Former Michigan State Spartan, Draymond Green has signed a franchise development deal to bring at least 20 Blink Fitness gyms to Michigan and Illinois.
The Golden State Warrior and Michigan native will open 15 Blink Gyms throughout Michigan.
Locations have not been formally announced, however, Green and his business partner, Tom Shumaker, have been actively looking into Lansing, as well as Grand Rapids, Ann Arbor, and Detroit and its surrounding suburbs.
“I’m really excited about bringing Blink gyms to Michigan and Chicago. I think about where I grew up and the people I grew up with. We didn’t have anything like Blink,” said Green. “Everyone wants a cool place to get fit and workout. But lots of communities don’t have any options. The places are either terrible or too expensive. We’re going to change that. This is not an endorsement deal for me. I’m going to invest my money and my time to partner with Blink to bring an amazing gym experience to these communities. “
Green says that Blink offers a truly unique experience to its members due to a company philosophy of "Mood Above Muscle™" which he says celebrates the positive feelings you get from exercise rather than just the physical benefits.
The gym is described as providing contemporary and colorful design, elevated customer service, relentless focus on cleanliness, energizing music and confidence-boosting training programs.
A native of Saginaw, Michigan, Green played four years of basketball at Michigan State University where he led the school to two Final Four appearances and earned numerous NCAA and Big Ten awards. In 2015, he gave back to the university through a $3.1 million donation, one of the largest sums ever given by an active athlete to their alma mater, to create a strength and conditioning center and fund scholarships for student-athletes. Green also sits on the advisory board and is an active member of RISE (Ross Initiative in Sports for Equality), a nonprofit dedicated to improving race relations and driving social progress through the unifying power of sports.
