Published
May 21, 2026
If you were billed by Boston Sports Clubs for April 2020 while its Massachusetts gyms sat closed, you may be owed a share of nearly $4 million in court-ordered restitution — no claim form to file.
What Is the Boston Sports Clubs COVID Refund About?
Were you a Boston Sports Clubs (BSC) member who was charged for April 2020 even though all gyms were closed for the COVID-19 pandemic? Approximately 47,000 Massachusetts BSC members are receiving a share of nearly $4 million in restitution from a Massachusetts Attorney General enforcement action against BSC and its former CEO, Patrick Walsh. The refund deadline is June 16, 2026.The case is Commonwealth of Massachusetts v. Town Sports International, LLC d/b/a Boston Sports Club and others. Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell tried the case in Suffolk County Superior Court in December 2024. The Court ruled in favor of the Attorney General in early 2026, finding that the former BSC CEO unfairly charged members in April 2020 while the gyms were closed, made deceptive statements to members, and violated the Massachusetts Health Club Act by thwarting cancellation requests. The AGO announced the restitution distribution on March 18, 2026.
The Refund Administrator is Analytics Consulting LLC. The official refund website is at bostonsportsclubrefund.com, where eligible consumers log in with their Claim Number and PIN to select a payment method.
Status
Refunds Being Distributed Now
Refund Deadline
June 16, 2026
claim within 90 days of receiving the email notice from Analytics Consulting LLC
Restitution Fund
~$4 Million
distributed across approximately 47,000 affected Massachusetts BSC members · per-member amount based on each member's specific unfair billing
Proof Required
No (Court-Determined Eligibility)
no claim form · log in with Claim Number and PIN from email · or do nothing and receive default payment
Is This a Class Action Settlement? (A Common Question)
Technically, no. This is sometimes searched as a "Boston Sports Clubs class action settlement," but it is more accurately a government enforcement action restitution distribution. Two important distinctions:• Plaintiff is the state, not a private individual. Most class action settlements involve a private named plaintiff (like Jane Smith) suing on behalf of similarly-situated consumers. Here, the Massachusetts Attorney General sued on behalf of Massachusetts consumers as the state's chief law enforcement officer.
• The Court ruled at trial, not in a settlement. Most class actions settle without a trial. Here, the case actually went to trial in Suffolk County Superior Court in December 2024, and the Court ruled in favor of the Attorney General. The restitution is the result of that court ruling, not a negotiated settlement.
For consumers, the practical effect is similar: identified BSC members receive cash compensation from a court-ordered fund. But the legal mechanics are different, and there are no opt-out rights, objection deadlines, or final approval hearings the way there would be in a class action. The Court already decided.
Free settlement alerts
Get notified when new class actions open to claims
Join thousands of readers who get the latest class action settlements you may qualify for — delivered straight to your inbox.
30-Second Self-Test: Do I Qualify for the Refund?
If you can answer yes to both questions below, you are likely an eligible consumer.• Were you a Boston Sports Clubs member with a Massachusetts gym account during the COVID-19 closures from mid-March through July 2020?
• Did BSC bill you for April 2020 (or did you try to cancel and BSC refused to honor your cancellation), and have you not yet received compensation through previous refunds or account credits?
If you answered yes to both and the Refund Administrator emailed you with a Claim Number and PIN, you are on the Court-approved list. If you answered yes but did not receive an email, you can contact the Refund Administrator through the official refund website to verify your eligibility.
What Did Boston Sports Clubs Allegedly Do?
The Massachusetts AG's case focused on three categories of unfair and deceptive conduct by Boston Sports Clubs and its former CEO during the COVID-19 pandemic.1. Billing for closed gyms. All BSC locations were closed from mid-March 2020 through July 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite being closed, former CEO Patrick Walsh decided to bill members for April 2020. The Court found that Walsh knew BSC would not be providing gym services during that month and nevertheless charged members for them.
2. Thwarting cancellations. The AGO received more than 2,000 complaints from BSC members who tried to cancel their memberships during the closures and were ignored or denied. Members testified at trial that they called, emailed, and sent social media messages to BSC trying to cancel, often without receiving a response. Some members reported BSC continued charging them even after they submitted cancellation requests.
3. Violating the Massachusetts Health Club Act. Massachusetts has a Health Club Act that governs membership cancellation and consumer protection at gyms. The Court found that BSC's handling of cancellation requests violated that statute.
