Data
Challenge
After the opening of many 5-a-side clubs in France, in 2015, Belgium was one of the countries where development was expected because of the proximity with France and a great number of soccer practitioners.
Four young entepeneurs had the idea of creating a new brand of 5-a-side clubs with the purpose of dominating the Belgian market with the opening of many clubs in 5 years. In the summer of 2015, they opened the first Fit Five club in Bruxelles. It started with 3 pitches but grew to 5 after only one month of great business. Given the humidity of the location, special panels designed for externals were installed into a pitch of the same dimensions and color of interiors in order to preserve the club appearance. It is currently one of the most profitable clubs worldwide thanks to its excellent location in the city and because the peak activity lasts until 3 AM everyday.
Technical Solution and Maintenance
The 5 pitches of Fit Five Bruxelles are used up to 75 hours a day. The structure is submitted to exceptional use. Moreover, the trend of Bubble Foot (football game where inflatable bubbles are used to let players launch themselves against the opponents… and the pitch walls… without hurting themselves) makes the wear and tear even worse.
WSBSPORT intervened to reinforce the pitches in the points more exposed to bumps, developing a new model of pitches specially suitable to extreme activities and extreme flows. WSBSPORT has an agreement for the maintenance of the FIT Five chain with the purpose of keeping the structures in perfect conditions at all times.
Impact in Belgium and developments in Canada
Fit Five is a brand born with a unique and successful concept. A second opening in Charleroi at the end of 2016 resulted from this. The second club had 4 pitches indoors in the centre of the city with the potential to install more because the site was originally a tennis club with more than 8 courts.
Thanks to the success of these first two sites in the most important cities in Belgium, Fit Five is planning three new openings in the next 2 years in Belgium: Anderlecht, Antwerp and Gand.
After the installation of 9 high quality pitches in their two clubs, WSBSPORT gained the confidence of the client and was asked to support the opening of their first club in Canada in 2018. We are currently looking for investors and locations for Fit Five’s international roll-out.