Saving my gym

Discussion in 'World Boxing Forum' started by Slacker, Apr 20, 2011.


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  1. Slacker

    Slacker Big & Slow Full Member

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    Sep 19, 2009
    Fellow boxing fans and fighters,

    I'm trying to gather ideas for saving Shamrock Boxing Club from going the way of the dinosaur.

    Our gym is the oldest operating Boxing Club in the state of Kentucky and in the Cincinnati area. We've had local champs, Olympic fighters and world level fighters like Aaron Pryor and Riddick Bowe working out in our ugly little gym.

    Through all that the gym remained open at no cost, operating as a registered charity and surviving on its few paying patrons and donations.

    Sadly, our lease expired this year and we are homeless. :patsch

    I'm looking for productive ideas anyone might have to help get the place back on its feet.
     
    Slacker, Apr 20, 2011
    Slacker, Apr 20, 2011
    #1
  2. cesare-borgia

    cesare-borgia Übermensch in fieri Full Member

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    hmm you need to draw attention to the place, if you can get a well known boxer over it would help a lot.
    Or change the concept by adding something else to the club that will draw people.
    Offer promotions, fix the place up, something like the person whocan have the most friends to register at the club will win a meet and greet with (insert famous boxer).
    Or in the ultimate case go beat up teens around the city and say, so you didnt like that? join this gym and we will make a man out of you!
    Go to schools to recrute kids to join,place adds etc.
    Good luck anyway, I sincerely mean that, its a shame that so many businesses are being forced to close.
     
    cesare-borgia, Apr 20, 2011
    cesare-borgia, Apr 20, 2011
    #2
  3. greathamza

    greathamza Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    Feb 14, 2011
    its all about marketing, get out there and market it.
    like my gym they offer a student discount and they put up posters at different schools around the area and they come around to try it out some stay some go.
     
    greathamza, Apr 20, 2011
    greathamza, Apr 20, 2011
    #3
  4. Dustaine

    Dustaine Guest

    Sounds like a movie plot. Good luck, dude.
     
    Dustaine, Apr 20, 2011
    Dustaine, Apr 20, 2011
    #4
  5. dannyboy147

    dannyboy147 Boxing Addict Full Member

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    Get it on facebook and add everyone you can/get your friends to all add the group then spam the **** out of everyone with promotions and intoductory offers!!

    good luck
     
    dannyboy147, Apr 20, 2011
    dannyboy147, Apr 20, 2011
    #5
  6. juanitoboxing

    juanitoboxing Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    Jul 28, 2008
    Talk to the city mayor. Maybe the city can sponsor some of your costs and you can develop boxing programs for kids or maybe boxing classes for city employees. Something along those lines. But I would suggest you prepare a good proposal before taking it up to the city.
     
    juanitoboxing, Apr 20, 2011
    juanitoboxing, Apr 20, 2011
    #6
  7. PNoyFightFanUSN

    PNoyFightFanUSN Larry Don't Give a **** Full Member

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    Apr 9, 2010
    Break dancing. The answer is break dancing. It saves Rec Centers for the youths all the time.

    But seriously. I like juanitoboxing's idea. If you can get some city help by offering to host a youth program or something that will benefit kids you might be able to get some assistance.
     
    PNoyFightFanUSN, Apr 20, 2011
    PNoyFightFanUSN, Apr 20, 2011
    #7
  8. BigBone

    BigBone Boxing Addict Full Member

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    Damn, sorry to hear. Did you try contacting the state athletic commission if they have any idea or maybe the city if there's a program that could help? Staging a gym card with former greats attending always gets media attention and you can get some 21st century feedback making a Fecebook page for the gym or something, it's totally free.

    Good luck! :thumbsup
     
    BigBone, Apr 20, 2011
    BigBone, Apr 20, 2011
    #8
  9. JunitoJab

    JunitoJab Antagonist Full Member

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    Nov 17, 2009
    Some great ideas here. Good luck.
     
    JunitoJab, Apr 20, 2011
    JunitoJab, Apr 20, 2011
    #9
  10. Kid Cubano

    Kid Cubano Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    must add some MMA class, most parents want their kids learning self defense like Jiu Jitsu,Muay Thai.
     
    Kid Cubano, Apr 20, 2011
    Kid Cubano, Apr 20, 2011
    #10
  11. Hermit

    Hermit Loyal Member banned

    44,341
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    Jan 29, 2008
    Just to pick up on this theme. How about contacting some of the more distinguished alumni from the gym and see if they would be willing to help?
     
    Hermit, Apr 20, 2011
    Hermit, Apr 20, 2011
    #11
  12. Slacker

    Slacker Big & Slow Full Member

    6,774
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    Sep 19, 2009
    @ Juanito, that is an excellent idea. I know some of the local cops have trained there. I'll talk to the city and see what I can get done.

    @ Big Bone and Danny Boy, I'll do the Facebook thing. Quick, easy and can't hurt.

    @ Big Bone, the state athletic commission is another fantastic idea. I'll see what I can make happen there.

    @ Kid Cubano, we tried offering some MMA but it flopped. I think it could work if had been a more organized approach. We will revisit that one, I'm sure.


    Some ideas I've had myself:

    1. I've called local gyms and presented the idea of bringing Shamrock Boxing to their facility under our well known name. Our head coach is a former pro, golden and diamond glove champ whose been fighting and coaching for over 40 years. All Assistant Coaches are USBA Certified.

    We could offer one free individual training class to anyone interested and charge for any follow up classes.

    We have a meeting today with a sports complex that seems promising. Wish us luck!


    2. I'm checking into promoting an annual amateur boxing tournament between local colleges and boxing gyms.

    3. I've talked to the Marketing rep for the local universities Athletics dept. He also mentioned having a "Fight Night" between Frats and Sororities.
     
    Slacker, Apr 20, 2011
    Slacker, Apr 20, 2011
    #12
  13. Hermit

    Hermit Loyal Member banned

    44,341
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    Jan 29, 2008
    You don't have to go full MMA. Hook up with some places that do that and just 'sell' them on your willingness to help them with the boxing end of it. My son trains MMA and he is the first one to say that most MMA guys are terrible at boxing. Not the usual excuses of different stance, etc......
     
    Hermit, Apr 20, 2011
    Hermit, Apr 20, 2011
    #13
  14. Squire

    Squire Let's Go Champ Full Member

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    The gym I trained at back home used to have it's own premises but ended up moving to a college. They trained 3 times a week and the college gym benefited by taking membership fees off us and they weren't busy in evenings anyway. Maybe it would be worth looking for a gym that is fairly empty in the evenings with space for a ring and bags etc. The good thing about that is there were a load of treadmills and gym gear a boxing gym wouldn't usually have

    Good luck staying open though
     
    Squire, Apr 20, 2011
    Squire, Apr 20, 2011
    #14
  15. fatcity

    fatcity Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    Contact a big name like Mark Walberg who starred in the Oscar winning movie.The dude is known for helping out distressed places that he is interested in.Boxing made him big money with this latest film.:good
    And contact AAron Pryor if he is an alumni of the gym.
     
    fatcity, Apr 20, 2011
    fatcity, Apr 20, 2011
    #15
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