MAN v FAT
MAN v FAT runs sports-based weight-loss leagues — football, rugby, and soccer — for men with a BMI ≥27.5, combining weekly league play, weigh-ins, and coaching under a subscription model to drive sustainable weight loss through community accountability.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2014
- HeadquartersWinnersh, United Kingdom
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What MAN v FAT does
MAN v FAT Ltd is a UK-headquartered private health and wellness company, founded in 2014 by Andrew Shanahan, that operates sports-based weight loss leagues for men with a BMI of 27.5 or above. Its core offering comprises three sport-specific subscription products: MAN v FAT Football (UK, from £35-36.50/month), MAN v FAT Rugby (UK), and MAN v FAT Soccer (US, $99/month), each combining weekly league play, qualified coaching, and weekly weigh-ins under a points-based system that rewards both goals scored and pounds lost. Membership is delivered through dedicated websites (manvfatfootball.org, manvfatrugby.com, manvfatsoccer.com) with one-time registration fees plus recurring monthly subscriptions, supported by a member-only Player Portal (stats, recipes, progress tracking, billing), the MAN v FAT Gym (200+ on-demand fitness classes), and a JAAQ-powered digital mental health layer.
The company is owned by the Thrive Tribe group, which acquired it in 2019, and operates from a registered office in Winnersh, Berkshire with a London (Plexal, Here East) correspondence address and a US operations footprint in Boston, Massachusetts. Distribution is direct-to-consumer via programme websites and a community-led model reliant on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Word-of-mouth referrals. Strategic partnerships with the English FA, Welsh FA, Movember, British Heart Foundation, Prostate Cancer UK, JAAQ, Hope + Glory, UNLMTD Soccer, and Marsden provide credibility, channel reach, and integrated services. The company reports 150+ football clubs across the UK, 18+ US soccer leagues across 7 states, 15+ rugby clubs, over 1 million pounds of cumulative weight lost by members, and claims that 90%+ of players who complete a first season lose weight.
MAN v FAT firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- MAN v FAT
- Legal name
- MAN v FAT Ltd
- Website
- https://manvfat.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2014
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- MAN v FAT runs sports-based weight-loss leagues — football, rugby, and soccer — for men with a BMI ≥27.5, combining weekly league play, weigh-ins, and coaching under a subscription model to drive sustainable weight loss through community accountability.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
MAN v FAT industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Men's Weight Loss & Fitness Programs
- NAICS
- Diet and Weight Reducing Centers (812191), Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers (713940)
- SIC
- Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Weight Loss Coaching (Non-Clinical) (HSADAFAB)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Weight Loss & Body Transformation Training (HSADAAAC)
Keywords
Where MAN v FAT is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Winnersh
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices4 records
Markets served
MAN v FAT business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others
Revenue model
- Monthly Membership Fees: Recurring monthly subscription fees for programme participation. UK Football from £35-36.50/month, UK Rugby subscription, US Soccer at $99/month. Players are assigned to teams and begin monthly charging upon assignment.
- Registration Fees: One-time registration fees charged upon signup for new members. Non-refundable unless the league is cancelled by the company.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | MAN v FAT Football (UK) |
| Subscription | Monthly | MAN v FAT Rugby (UK) |
| Subscription | Monthly | MAN v FAT Soccer (US) |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels10 records
MAN v FAT product offering
Product offeringCore offering
MAN v FAT runs sport-based weight loss leagues for men with a BMI of 27.5 or above, offering paid monthly subscriptions to weekly matches (football, rugby, or soccer) led by qualified referees and coaches, with weekly weigh-ins and a dual scoring system rewarding weight loss and goals scored. Programmes are organised into local clubs (150+ in the UK, 15+ rugby clubs, 18+ US soccer leagues) and supported by proprietary digital tools including the Player Portal, an online gym with 200+ classes, JAAQ mental health support, and free BMI/TDEE/BMR/Health Report calculators.
