Three Kansas City area Title Boxing Clubs fold

Three area Title Boxing Club franchises have closed, leaving an estimated 900-plus members looking for somewhere else to work out.

The franchises, in Lee’s Summit, Liberty and Blue Springs, closed on short notice at the end of the year. Members had the option to transfer to another franchise — Title still has five operating in the area — but that would require most of them to drive much farther. The clubs offer fitness equipment along with boxing and kickboxing classes and workouts.

The Missouri attorney general’s office said it had seven consumer complaints it was looking into against the three Title Boxing Club locations.

Brooke Budke, director of marketing for the Title Boxing Club parent company, said the franchises decided to close rather than make upgrades called for in their agreements with the company. She said Title’s franchise network overall was healthy and expanding, with 153 locations across the country and 60,000 members.

The franchises had the same owners but were set up as three limited liability corporations. Budke said that as franchises, the three locations were responsible for making any refunds to members on long-term contracts. The owners declined to comment.

Members of the locations seeking a refund can email catherine@titleboxingclub.com. Those wanting to file a complaint with the state attorney general can go to www.ago.mo.gov or call 800-392-8222.

This story was originally published January 7, 2016 at 1:28 PM with the headline "Three Kansas City area Title Boxing Clubs fold."