The Court ordered restitution of approximately $4 million to be distributed across roughly 47,000 affected Massachusetts consumers.
Do I Need a Claim Form? (Spoiler: It's Simpler Than That)
There is no traditional claim form to fill out. The Court already determined who is owed money and how much, using BSC's own transaction data verified at trial. What you do next depends on your preference:Option 1: Select your payment method online (recommended). Visit the official refund website, click the payment-selection link, and log in using your Claim Number and PIN from the email the Refund Administrator sent you. The available payment methods include Zelle (electronic, fastest) or a paper check mailed to you. Selecting your preference helps the Refund Administrator deliver payment faster and through your preferred channel.
Option 2: Do nothing. If you take no action, the Refund Administrator will still attempt to issue your refund through Zelle (if your phone number or email is connected to Zelle) or by paper check to your last known address. Doing nothing still results in a refund, but it may take longer and arrive through a method you did not choose.
Either way, no documentation, receipts, or BSC records are required. The Court's determination based on BSC transaction data is sufficient proof of eligibility.
How Much Will I Get From the BSC Refund?
The total restitution is approximately $4 million distributed across about 47,000 affected Massachusetts consumers, so the average payment is roughly $85 per person if divided equally. But payments are not divided equally; they are based on each member's specific April 2020 unfair billing, offset by any previous refunds or account credits already provided by BSC.Specifically:
• Refunds were calculated from BSC's own transaction data identifying members who were unfairly billed after their gym closed or who attempted to cancel their membership during the closures.
• Previous refunds and credits already given to a member are deducted. If BSC already refunded you or gave you an account credit for some or all of the April 2020 charges, your restitution payment is reduced by that amount.
• Some members received full refunds; others receive partial restitution depending on how much BSC already compensated them.
• Each member's individual amount is shown when they log into the refund website with their Claim Number and PIN.
Why Is Boston Sports Clubs Sometimes Spelled "Boston Sports Club"?
You may notice the brand name appears two ways. The official brand is "Boston Sports Clubs" (plural), the same way the network includes "New York Sports Clubs," "Philadelphia Sports Clubs," and "Washington Sports Clubs." That is how parent company Town Sports International has consistently referred to the brand in corporate filings, SEC documents, press releases, and the LinkedIn company page.However, the legal "doing business as" name used in the Massachusetts AG's case caption is the singular "Boston Sports Club" (without an "s"), which appears in the court filings, the Massachusetts AG press release, and the official refund website. The Refund Administrator and AGO use the singular form throughout the refund materials.
Either way, both refer to the same brand and the same affected members. For consistency, this article uses "Boston Sports Clubs" (plural, the official brand name) when discussing the gyms collectively, and uses the singular legal form when quoting the case caption or the refund administrator's materials directly.
Is Boston Sports Clubs Still in Business?
In a 2023 corporate restructuring by parent company Town Sports International, the Boston Sports Clubs brand was retired. The Boston-area gyms now operate under the New York Sports Club brand. As of recent reporting, only three former BSC locations remain open in Massachusetts under the New York Sports Club name.For purposes of this refund, what matters is whether you were a BSC member during the COVID-19 closures in 2020, not whether you are still a gym member today. The Court's eligibility determination is based on BSC's 2020 transaction records, not current gym membership status.
Town Sports International has been through significant corporate restructuring, including a 2020 bankruptcy filing. Patrick Walsh, the former CEO whose individual liability the Court found in this case, is personally responsible for the restitution to BSC members under the Court's ruling.
When Will I Get My BSC Refund Payment?
Payments are being issued in multiple waves. According to the Refund Administrator, eligible consumers should receive payment within a few weeks of submitting their payment method selection through the refund website.• Zelle payments arrive faster (typically days)
• Paper check payments can take 1 to 3 weeks to arrive by mail
• Default payments to consumers who do nothing may take longer as the Refund Administrator works through alternative delivery methods
Because this is an AG enforcement action rather than a class action, there are no appeal periods, final approval hearings, or further court approvals that need to happen before payments go out. The Court has already ruled; payments are now being distributed.
Watch Out for Refund Scams
Government restitution distributions attract scams. A few common-sense rules:• Use the official refund website only: bostonsportsclubrefund.com. Bookmark it. Verify that any email or text linking to a "Boston Sports Clubs refund" page actually goes to this exact domain before clicking.
