What Rutgers University —New Brunswick Recreation does

Rutgers University — New Brunswick Recreation is an operational division within the Division of Student Affairs at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, a public state university founded in 1766. The department operates five recreation/fitness centers across the Rutgers New Brunswick campuses — College Avenue Gym, Cook/Douglass Recreation Center, Livingston Recreation Center, Rutgers Fitness Center (Easton Avenue), and Sonny Werblin Recreation Center — and serves the Rutgers community including students, faculty, staff, retirees, and alumni, with select youth and community access via Rutgers Rec Kids and Sponsored Member programs.

The department's core offerings span fitness and wellness (group classes including yoga, Pilates, Spinning, Zumba, BODYPUMP; personal training; massage therapy; Exercise is Medicine On Campus programming), aquatics (pools at two facilities plus youth and adult swim lessons), intramural and club sports (30+ club sports including Running Club and Club Golf), adventure recreation (rockwall, kayaking from the Class of 1914 Boathouse, fossil hunting, river tubing, sunset kayaking), professional certification pathways (American Red Cross Lifeguarding/WSI, NASM-CPT, Les Mills, Spinning, Wilderness Medical Associates), and the youth-focused Rutgers Rec Kids program covering swim lessons, summer camps, and birthday parties. Technology infrastructure centers on the RUREC2Go mobile application for iOS and Android, which delivers facility hours, class registration, notifications, and calendar-synced schedules, supported by the services.rec.rutgers.edu self-service member portal.

Revenue mechanics rely on a hybrid model. Primary access for enrolled Rutgers NB students is funded through mandatory Campus Fees providing universal membership; complementary paid subscriptions serve alumni ($45–$95/month or $375/$415 annually), RU Employees not covered by collective bargaining agreements ($26/month or $312/year), and Sponsored non-affiliate members ($45/month). Transactional revenue streams include group fitness instruction ($85/class), chair massage ($85/hour per therapist), and adventure trip programming ($25–$45/person). Philanthropic revenue flows through the annual Ed Levy Golf Tournament (288 golfers in 2025, raising over $18,000, with cumulative scholarship funding exceeding $150,000 since 1995). The department maintains Gold Level recognition from the American College of Sports Medicine's Exercise is Medicine On Campus program continuously since 2018 and is led by a small named management team including Adam Shanley (Sport Club Coordinator), Bethann Wittig (Fitness & Personal Training Coordinator), Paul Fischbach (Recreation Staff, Ed Levy liaison), and Anne Finetto (Race Director, Big Chill 5K).

Name

Rutgers University —New Brunswick Recreation

Legal name

Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey

Website

https://recreation.rutgers.edu

Company type

Public

Founded year

1766

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Rutgers University — New Brunswick Recreation operates five campus recreation centers, aquatics facilities, and intramural/club sports programs serving Rutgers students, faculty, staff, alumni, and community youth. The unit is funded through campus fees, paid memberships, fee-based wellness programming, and philanthropic events.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Campus Recreation Services

NAICS

Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers (713940), Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers (71394), Sports and Recreation Instruction (61162)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997), Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

Campus Recreation Centers & Fitness Facilities Operations (EDALAIAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Group Fitness, Personal Training & Wellness Coaching (EDALAIAE), Outdoor Recreation & Adventure Programs (Trips, Climbing, Rentals) (EDALAIAG), Sports Medicine, Athletic Training & Rehabilitation Services (EDALAIAH), Endurance Sports Coaching & Training Camps (Running, Cycling, Triathlon, Swimming) (MPAKAJAH)

Keywords

• Campus recreation services
• Fitness center memberships
• Intramural club sports
• Aquatics youth programs
• Adventure recreation trips

Headquarters

HQ city

Piscataway

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices8 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Infrastructure, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Campus Fee Funded Access: Rutgers students (enrolled and paying Campus Fee), Class 1 Employees, RBHS Graduate Students, Rutgers Chaplains, Rutgers Foundation Staff, ROTC Staff, and Retirees receive complimentary membership through their campus fees or employment contracts.
2. Alumni Memberships: Alumni purchase monthly ($45-$95) or annual ($375-$415) memberships for access to all five recreation/fitness centers, open recreation space, pools, racquet sports, locker rooms, and Fitness & Wellness classes. Includes student pricing on fee-based services.
3. Sponsored Member Memberships: Current members can purchase Sponsored Member memberships for non-affiliates over age 18. Monthly membership ($45) provides access to all facilities, open recreation space, and Fitness & Wellness classes at student pricing for fee-based programs.
4. RU Employee Memberships: RU Employees not covered by collective bargaining agreements purchase memberships ($26/month or $312/year) for facility and class access, plus student pricing on fee-based services.
5. RU Student Memberships: Students in programs that do not pay campus fees for recreation access can purchase memberships for facility and Fitness & Wellness class access, plus student pricing for fee-based services.
6. Fitness & Wellness On The Go Programming: Fee-based group fitness instruction ($85/class) and chair massage ($85/hour per therapist) provided at campus events and locations upon request. Virtual EIM-OC presentations available.
7. Adventure Recreation Programs: Fee-based outdoor adventure programs including river tubing ($45), fossil hunting ($25), and sunset kayaking, with transportation and equipment provided.
8. Ed Levy Golf Scholarship Fundraising: Annual golf outing raises funds for student scholarships. The event has generated over $150,000 since 1995, with the 2025 event raising over $18,000 and each of 7 scholarship recipients receiving $2,000.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Rutgers University — New Brunswick Recreation operates five recreation/fitness centers across the Rutgers New Brunswick campuses, providing access to fitness facilities, pools, racquet and multi-sport courts, locker rooms, group fitness classes, personal training, and massage therapy. The division also delivers adventure recreation (kayaking, fossil hunting, rockwall), aquatics and youth swim lessons, intramural and club sports leagues, youth programming through Rec Kids, and professional certifications (Red Cross, NASM CPT, Les Mills, Spinning, Wilderness First Responder), supported by the RUREC2Go mobile app and services.rec.rutgers.edu member portal.

