Team Nogueira: Invasion of Mixed Martial Arts in the Fitness Universe

Abstract This case study describes the challenges faced by Sergio Lyra, CEO of Team Nogueira, a network of gymnasiums founded by the brothers Rodrigo and Rogério Nogueira, two of the greatest fighters in the history of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA), who had transformed their training center into a gym, and later into a franchise network. In 2015, Team Nogueira had more than thirty academies throughout Brazil. However, the slowdown in the popularization of the sport, coupled with the economic crisis that plagued the country and the retirement of the brothers that gave its name to the network created a scenario of uncertainties and concerns. This case serves as a background for the discussion on the application of marketing in the sporting context, allowing discussion about the challenges related to the alignment between segmentation, target market selection and positioning. Therefore, the case is recommended for Fundamentals of Marketing or Sports Marketing classes in undergraduate and postgraduate courses, in sessions dedicated to the discussion of segmentation, competitive positioning or marketing strategy.