You are reading

CrossFit Sunnyside Rebrands as Sunnyside Strong, Follows Global CEO’s Offensive Racial Comments

CrossFit Sunnyside now Sunnyside Strong Fitness (Photo: Sunnyside Strong)

June 15, 2020 By Asha MacKay

The owner of CrossFit Sunnyside has dropped the CrossFit name and is rebranding in the wake of its global CEO making a number of insensitive and incendiary remarks following the death of George Floyd.

Greg Glassman, the founder of the international CrossFit brand, showed little concern about Floyd’s brutal death while on a recent Zoom call he had with his affiliates.

“We’re not mourning for George Floyd — I don’t think me or any of my staff are,” Glassman said, according to a recording obtained by Buzzfeed News.

The comment was made hours before he tweeted “It’s FLOYD-19” in response to a tweet calling racism a public health crisis.

The company later apologized and Glassman has since resigned.

But for Michael Seewald, the owner of Crossfit Sunnyside, the apology did not cut it and the comments were just too offensive. He has decided to change the name of his gym to Sunnyside Strong Fitness.

Michael Seewald (Photo: Sunnyside Strong)

Seewald said Glassman’s comments do not reflect the way he operates his Sunnyside gym, which is located at 47-01 Barnett Ave.

He said his Sunnyside gym was built with “a vision of building a healthy, happy, strong community through fitness.”

Seewald added: “Those values are love, integrity, acceptance and equality. We’re proud to say that our members represent those values and the great diversity that is our Sunnyside community.”

Glassman’s incendiary comments came out of the blue for Seewald, but CrossFit Sunnyside has never taken many directives from the CrossFit headquarters. “We built a community based on our values. CrossFit HQ’s values, that’s theirs,” Seewald adds.

“Prior to the comments made by Glassman,” Seewald added, “We denounced the murder of George Floyd as a community.”

The CrossFit Sunnyside team dedicated a branded “Hero Workout” to honor George Floyd before Glassman’s comments were made. Although Hero Workouts are usually reserved for fallen veterans, the gym felt it was important to gather members for a socially distanced workout outdoors in Floyd’s memory.

This decision was made entirely by the Sunnyside gym.

“We as a CrossFit affiliate were independent in how we ran our business, the equipment we bought, the colors on our walls, everything on day to day operations was up to us,” Seewald said.

The gym will reopen under the name Sunnyside Strong Fitness, when the state COVID-19 restrictions are lifted.

Losing the brand affiliation means losing the global community of CrossFit gyms, but Seewald is confident that Sunnyside Strong Fitness will thrive as an independent business.

Seewald is in discussions with other former CrossFit gyms that also left the network in the wake of Glassman’s remarks. “These are early days,” he said.

The former CrossFit Sunnyside is also opening up conversations among its trainers and staff.

“Everything from COVID to George Floyd to Glassman, we have a long list of things to discuss,” Seewald said. He intends to actively listen to and openly communicate with members and staff about how to move forward.

“Without the affiliation, we’re looking forward to continuing the work that we’ve been doing over the past five years,” Seewald said. He hopes his members have been keeping up with the gym’s virtual programs, because the Sunnyside gym isn’t going anywhere.

Sunnyside Strong is on Facebook and members can continue with their fitness regimen online. Further details on its re-opening will also be posted online.

email the author: news@queenspost.com
No comments yet

Leave a Comment
Reply to this Comment

All comments are subject to moderation before being posted.


The reCAPTCHA verification period has expired. Please reload the page.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Recent News

Fall fun in western Queens: Your guide to the best seasonal events

Aug. 29, 2025 By Jessica Militello

With beach days and summer BBQs behind us, the start of September rings in the start of magnificent Fall foliage, Halloween and more fun activities that come with the start of Autumn, including a list of Fall events in the area. From apple picking to seasonal ciders and more, there is tons to explore in the community. From Mystic Markets to scary movie meet-ups and more, here is a list of Fall events you do not want to miss.

A hidden gem in Sunnyside: Bistro Punta Sal blends Peruvian and Italian flavors

Aug. 29, 2025 By Jessica Militello

On a quiet street in Sunnyside, Bistro Punta Sal has its French doors wide open, letting the late August breeze emanate throughout the space, which is ornate with flowers, paintings and an array of tables and chairs for intimate dinners with friends or a romantic date night. The cozy restaurant, located at 45-51 46th St., is a hidden gem in the neighborhood that is just waiting to be discovered, as the sights and aromas of the restaurant invite guests in. 

Off-duty paramedic spots South Richmond Hill two-alarm house fire that injures nine firefighters, two civilians on Friday morning: FDNY

Nine firefighters were injured, two of them seriously, and two civilians sustained minor injuries during a two-alarm house fire in South Richmond Hill on Friday morning, but it could have been worse if not for the actions of an off-duty veteran EMT.

Paramedic Craig Biscuiti was driving to work when he noticed a column of thick black smoke and heavy flames coming from the first floor of a two-story home at 95-36 111th St. just before 7:10 a.m.

Astoria doctor sentenced to more than two decades in prison for rape and sexual abuse: DA

An Astoria doctor was sentenced to 24 years in prison on Thursday in Queens Supreme Court for raping unconscious acquaintances and sexually abusing hospital patients.

Dr. Zhi Alan Cheng, 35, of Broadway, pleaded guilty on June 30 to four counts of rape in the first degree and three counts of sexual abuse in the first degree in satisfaction of the consolidated indictments against him. He additionally entered an Alford plea to one count of sexual abuse. The defendant — a former gastroenterologist at New York-Presbyterian Queens Hospital — recorded the abuse of his unconscious victims with his cell phone in both his Astoria apartment and at the hospital.