Product overview

Rutgers University — New Brunswick Recreation is a university division offering a comprehensive portfolio of recreational facilities, programs, and services. The core offering includes five recreation/fitness centers (College Avenue, Cook/Douglass, Livingston, Easton/Rutgers Fitness Center, and Sonny Werblin) providing access to fitness equipment, pools, and courts. The RURec2Go mobile app enables members to access facility hours, register for programs, and sync class schedules. Programs are organized into Adventure Recreation (rockwall, kayaking, outdoor trips), Aquatics (swimming pools, lessons), Sports (Intramural and Club Sports leagues), Fitness & Wellness (group classes, personal training, massage therapy), and Rec Kids (youth programs, camps). The department also offers professional certifications (American Red Cross, NASM, Les Mills, Spinning), runs the annual Big Chill 5K charity event, and manages membership programs for students, alumni, employees, and sponsored members. Specialized facilities include a disc golf course, boathouse for sailing, and various outdoor recreation destinations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Five Recreation/Fitness Centers Five recreation/fitness centers across New Brunswick campuses: College Avenue Gym, Cook/Douglass Recreation Center, Livingston Recreation Center, Rutgers Fitness Center (Easton Avenue), and Sonny Werblin Recreation Center, providing access to fitness centers, pools, courts, racquet sports, locker rooms, and group fitness space for members.
• Recreation Memberships Tiered membership programs providing access to all five recreation centers, fitness & wellness classes, and student pricing on fee-based services, with categories for alumni, RU employees, RU students, and sponsored members; complimentary access for campus-fee-paying students and Class 1 Employees.
• Adventure Recreation Outdoor adventure programming including rockwall climbing, kayaking on the Raritan River, fossil hunting expeditions, river tubing, and GO Outdoors trips with equipment rental and guided outdoor experiences for the Rutgers community.
• Aquatics Swimming facilities and programs including adult swimming, youth swimming lessons (Red Cross certified), competitive swimming, and aquatic safety instruction at the College Avenue Gym and Cook/Douglass Recreation Center pools.
• Intramural Sports Organized competitive intramural sports leagues for Rutgers students, faculty, and staff including flag football, basketball, and various seasonal sports with championship events at SHI Stadium and other venues.
• Club Sports Student-led competitive club sports organizations that compete against other universities, including club golf, running club, sailing, equestrian, soccer, pickleball, triathlon, ballroom dance, powerlifting, gymnastics, and more.
• Rutgers Rec Kids Youth programming offering Red Cross-certified swim lessons, summer camps, and birthday parties for children ages 6 months to 17 years at campus pools and facilities.
• Fitness and Wellness Classes Group fitness classes including yoga, Pilates, Spinning, Zumba, BODYPUMP, BODYCOMBAT, and additional modalities, offered as part of membership access and on-the-go bookings.
• Personal Training One-on-one and small group fitness training with certified personal trainers offering customized workout programs, body composition assessment, and fitness consultations for members.
• Massage Therapy and Wellness Services Professional massage therapy services provided by licensed therapists at Sonny Werblin Recreation Center and Cook/Douglass Recreation Center, plus on-the-go chair massage bookings ($85/hour per therapist) for campus events.
• Professional Certifications Professional certification preparation courses including American Red Cross Lifeguarding, CPR/AED/First Aid, Water Safety Instructor; NASM Certified Personal Trainer; Les Mills Group Fitness Instructor (BODYPUMP, BODYCOMBAT); Spinning Group Cycle Instructor; and Wilderness First Responder.
• Big Chill 5K Annual charity 5K run/walk event supporting the No Hungry Knights Fund for student food insecurity, with in-person and virtual participation options and themed costume contests.
• RU STRONG Strength Competition Strength competition featuring four timed events — Ajax Row, Titan Carry, Tire Flip, and Atlas Stone Lift — where competitors are scored based on completion time.
• Bench Press Club Strength achievement program where members complete 8 reps of bench press at body-weight-based standards (125% for men, 60% for women, 75% for nonbinary) to earn membership and a recognition t-shirt.
• Ed Levy Golf Scholarship Annual scholarship program awarding $2,000 to student employees demonstrating dedication to recreation, funded through the Ed Levy Golf Outing which has raised more than $150,000 since 1995.
• RURec2Go Mobile App Mobile application available on iOS (iTunes) and Android (Google Play) providing facility hours, important notifications, class and trip registration, and fitness schedule synchronization with phone calendars for Rutgers Recreation members.
• Fitness & Wellness On The Go Fee-based on-site group fitness instruction ($85 per class) and chair massage ($85 per hour per therapist) delivered at campus events and locations upon request, plus virtual Exercise is Medicine On Campus presentations.

