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Affiliate Owners Upset with Wodify Policy Change

 
Morning Chalk Up

April 9
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Fully Amped

Good morning and welcome to the Morning Chalk Up. A little over a week ago, Wodify announced a payout policy change in response to COVID-19 mandated gym closures, upsetting some affiliate owners. And, we’ve got the final episode of “Proving Grounds,” our mini-documentary series on Jeffrey Adler at the Dubai CrossFit Championship. Today:

  • Wodify explains its policy change decision.
  • Proving Grounds: Jeffrey Adler in Dubai.
  • What to look for in the 50-54 Age Group Division.

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“Optimism is a strategy for making a better future. Because unless you believe that the future can be better, you are unlikely to step up and take responsibility for making it so.” – Noam Chomsky

 

Wodify Explains COVID-19 Policy Change that Upset Affiliate Owners

  Wodify Explains COVID-19 Policy Change that Upset Affiliate Owners  

At the end of March, Wodify, the popular gym management software among CrossFit affiliates around the world, announced a new policy that has ruffled gym owners’ feathers more than a little bit.

Wodify announced they’re extending the amount of time it takes an affiliate to receive their funds from member transactions. Typically, it took two to three business days to receive funds. Now, it will take 10 business days, or 14 calendar days.

Brendan Rice, Wodify’s Chief Marketing Officer, explained the decision only affects about 35 percent of their customers at the moment. Specifically, it applies to those who use Wodify Payments — Wodify’s payment processing option that is powered by the payment processing platform Stripe.

Understanding Wodify’s Relationship with Stripe: “As the payment facilitator, Wodify Payments is an integrated solution that is built using Stripe’s connect platform,” Rice told Morning Chalk Up.

  • “Because of that, the money flows from gym transactions — (such as) gym memberships — through Wodify and into the gym owner’s bank accounts. When funds flow the other direction — (such as) refunds and chargebacks — the money comes out of Wodify’s account and then we debit that customer’s bank account. It’s important to note that if a gym’s bank account has insufficient funds and there is a chargeback, then Wodify is liable for the full amount of that chargeback.”

Under normal business conditions, “this is an ideal solution for both Wodify and our customers,” Rice said, as it offers gyms a simple, affordable and transparent way to process their payments. But under the current novel coronavirus pandemic climate, gyms have now become a high-risk industry.

This effectively makes Wodify as vulnerable as the gym owner.

Even prior to COVID-19, Rice said there are cases where they have found themselves on the hook financially.

  • “There are a handful of cases each year where a gym, either intentionally or unintentionally, shuts down after charging members for services and we are left with the liability to pay the chargebacks,” Rice said. Most recently, there was a case prior to the novel coronavirus pandemic that cost Wodify $65,000.
 

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With 80% of affiliates closed globally, box owners need your support now more than ever. Here’s how we’re stepping in.

For every Support Your Local Box shirt you buy, Fully Amped is sending 100% of net profits directly to affiliates, no questions asked.

Together as a community, we are stronger than this pandemic. Help us step up and keep the lights on in your box.

 

VIDEO: Proving Grounds: Jeffrey Adler in Dubai – Part 4

  VIDEO: Proving Grounds: Jeffrey Adler in Dubai - Part 4  
 

2020 CrossFit Games Age Group Preview: Men and Women Ages 50-54

  2020 CrossFit Games Age Group Preview: Men and Women Ages 50-54  

The men and women of the 50-54 Masters division are next up in our preview of the 2020 CrossFit Games Age Groups. These standings are unofficial after the Age Group Online Qualifier (AGOQ) scores were submitted and could change due to score adjustments as the top-25 athletes in each division must submit videos to CrossFit HQ for review. The video review period concludes on April 13 with the top ten athletes in each division receiving an invitation to the Games.

Chad Schroeder dives into the numbers of the AGOQ even more, breaking down all the divisions with his statistical analysis.

Men’s 50-54 division: All ten athletes in qualifying spots after the AGOQ are from North America, including nine from the United State. Just three athletes have competed in the division including the returning AGOQ champion and a former Games champion. Seven athletes make their division debut while three are making their first Games appearance.

