Sports Academy changing its outreach to include less students

By Anna Tuckett

Local gym Sports Academy is spending less of its efforts marketing to students as a result of Utah State University’s new student recreation center, which opened its doors for the first time on Thursday.

The gym used to market to students by sponsoring athletic events and advertising through the university’s newspaper, but began changing its strategy after the university announced the new recreation center would be built.

“I have a lot of student groups asking me for donations and it makes me think twice about what I can support and what I can’t,” said Dan Smith, the general manager of the gym. “There’s a lot of fundraising that we do in the community that’s not university-related and we tend to focus more on that.”

Smith said in the past students have joined the gym after discovering the university’s old recreational facilities didn’t have the space or equipment they needed.

“It’s hard competing with an entity that isn’t responsible to make money,” Smith said. “In a sense, it’s hard to compete against tax dollars.”

Dolny said the new recreation center has to be successful because the university has increased student fees to fund the $35 million building.

“Human behavior loves good, clean facilities, especially if they’re having to pay for it,” said Dennis Dolny, the head of the university’s Health, Physical Education and Recreation Department.

The gym also provides facilities and instructors for students in credit-earning athletic classes, such as indoor cycling and yoga. Both the university and the gym agreed that it has “been a good relationship.”

Dolny said the university’s student government decided that none of the academic classes will be held in the new recreation center and the university will continue to contract with its 13 outside vendors to provide these classes.