• The Refund Administrator will never charge a fee. Per the official refund site, "Our refund administrator will not charge a fee to file a claim or for any action related to this payment." Anyone asking for a fee to process your refund is running a scam.
• Never provide financial account numbers over the phone to someone claiming to be the Refund Administrator. The Refund Administrator does not call consumers asking for account information.
• The legitimate email is from a refundadministrator.com address. Be skeptical of refund emails from any other domain claiming to be the BSC refund administrator.
Other Active Class Action Settlements
COVID-era class action and government enforcement cases have continued to produce settlements and restitution distributions across multiple categories: gym memberships, college tuition refunds (for closed dorms and online instruction), event ticket refunds, and other consumer services that could not be provided during pandemic shutdowns.Other related OCA coverage:
• Drexel University COVID Tuition Class Action Settlement — another COVID-era consumer refund case from the spring 2020 closures
• OCA database of open class action settlements — complete list of active consumer cases
• Latest class action news and updates
• Active class action investigations
Refund Website: BostonSportsClubRefund.com
Select Payment Method
Frequently Asked Questions About the BSC Refund
Is the Boston Sports Clubs refund a class action settlement?
Technically no. It is court-ordered restitution from a Massachusetts Attorney General enforcement action that went to trial in December 2024. The Court ruled in favor of the AGO in early 2026, ordering approximately $4 million in restitution to about 47,000 affected Massachusetts consumers.
Who qualifies for the refund?
Approximately 47,000 Massachusetts BSC members identified by the Court as having been unfairly billed during the COVID-19 closure period (mid-March through July 2020) and who have not yet been compensated through previous refunds or credits.
How much will I get?
Total restitution is approximately $4 million across 47,000 members. Per-person amounts vary based on each member's specific unfair billing minus any previous refunds or account credits already received from BSC. Average is roughly $85.
Do I need to file a claim form?
No traditional claim form. Log into the refund website with the Claim Number and PIN from the email the Refund Administrator (Analytics Consulting LLC) sent you, and select your preferred payment method (Zelle or paper check). Consumers who do nothing still receive a default payment from the Refund Administrator.
Do I need proof of purchase?
No. The Court already determined eligibility from BSC's own transaction data at trial. The Claim Number and PIN from your email is the only thing you need to log in.
What was the BSC COVID lawsuit about?
Former CEO Patrick Walsh billed BSC members for April 2020 even though all gyms were closed for COVID-19. The Court also found BSC thwarted member cancellation requests and violated the Massachusetts Health Club Act.
Is Boston Sports Clubs still in business?
The BSC brand was retired in a 2023 Town Sports International restructuring. The Boston-area gyms now operate under the New York Sports Club brand, with three former BSC locations open in Massachusetts under the new name.
What is the deadline to claim my refund?
Select your payment method by June 16, 2026, or within 90 days of receiving the email notice from the Refund Administrator. Consumers who do nothing still receive a default payment but may have to wait longer.
Sources
• Official Refund Website: BostonSportsClubRefund.com• Massachusetts Attorney General Press Release: Office To Distribute Nearly $4 Million In Restitution To Former Customers Of Boston Sports Club (March 18, 2026)
• Commonwealth of Massachusetts v. Town Sports International, LLC d/b/a Boston Sports Club and others, Suffolk County Superior Court (trial December 2024; ruling early 2026)
• Massachusetts Attorney General: Hon. Andrea Joy Campbell
• Refund Administrator: Analytics Consulting LLC
• Town Sports International Holdings (Wikipedia) — corporate background
• Massachusetts Health Club Act (consumer protection statute)
About This Page
This page summarizes the Massachusetts AG restitution distribution to former BSC members for informational purposes. OpenClassActions.com is a consumer news site and is not the Refund Administrator, a government agency, or a law firm. We do not process or decide refund eligibility. The official refund website (bostonsportsclubrefund.com) and the Massachusetts AG's office are the authoritative sources for refund amounts, deadlines, and eligibility questions. If you have questions, contact the Refund Administrator through the official refund website.
For more class actions keep scrolling below.
Settlement Amount
Approximately $4 million in restitution
a government enforcement judgment rather than a class action fund · roughly 47,000 Massachusetts members
Case Title
Commonwealth of Massachusetts v. Town Sports International, LLC d/b/a Boston Sports Club
Court
Suffolk County Superior Court, Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Administrator
Analytics Consulting LLC
Official Website
Boston Sports Club Refund.com
