Bally Total Fitness Participates in Nickelodeon's Worldwide Day of Play to Encourage Kids to Exercise; Bally Brings Fitness Events to Four Cities - Chicago, St. Louis, Phoenix and Tampa.

CHICAGO -- Bally Total Fitness (NYSE: BFT), North America's leader in health and fitness, will participate in Nickelodeon's "Worldwide Day of Play" campaign to encourage kids and parents to engage in healthy and fun playtime activities. As part of the initiative, Bally Total Fitness will lead "game day" fitness activities at "Worldwide Day of Play" events in four cities - Chicago, St. Louis, Phoenix and Tampa - on Saturday, October 2, 2004, from 10am-2pm (all times local). "Worldwide Day of Play" is part of Nickelodeon's "Let's Just Play" grassroots campaign to get families more physically active while promoting positive and healthy lifestyles.

"At a time when the childhood obesity levels are increasing and physical education classes are being cut from school curriculums, it is more important than ever that parents motivate their children to be fit and active," said Paul Toback, president and CEO of Bally Total Fitness. "We commend Nickelodeon for promoting fitness among today's youth with the 'Worldwide Day of Play' campaign to encourage families to get in shape. As the nation's leader in health and fitness, Bally Total Fitness is committed to helping people of all ages make healthy lifestyle choices."

Each "Worldwide Day of Play" event will feature a fitness activity led by a team of Bally certified group exercise instructors. The activities are designed to get children of all ages physically active while demonstrating that fitness can be fun. Kids and parents who participate in the regional events will have the opportunity to participate in one of the following activities:

--Chicago - Tae Kwon Do Masters Academy (TMA)

--Certified instructors will take children through the basic, fundamental exercises of Tae Kwon Do, which include punches, kicks and even board breaking. Tae Kwon Do offers numerous physical and mental benefits, such as strengthening balance and coordination.

--St. Louis - Youth Yoga

--Youth yoga is a hot new fitness class that puts a fun spin on traditional yoga with kid-friendly poses and music. It helps kids build strength, spirit and their self-esteem, all while having a good time.

--Phoenix & Tampa - Hip Hop Dance 

--Hip hop dance is a high energy fitness activity that incorporates popular dances and music from today's hottest stars. Boys and girls of all ages will have their feet moving and hearts pumping during this cardiovascular exercise.

"Worldwide Day of Play is Nickelodeon's effort to elevate the importance of physical, active play as an essential part of kids' lives," said Marva Smalls, Executive Vice President, Nickelodeon Public Affairs. "In this first-ever day of play, we call attention to the right kids have to play every day. We're thrilled that thousands of individuals and organizations from here and around the globe have joined us in this commitment to kids."

The "Worldwide Day of Play" events are open to the public. Registration for each event starts at 10:00am and the games and festival will kick-off at 11:00am. The event will conclude after the closing ceremony, which is schedule to begin at 1:00pm (all times local).

Nickelodeon's "Let's Just Play" Pro-Social Campaign

Nickelodeon's "Let's Just Play" campaign, which, now in its second year, is the network's pro-social grassroots campaign encouraging kids to engage in healthy, active lifestyles. Let's Just Play, in partnership with the Boys & Girls Clubs of America, has traveled to 11 U.S. cities, where more than 70,000 kids collectively spent the day outside in a safe, healthy environment. Let's Just Play regularly employs Public Service Announcements--which have featured Denzel Washington, Hillary Duff, Clay Aiken, and Wade Robson, among others--community events, partnerships and grassroots efforts to reinforce the pure value of play and to challenge community infrastructures to support re-investment in recreational resources for kids.

About Bally Total Fitness

Bally Total Fitness is the largest and only nationwide, commercial operator of fitness centers, with approximately four million members and 440 facilities located in 29 states, Mexico, Canada, Asia and the Caribbean under the Bally Total Fitness(R), Crunch Fitness(SM), Gorilla Sports(SM), Pinnacle Fitness(R), Bally Sports Clubs(R) and Sports Clubs of Canada(R) brands. With an estimated 150 million annual visits to its clubs, Bally offers a unique platform for distribution of a wide range of products and services targeted to active, fitness-conscious adult consumers.