Quantifiable outcome

• $7,584 raised for the No Hungry Knights Fund providing 385 meals for food-insecure Rutgers students at the 2024 Big Chill 5K
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Rutgers Recreation AlumnicoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Rutgers Recreation Alumni serve as the review committee for the Ed Levy Golf Scholarship, selecting recipients from among student applicants. Alumni also attend the annual golf outing, networking with current students and supporting scholarship fundraising.
• Bunker Hill Golf CourseminorOthers · 2 May 2025Bunker Hill Golf Course hosts the annual Ed Levy Golf Tournament fundraiser for Rutgers Recreation. The 2025 event attracted 288 golfers and helped raise over $18,000 for student scholarships.
• RWJBarnabas HealthminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 December 2024RWJBarnabas Health serves as a sponsor for the annual Rutgers Big Chill 5K event. In 2024, the event collected and donated over 3,000 toys to children in New Brunswick through the partnership with RWJBarnabas Health. Sponsor contributions totaled $18,500.
• New Brunswick Fire DepartmentminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 December 2024New Brunswick Fire Department serves as a toy donation recipient for the Rutgers Big Chill 5K community event. The partnership facilitated the collection and distribution of over 3,000 toys to children in New Brunswick during the 2024 holiday season.
• 220+ Event VolunteersminorOthers · 1 December 2024220+ volunteers contributed their time to the Rutgers Big Chill 5K event, supporting race operations, participant check-in, and activity stations during the event.
• Somerset County Park CommissionminorOthersDuke Island Park, managed by the Somerset County Park Commission, is used as a destination for Rutgers Adventure Recreation outings. The park offers 340 acres of trails, picnic areas, and river access along the Raritan River, located approximately 30 minutes from campus.
• American Red CrosscoreTechnology or IntegrationRutgers Recreation serves as a certification provider for American Red Cross programs including Lifeguarding, CPR/AED/First Aid for the Professional Rescuer, and Water Safety Instructor (WSI) certifications. All youth swim lessons are taught by Red Cross certified Water Safety Instructors.

Scale indicators17 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights8 records

Direct peers

• Penn State Campus Recreation: Operates a comparable multi-facility university recreation system serving a large public university student body, with intramural/club sports, aquatics, fitness, and youth programming. Direct analogue in scope, structure, and target audience.
• Boston University Fitness & Recreation Center: Private university recreation operation offering fitness, aquatics, group classes, and intramural sports to a large urban student population. Comparable in service mix though operating under a different ownership structure.
• The Ohio State University Department of Recreation: Large public Big Ten university recreation operation offering fitness, aquatics, intramural and club sports, and outdoor adventure. Directly comparable in facility breadth and membership model.
• University of Texas at Austin RecSports: Public university recreation department running multiple facilities, intramural leagues, club sports, and outdoor adventure. Comparable in scale of campus, programming breadth, and membership-based access.
• Indiana University Recreational Sports: Operates multiple recreation facilities for a major public university, including aquatics, group fitness, intramural/club sports, and outdoor adventure. Highly comparable in operations and revenue model.
• University of Maryland Recreation & Wellness: Operates a multi-facility recreation system for a major public research university with group fitness, aquatics, intramural/club sports, and adventure programming. Near-direct structural peer in the same geographic region.
• Cornell University Fitness Centers: University-operated fitness and recreation system offering group exercise, personal training, aquatics, and outdoor programming to a large campus community. Comparable mission and target population.
• University of Wisconsin–Madison Recreation & Wellbeing: Public Big Ten university recreation department with extensive intramural/club sports, aquatics, and fitness programming. Strong structural peer with similar membership tiers and campus-fee funding model.
• University of Michigan Recreation & Wellness: Public university recreation department with multiple facilities, group fitness, intramural/club sports, and adventure recreation. Closely comparable in scale, mission, and programming mix to Rutgers Recreation.

Broad incumbents

• Life Time Fitness: Large national commercial operator of premium multi-sport fitness centers with aquatics, group fitness, personal training, and youth programs. Comparable in programming breadth and membership model, but operates as a commercial enterprise across many geographies rather than within a single university.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/rutgers-recreation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Rutgers University —New Brunswick Recreation