  1. Gregg Geerdes repeats as the AGOQ champion in the division after making his debut in the 50-54 age group last year. This will be his fourth Games appearance overall and second-straight. Last year he podiumed for the first time in his Games career, placing second just ten points behind the champion Kevin Koester. He recorded five top-three finishes in six events including two event wins in Madison. In this year’s AGOQ, he recorded five top-ten finishes including an event win. Geerdes competed at Wodapalooza in February, placing third.
  2. Steve Hartle makes his division debut after placing second in the AGOQ, 12 points behind Geerdes. This will be his third Games appearance after competing in the 45-49 division in 2016 and 2018. In this year’s AGOQ he recorded four top-ten finishes including two third place finishes.
  3. Ron Ortiz returns to the Games after taking the season off to recover from an injury. This will be his ninth trip to the Games as a Masters athlete, the second-most all-time within the Age Group divisions. Ortiz is a two-time Masters champion and four-time podium finisher. He won his first Masters title in 2013 in the 45-49 division before winning the title of “Fittest 50-54 year old” in his debut in the division in 2016. Ortiz has nine career event wins at the Games. In this year’s AGOQ, he won the max clean and jerk event with a lift of 293 lbs.
 

THINGS TO…

…WATCH

Highlight Reel: The 2019-2020 Sanctionals Season So Far

The 2019-2020 CrossFit Games season might be on pause but here’s a quick highlight reel of all the action over the first 10 events of the season.

  Morning Chalk Up  

…ACQUIRE

The Nano 9 for $65

The shoe built for the CrossFit community, by the CrossFit community is having a flash sale. Shop now and use the code “LASTCALL” to get the Nano 9 for $65.

  Morning Chalk Up  

…HEAR

Austin Malleolo on the Dad Bod WOD Podcast

On this episode, CrossFit Games Athlete Austin Malleolo joins host, Kevin Torres, to talk about how he manages everything on his plate — being a Seminar Staff Member and Flowmaster, an affiliate owner with three gyms of his own, a co-owner of the HAM plan and the General Manager of the Reebok Gym in Boston — while being a devoted dad to an 18-month old girl.

  Morning Chalk Up  

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HIGHLIGHTS…

 

COMMUNITY

United in Movement Update

The United in Movement charity event and competition is rolling on and here’s a quick rundown to bring you up to speed:

  • Following the 24-hour livestream, telethon-style opening, the first WOD was announced.
    • Workout 1: 7 Minute AMRAP — Line-Facing Burpees, over a 6″ line.
    • Tia-Clair Toomey and Mat Fraser took this one on in Mat’s Cookeville garage.
  • Sunday evening, Brent Fikowski and Pat Vellner faced off (virtually) in workout #2.
    • Workout 2: 12 Minute AMRAP — 80 Lateral hops over-the-Dumbbell; 60 Air Squats; 40 Dumbbell Shoulder to Overhead (50/35).
  • Monday evening, newlyweds Lauren Fisher and Rasmus Anderson took on workout #3.
    • Workout 3: 20 Minute AMRAP — 20 Hand Release Pushups; 30 Goblet Squats; 40 Hand Release Pushups; 50 Dumbbell Lunges; 60 Hand Release Pushups; 70 Single-Arm Suitcase Deadlifts.
  • Tuesday evening, Noah Ohlsen and Chandler Smith threw down (virtually) in workout #4.
    • Workout 4: 9 Minute AMRAP — 30-20-10 of: Alternating Hang DB C&J and Butterfly Sit-ups; right into, 30-20-10 Alternating DB Hang Snatch and Butterfly Sit-ups.
  • Wednesday evening, the Buttery Bros, Marston Sawyers and Heber Cannon went head-to-head in workout #5.
    • Workout 5: Every 4 min (3 min on + 1 min rest) for 5 rounds of: 21/21 Alternating Lunge Jump, 15/15 Single-Arm DB Floor Press, 9 Reverse Burpees; In the remaining time within the 3min window: Max Broad Jumps (4ft for men, 3ft for women); Rest 1 min between rounds.

So far, United in Movement has raised almost $200,000 and over 13,000 people are participating in the event.

Check out the United in Movement website and Instagram for more.

 
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