Product overview
MAN v FAT is a unified weight loss platform offering sport-based weight loss programmes for men. The core product portfolio includes three sport-specific programmes: MAN v FAT Football (UK-based football leagues), MAN v FAT Rugby (UK-based touch rugby), and MAN v FAT Soccer (US-based soccer leagues). All programmes use a points-based system where players earn rewards for both sporting performance and weight loss. Supplementary to the core programmes, the offering includes the MAN v FAT Gym (200+ online fitness classes), Player Portal (member dashboard for tracking and resources), Mental Health Support via JAAQ partnership, and free digital tools including BMI Calculator, TDEE & BMR Calculator, Health Report, and Diet Guide. The company also operates a Kit Shop with partner Hope + Glory and organizes exclusive events and awards ceremonies.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- MAN v FAT Football A UK football league exclusively for men with a BMI of 27.5 or over who want to lose weight. Members play weekly matches with qualified referees and experienced coaches, are weighed weekly, and earn points for both weight loss and goals scored, accessing the Player Portal and team accountability.
- MAN v FAT Rugby A non-contact touch rugby programme for men with a BMI of 27.5 or over, with weekly weigh-ins, T1 non-contact games, and support from Health & Wellbeing Coaches, scoring points for both weight loss and on-pitch performance.
- MAN v FAT Soccer A US soccer league programme for men with a BMI of 27.5 or over, currently operating across 18+ leagues in seven US states. Members play weekly soccer, are weighed weekly, and earn points for both weight loss and goals scored, with free trial sessions and monthly membership.
- MAN v FAT Gym A member-only online gym offering over 200 on-demand and live workout classes including HIIT, Pilates, tai chi, yoga, football drills, and warm-ups, designed to improve fitness, flexibility, and strength for male members.
- Player Portal A member-only digital hub providing access to weight loss resources, tips, club stats, team fixtures and results, a content library, billing management, and weekly weigh-in progress tracking for subscribed players.
- Mental Health Support (JAAQ) A digital mental health platform integrated with JAAQ, providing members with resources to work through depression, anxiety, and stress, featuring content from the MAN v FAT community.
- BMI Calculator A free online tool that calculates Body Mass Index, helping men determine whether they are a healthy weight for their height, with adjustments for muscular builds, over-60 users, and Asian users.
- TDEE & BMR Calculator A free calculator that estimates Total Daily Energy Expenditure and Basal Metabolic Rate using the Mifflin-St. Joer equation, helping members determine daily calorie needs for weight loss.
- Health Report A free 3-minute online health assessment providing instant access to health and weight loss insights, including TDEE and BMR calculations with tailored advice for improvement.
- Diet Guide An extensive free collection of diet plans and information for men, including guides on calorie counting, intermittent fasting, Atkins, DASH diet, Paleo, and more, with survey data on men's diet preferences.
- MAN v FAT Kit Shop An online shop offering exclusive MAN v FAT Football kit and sportswear, operated in partnership with Hope + Glory sportswear manufacturer.
Quantifiable outcome
- 90%+ of players who complete their first season lose weight
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use MAN v FAT
Customer profileNamed customers10 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
MAN v FAT technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration4 records
Feature5 records
MAN v FAT partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
18 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- UNLMTD Soccer (Massachusetts)coreFacility partner for MAN v FAT Soccer expansion to Boston, Massachusetts. UNLMTD Soccer provides state-of-the-art artificial turf facilities with social lounge areas for the leagues.
- English FAcoreOfficial affiliation with the Football Association for English football. Supports the national governing body's commitment to grassroots football and male health initiatives.
- Welsh FAcoreOfficial affiliation with the Welsh Football Association supporting MAN v FAT clubs in Wales.
- Hope & GlorycoreExclusive sportswear manufacturer creating MAN v FAT branded kit. Players can purchase official kit through Hope & Glory shop.
- JAAQcoreDigital mental health platform providing MAN v FAT x JAAQ integration for depression, anxiety, and stress support with content from the MAN v FAT community.
- Astute PRminorPR agency partner supporting communications and media relations for MAN v FAT.
- BSLM (British Society of Lifestyle Medicine)minorPartnership with professional medical society supporting evidence-based lifestyle medicine approaches to weight management.
- PumaminorSportswear partner providing Puma-branded equipment and apparel support.
- MovemberminorMen's health charity partnership supporting awareness of male health issues including mental health and prostate cancer.
- British Heart FoundationminorHeart health charity partnership supporting cardiovascular health awareness.
- Prostate Cancer UKminorProstate cancer charity partnership supporting men's health awareness.
- Armed Forces CovenantminorCommitment to supporting members of the armed forces community through the Armed Forces Covenant.
- Thrive TribecoreParent company / healthy lifestyle provider. MAN v FAT became part of Thrive Tribe's award-winning family of services in 2019, enabling expansion to more men.
- St. George's ParkminorNational Football Centre hosting MAN v FAT community events.
