SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR REVENUE SHARING WITH A FITNESS CENTER

1 . A method to incentivize purchase of an internet and/or web-enabled exercise equipment by a fitness center, comprising:

assessing a fee from a user of the internet and/or web-enabled exercise equipment;

collecting at least a portion of the fee from the user; and

sharing the at least a portion of the fee with the fitness center where the internet and/or web-enabled exercise equipment is physically located.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein, the internet and/or web-enabled exercise equipment is purchased or leased by the fitness center.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein, the internet and/or web-enabled exercise equipment is associated with a unique ID.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein, a predetermined percentage of the at least a portion of the fee is shared with the fitness center.

5 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising, registering the user as a member of a tiered service level.

6 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising, providing different features via the internet and/or web-enabled exercise equipment based on the tiered service level for which the user is being assessed a fee.

7 . The method of claim 3 , wherein, the fitness center in which the internet and/or web-enabled exercise equipment is physically located is determined by the hardware ID.

8 . The method of claim 3 , wherein, the fitness center where the user operates the internet and/or web-enabled exercise equipment is determined by the hardware ID.

9 . A method of sharing revenue with a fitness center, comprising:

optionally determining eligibility of a fitness center to share revenue generated from membership fee of a plurality of service subscribers;

wherein the membership fee is assessed from a service subscriber of the plurality of service subscribers to utilize web-features of an eligible-type of exercise equipment physically located in the fitness center;

in response to verifying eligibility of the fitness center, computing a portion of the revenue to be shared with the fitness center; and

sharing the portion of the revenue with the fitness center.

10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein, the eligibility is determined by an amount of revenue generated from the membership fee of the plurality of service subscribers.

11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein, the fitness center is eligible if the amount of revenue exceeds a predetermined value.

12 . The method of claim 9 , wherein, the eligibility is determined by a number of the eligible-type of exercise equipment operable for use at the fitness center; wherein the eligible-type of exercise equipment are purchased or leased.

13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein, the fitness center is eligible if the number of the eligible-type of exercise equipment exceeds a predetermined number.

14 . The method of claim 9 , wherein, the portion of the revenue to be shared with the fitness center is a predetermined percentage of the revenue.

15 . The method of claim 9 , wherein, the revenue is determined based on collected portion of the membership fee assessed from the plurality of service subscribers.

16 . The method of claim 9 , further comprising, registering the service subscriber as a member of a tiered service level based on an amount of the membership fee that is assessed.

17 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising, providing different web-based features via the eligible-type of exercise equipment based on the tiered service level that the service subscriber has enrolled in.

18 . The method of claim 17 , further comprising, offering a first set of web-based features to a zero-th tier service level service subscriber.

19 . The method of claim 18 , further comprising, further offering a first additional set of web-based features to a first-tier service level service subscriber.

20 . The method of claim 19 , further comprising, further offering a second additional set of web-based features to a second-tier service level service subscriber.

21 . The method of claim 18 , wherein, the offering of the first set of web-based features comprises, generating a report of exercise data of the zero-th tier service level service subscriber over a predetermined time period.

22 . The method of claim 18 , wherein, the first set of web-based features further comprises, generating a report of exercise data of the zero-th tier service level service subscriber over a predetermined time period.

23 . The method of claim 22 , wherein, the report is delivered to the zero-th tier service level service subscriber via email or in real-time.

24 . The method of claim 22 , wherein, the report is graphical.

25 . The method of claim 22 , wherein, the first set of web-based features further comprises, enabling the zero-th tier service level service subscriber to participate in contests or events.

26 . The method of claim 22 , wherein, the first set of web-based features further comprises, providing the zero-th tier service level service subscriber with performance benchmarking data.

27 . The method of claim 22 , wherein, the first set of web-based features further comprises, sending the zero-th tier service level service subscriber targeted advertisement and personalized messages.

28 . The method of claim 19 , wherein, the first additional set of web-based features comprises, a report of exercise data of the first tier service level service subscriber over an extended time period over the predetermined time period for the zero-th tier service level service subscriber.

29 . The method of claim 28 , wherein the first additional set of web-based features further comprises, providing demographic specific exercise data of service subscribers.

30 . The method of claim 28 , wherein, the first additional set of web-based features further comprises, enabling the first tier service level service subscriber to participate in additional contests or additional events.

31 . The method of claim 28 , wherein, the first additional set of web-based features further comprises, providing the first tier service level service subscriber with ghost riders.

32 . The method of claim 28 , wherein, the first additional set of web-based features further comprises, enabling the first tier service level service subscriber to personalize settings.

33 . The method of claim 20 , wherein, the second additional set of web-based features comprises, a multi-player racing session in real-time.

34 . The method of claim 33 , wherein, the second additional set of web-based features further comprises, a team racing session in real-time.

35 . The method of claim 34 , wherein the real-time session is VoIP-enabled.

36 . The method of claim 33 , wherein, the second additional set of web-based features further comprises, advanced training support.

37 . A method of providing tiered service levels via a network-enabled exercise equipment, comprising:

providing a default set of features via the network-enabled exercise equipment, the default set of features comprising, multimedia content enhanced exercise environments; and

in response to determining identification of an operator of the network-enabled exercise equipment, providing a customized set of features, the customized set of features comprising, operator-specific performance feedback.

