Taking over Grand Central Terminal’s Vanderbilt Hall for a 24-hour marathon of stationary bike riding seems like the type of endeavor that could take a year’s worth of rigorous planning to pull off. But for New York Sports Clubs, HealthCorps, and Event Engine, last Friday’s “Saints and Spinners” event—a fund-raiser to help fight teen obesity in New York City schools—was barely even an idea three months ago.
“I remember sending out an email titled, ‘As if you didn’t have enough to do already,’ saying I thought we can pull this event together if everyone was willing to take the risk and came forward,” said Merrill Richmond, vice president of marketing at Town Sports, about when he first got the idea for the benefit.A longtime sponsor of the squash Tournament of Champions, held annually in Vanderbilt Hall, the Town Sports-owned New York Sports Clubs had been looking for a philanthropic tie-in to the competition, so its marketers set out to hold Saints and Spinners two days after this year's squash event. “There were really two big moving parts of the event,” Richmond said. “There were 100 riders every hour, mostly made up of New York Sports Clubs members and other volunteers, and they were balanced by this group of six really elite athletes who were going to compete for the Guinness Book of World Records.”
At the east end of the hall, a giant grandstand overlooked the sea of 100 stationary bikes where spectators could watch and motivational trainers and guests could lead the cyclists in different maneuvers. (Celebrity participation from the likes of Rocco DiSpirito and ESPN commentator—and former New York Giants quarterback—Jesse Palmer probably helped to increase spectator turnout.) At the other side of the hall was a rider lounge and booths for sponsors such as Snapple and New York Sports Club, as well as the small stage where the professional cyclists peddled. Bisecting the room was a footpath where tourists, commuters, and passersby stopped to watch the marathon and meet HealthCorps founder (and friend of Oprah) Dr. Mehmet Oz, who was on hand to cycle, speak with press, and answer questions from attendees.
Much of the equipment and infrastructure for the event was conveniently left over from Event Engine’s staging of the squash competition. “The bleachers and the rider lounge were all elements of the Tournament of Champions,” Richmond said. “It created a spectator field for us and it saved us time.”
Over the course of 24 hours, the event raised $250,000 to put HealthCorps’ health education programs in New York City schools and established two Guinness World Records.
“I remember sending out an email titled, ‘As if you didn’t have enough to do already,’ saying I thought we can pull this event together if everyone was willing to take the risk and came forward,” said Merrill Richmond, vice president of marketing at Town Sports, about when he first got the idea for the benefit.A longtime sponsor of the squash Tournament of Champions, held annually in Vanderbilt Hall, the Town Sports-owned New York Sports Clubs had been looking for a philanthropic tie-in to the competition, so its marketers set out to hold Saints and Spinners two days after this year's squash event. “There were really two big moving parts of the event,” Richmond said. “There were 100 riders every hour, mostly made up of New York Sports Clubs members and other volunteers, and they were balanced by this group of six really elite athletes who were going to compete for the Guinness Book of World Records.”
At the east end of the hall, a giant grandstand overlooked the sea of 100 stationary bikes where spectators could watch and motivational trainers and guests could lead the cyclists in different maneuvers. (Celebrity participation from the likes of Rocco DiSpirito and ESPN commentator—and former New York Giants quarterback—Jesse Palmer probably helped to increase spectator turnout.) At the other side of the hall was a rider lounge and booths for sponsors such as Snapple and New York Sports Club, as well as the small stage where the professional cyclists peddled. Bisecting the room was a footpath where tourists, commuters, and passersby stopped to watch the marathon and meet HealthCorps founder (and friend of Oprah) Dr. Mehmet Oz, who was on hand to cycle, speak with press, and answer questions from attendees.
Much of the equipment and infrastructure for the event was conveniently left over from Event Engine’s staging of the squash competition. “The bleachers and the rider lounge were all elements of the Tournament of Champions,” Richmond said. “It created a spectator field for us and it saved us time.”
Over the course of 24 hours, the event raised $250,000 to put HealthCorps’ health education programs in New York City schools and established two Guinness World Records.
One hundred bikes filled Grand Central for the spin-a-thon.
Photo: Jessica Torossian for BizBash
One hundred of Star Trac's Spinner bikes filled Grand Central's Vanderbilt Hall for the fund-raising spin-a-thon.
Photo: Jessica Torossian for BizBash
Celebrity guests and New York Sports Clubs instructors led the participants through the spinning party.
Photo: Jessica Torossian for BizBash
The event also included six riders attempting to break the world record for most miles traveled on a single stationary bike in 24 hours.
Photo: Jessica Torossian for BizBash
Snapple, one of the hosting sponsors, set up booths in the halls with free samples of antioxidant water.
Photo: Jessica Torossian for BizBash
Pledging $100 an hour, participants raised $250,000 for HealthCorps.
Photo: Jessica Torossian for BizBash
