes increasingly recognized in Czechia.

Unfortunately, many employees won’t be able to feel the benefit of the fitness center expansion. In late 2023, the Czech Chamber of Commerce reported that 40 percent of companies planned to reduce staff benefits because some employee benefits – like MultiSport – stopped being tax-free or state-subsidized following the government’s consolidation package last year.