BREAKING: Eric Roza to Buy CrossFit from Greg Glassman
In an announcement sure to send ripples through the fitness community, CrossFit, the CrossFit Games, and acting CEO Dave Castro have announced CrossFit’s sale to Eric Roza, the former CEO of data and analytics company Datalogix, which was acquired by Oracle in 2015.
Acting CEO Dave Castro — who replaced founder and CEO Greg Glassman after a controversial tweet and series of statements to CrossFit affiliate owners — welcomed Roza on Twitter.
Very excited to welcome and partner with @RozaEric in his future role as owner and CEO of CrossFit. Eric is CrossFit to the core and he will help us take CrossFit to the next level. #crossfit
https://t.co/R6IfE8n2b8 pic.twitter.com/l5WzD0uuBb
— The CrossFit Games (@CrossFitGames) June 24, 2020
Roza is an entrepreneur who sold his tech company Datalogix, for a reported $1.2 billion in 2014.
He’s also a well-heeled CrossFit athlete himself. He’s not only the founder and owner of CrossFit Sanitas in Boulder, Colorado, the 52-year-old also opened a box at Datalogix and two more at Oracle after the acquisition. You can check out his stats as an athlete at Games.CrossFit.com: he competed in the Open from 2012 to 2018, coming 161st in America in the Masters Men (45-49) division in 2016 and 165th worldwide in the Masters Men (45-49) division in 2013.
Here are his best lifts:
- Deadlift: 395lb
- Back squat: 345lb
- Clean & jerk: 240lb
- Snatch: 190lb
- Fran time: 2:40
- Grace time: 3:38
Roza recently changed his LinkedIn profile to read “Incoming CEO & Owner CrossFit Inc at CrossFit, Inc.” The deal is expected to close in July.
He also posted an address to the CrossFit community on his Twitter account. In the letter, he addresses the recent allegations of sexism and racism at CrossFit HQ.
“I come to you with deep humility and the realization that we have hard work to do. I am committed to listening, I am committed to learning, and I am committed to leading positive change. Most of all, I am committed to CrossFit and to you, as a member of our community.”
— Eric Roza (@RozaEric) June 24, 2020
Following Glassman’s resignation two weeks ago, additional reports surfaced regarding allegations of sexism and a toxic work culture from within CrossFit HQ. The New York Times spoke to eight former CrossFit HQ employees and four athletes close with the company in confirming the reports.
In the announcement, CrossFit HQ said Roza would be hosting a YouTube Live event the afternoon of June 24th to address the community in his role as incoming owner and CEO.
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It was not immediately known if Greg Glassman will maintain any form of partial ownership of CrossFit Inc. The New York Times reported previously that Lauren Jenai, Mr. Glassman’s ex-wife, had recently expressed interest in purchasing the company from her former husband. Jenai had previously received $20 million in exchange for her half of CrossFit’s ownership during the couples 2013 divorce.
It is not immediately known which impacts Roza’s purchase of the company will have for affiliates or the CrossFit Games. Due to COVID-19 related travel restrictions 2020 CrossFit Games has been delayed to August 17th at the earliest. Numerous top CrossFit Games athletes have announced their intention not to compete at this year’s Games after Glassman’s comments.
Featured image via @rozaeric on Instagram
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Eric Roza?
Eric Roza is an entrepreneur who, as of July 2020, is the owner and CEO of CrossFit, Inc. He sold his tech company Datalogix, which provides data on offline consumer spending to digital marketers, for a reported $1.2 billion in 2014. He has also opened several CrossFit gyms.
How much did CrossFit sell for?
It’s currently unknown how much CrossFit, Inc. was sold for when Eric Roza purchased it in June 2020.
Who owns CrossFit?
Eric Roza became the owner and CEO of CrossFit, Inc. when he purchased it from founder Greg Glassman in 2020.