38 . The method of claim 37 , wherein, the identification of the operator is based on verifying an identifier submitted via the network-enabled exercise equipment.

39 . The method of claim 38 , wherein the identifier comprises a unique username and password combination for the operator.

40 . The method of claim 37 , wherein, the operator-specific performance feedback is delivered via the network-enabled exercise equipment.

41 . The method of claim 37 , wherein, the customized set of features further comprises, operator-specific messaging.

42 . The method of claim 37 , wherein, the customized set of features further comprises, targeted advertising.

43 . The method of claim 37 , further comprising:

in response to receiving a request from the operator to receive web-based exercise-related information, requesting the operator for an email address to which correspondences are to be sent;

storing the email address for the operator;

sending the web-based exercise-related information for the operator to the email address.

44 . The method of claim 43 , wherein, the web-based exercise-related information comprises, a report of exercise data generated by the operator over a predetermined time period.

45 . The method of claim 43 , further comprising, providing additional set of multi-media enhanced features.

46 . The method of claim 43 , wherein, the receiving the request is associated with receiving a membership request for a first-tier service level.

47 . The method of claim 46 , further comprising, assessing a first-tier rate for membership in the first-tier service level.

48 . The method of claim 47 , further comprising, assessing a second-tier rate for membership in a second-tier service level; wherein the second-tier service level enables the operator to access a second additional set of multi-media enhanced features.

49 . The method of claim 48 , further comprising, assessing a third-tier rate for membership in a third-tier service level; wherein the third-tier service level enables the operator to access a third additional set of multi-media enhanced features.

50 . The method of claim 49 , wherein, the third additional set of multi-media enhanced features comprises, one or more of:

a multi-player exercise session provided in real-time or near real-time;

a team-based exercise session wherein the teams are user-specifiable; and

advanced training support.

51 . The method of claim 50 , wherein, the multi-player exercise session or the team-based exercise session is VoIP-enabled.

52 . The method of claim 37 , further comprising, assigning the tiered service levels based on the location or hardware ID of the networked exercise equipment.

53 . The method of claim 37 , wherein, different networked exercise equipments are associated with various levels of the tiered service levels.

54 . The method of claim 37 , further comprising, providing a license for the networked exercise equipment that allows the operator of the exercise equipment to access a predetermined tiered service level.

55 . A system, comprising:

a multimedia content repository to store multimedia content;

a communications module communicatively coupled to a plurality of eligible-type of exercise equipments physically located in one or more fitness centers;

a content delivery module coupled to the multimedia content repository module and the communications module;

an eligibility module coupled to the communications module, wherein, when, in operation, determines if the one or more fitness centers are eligible for revenue sharing;

a revenue sharing module.

56 . The system of claim 55 , wherein the media content comprises, multimedia enhanced virtual exercise environments.

57 . The system of claim 55 , further comprising, an analyzer module, communicatively coupled to the communications module and the content delivery module, wherein, when, in operation, processes data received from the plurality of eligible-type of exercise equipments.

58 . The system of claim 57 , wherein the analyzer module is further communicatively coupled to the content delivery module, wherein, when, in operation, controls content transmitted from the content delivery module to the plurality of eligible-type of exercise equipments.

59 . The system of claim 55 , further comprising, a repository to store information related to the one or more fitness centers having the plurality of eligible-type of exercise equipments.

60 . The system of claim 55 , further comprising, a user data repository to store membership information.

61 . The system of claim 60 , further comprising, a fee assessment module coupled to the user data repository, wherein, when, in operation, assesses membership fee of a plurality of service subscribers; wherein, the membership fee is assessed from a service subscriber of the plurality of service subscribers to utilize web-features of at least a portion of the plurality of eligible-type of exercise equipment physically located in the one or more fitness centers.

62 . A method, comprising:

receiving a request to receive access to a feature via a networked exercise equipment, the request to be received based on an action performed by an operator of the networked exercise equipment;

identifying user information associated with the operator, the user information comprising billing information;

providing access to the feature via the networked exercise equipment; and

billing the operator for the feature using the billing information.

63 . The method of claim 62 , wherein, the action performed by the operator comprises a click of a button on the networked exercise equipment.

64 . The method of claim 62 , wherein, the request is received in real-time or near real-time by a server at a location remote from the networked exercise equipment.

65 . The method of claim 62 , wherein the request comprises, one or more of, a request to join a tournament, race, or contest.

66 . The method of claim 62 , wherein, the request comprises a request to purchase more digital objects.

67 . A system to incentivize purchase of a internet and/or web-enabled exercise equipment by a fitness center, the system, comprising:

means for, assessing a fee from a user of the internet and/or web-enabled exercise equipment;

means for, collecting at least a portion of the fee from the user; and

means for, sharing the at least a portion of the fee with the fitness center.

68 . A system to facilitate revenue sharing with a fitness center, the system, comprising:

means for, determining eligibility of a fitness center to share revenue generated from membership fee of a plurality of service subscribers;

wherein the membership fee is assessed from a service subscriber of the plurality of service subscribers to utilize web-features of an eligible-type of exercise equipment physically located in the fitness center;

means for, verifying eligibility of the fitness center;

means for, computing a portion of the revenue to be shared with the fitness center; and

means for, sharing the portion of the revenue with the fitness center.