- National Football MuseumminorManchester museum hosting MAN v FAT events.
- AndrolabsminorEvent partner supporting MAN v FAT events.
- Brown & BrownminorEvent partner supporting MAN v FAT events.
- Planet SportminorEvent partner and sports media partner.
Scale indicators10 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
MAN v FAT competitors and assessment
Company assessmentRegional players
- David Lloyd Leisure: David Lloyd Leisure is a UK/European premium health-club operator with racquet sports and family programming; comparable as a UK membership sports club competitor, though not a weight-loss-specific model.
- PureGym: PureGym is a UK-based low-cost gym chain with membership subscription; relevant as a competing UK subscription fitness option at a similar price tier to MAN v FAT, though without the weight-loss-accountability hook.
Direct peers
- WW (Weight Watchers): WW is a subscription-based weight-management program with strong UK and US presence; comparable to MAN v FAT's recurring-revenue, community-supported weight-loss model, though delivered through coaching/points rather than sports leagues.
- Noom: Noom is a digital subscription weight-loss program with psychology-led coaching; comparable in subscription, multi-geography rollout, and weight-loss vertical, though delivered via app rather than in-person sports leagues.
- Jenny Craig: Jenny Craig is a subscription weight-loss and meal-program brand with structured coaching; relevant peer for MAN v FAT's recurring-revenue weight-management subscription, though delivered via food rather than sports.
- Slimming World: Slimming World is a UK-headquartered group-based weight-management subscription with strong UK penetration; directly comparable in geography and subscription mechanics, though targeting a broader demographic than MAN v FAT's men-only, sport-led model.
Broad incumbents
- MyFitnessPal: MyFitnessPal is a large digital calorie-tracking platform with weight-loss user overlap; comparable broadly as a weight-management engagement tool, but free/freemium rather than a sport-led subscription model.
- Nuffield Health: Nuffield Health is a UK health-and-fitness membership network combining gyms, clubs, and health services; relevant due to overlap in UK membership-based fitness delivery with health-focused programming.
- Better (UK leisure operator): Better is a major UK leisure and fitness operator offering membership sports facilities; relevant peer given MAN v FAT's UK membership-club sports delivery mechanism, though focused on broad fitness rather than weight-loss outcomes.
Emerging players
- Walking Football associations (e.g. Walking Football UK): Walking Football organisations run football formats designed for older or less-mobile adults, addressing similar health and social engagement outcomes; a partial-overlap peer for MAN v FAT's sport-as-wellness concept, though aimed at older demographics rather than weight-loss coaching.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
MAN v FAT social profiles
Digital presenceMAN v FAT compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
MAN v FAT financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
MAN v FAT leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
MAN v FAT funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
MAN v FAT M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about MAN v FAT
What does MAN v FAT do?
MAN v FAT runs sport-based weight loss leagues for men with a BMI of 27.5 or above, offering paid monthly subscriptions to weekly matches (football, rugby, or soccer) led by qualified referees and coaches, with weekly weigh-ins and a dual scoring system rewarding weight loss and goals scored. Programmes are organised into local clubs (150+ in the UK, 15+ rugby clubs, 18+ US soccer leagues) and supported by proprietary digital tools including the Player Portal, an online gym with 200+ classes, JAAQ mental health support, and free BMI/TDEE/BMR/Health Report calculators.
Is MAN v FAT a public or private company?
MAN v FAT is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was MAN v FAT founded?
MAN v FAT was founded in 2014. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is MAN v FAT based?
MAN v FAT is headquartered in Winnersh, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does MAN v FAT make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Monthly Membership Fees are the primary driver. The others are registration Fees.
Who are MAN v FAT's main competitors?
Regional players on record are David Lloyd Leisure and PureGym. Direct peers are WW (Weight Watchers), Noom, Jenny Craig and Slimming World. Broad incumbents are MyFitnessPal, Nuffield Health and Better (UK leisure operator). Walking Football associations (e.g. Walking Football UK) is listed as an emerging player.
Does MAN v FAT have an API?
No public API is recorded for MAN v FAT.
What industry is MAN v FAT in?
MAN v FAT's product category is Men's Weight Loss & Fitness Programs. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HSADAFAB, Weight Loss Coaching (Non-Clinical), with a secondary code of HSADAAAC, Weight Loss & Body Transformation Training. Its NAICS code is 812191 and its SIC code is 7997.