CrossFit Launches "California Invasion" Tour To Rally Against Big Soda

WASHINGTON, Nov. 9, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- CrossFit Founder and CEO Greg Glassman launched an eleven-day, nine-city tour this week, traveling throughout California to raise awareness about the harmful – and sometimes deadly – effects of Big Soda and urge support for the Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Safety Warning Act (SB 203).

Joined by thousands of CrossFit athletes, the "California Invasion" tour will hit nine CrossFit affiliate boxes (gyms) over the next 11 days. At each stop, Glassman will rally support for the bill, urge the Legislature to act and press soda companies to stop funding exercise science organizations that in turn publish and promote inaccurate, soda-friendly research. CrossFit is the fastest-growing gym chain in the United States and the largest gym chain in the world; there are more than 930 CrossFit affiliate boxes in California.

"This isn't complicated: Big Soda is killing people," said Glassman. "The California Invasion is about standing up to the corrupting influence of Big Soda, getting people the information they need and deserve and saving lives."

In California, 60 percent of adults and 40 percent of children are overweight or obese. Improper diet, featuring sugary beverages like soda, is largely to blame.

Beyond urging support for soda warning labeling legislation, Glassman is also using the California Invasion tour to shine light on Big Soda's efforts to influence exercise science and public health research.

"Big Soda needs to stop paying for agenda-driven research that suggests sugary beverages aren't to blame for diabetes and obesity in this country," Glassman said. "And the so-called exercise science industry needs to stop being Soda Whores and send back Big Soda's checks." 

SB 203, sponsored by Sen. Bill Monning (D-Carmel), would require the placement of safety labels on sugary drinks sold in California. Sugary drinks, defined as containing 75 or more calories per 12 ounces, would carry labels reading: STATE OF CALIFORNIA SAFETY WARNING: Drinking beverages with added sugar(s) contributes to obesity, diabetes and tooth decay. The legislation fell just one vote shy of being approved by the Senate Committee on Health last year.

For more information about the rally and the tour, please visit CrushBigSoda.com. 

The tour will stop at the following times and locations:

6:00 p.m., Sunday, November 8

11/8/15 District 20
CrossFit Kinnick Ontario 
3550 E Philadelphia Street #160
Ontario, CA 91761

6:00 p.m., Monday, November 9

11/9/15 District 31
CrossFit Riverside
7899 Mission Grove Parkway South
Riverside, CA 92508

6:00 p.m., Tuesday, November 10                                   

11/10/15 District 24
Trojan CrossFit
431 S Hewitt Street
Los Angeles, CA 90013

6:00 p.m., Thursday, November 12

11/12/15 District 32
CrossFit Downey 
8232 Firestone Blvd
Downey, CA 90241

6:00 p.m., Friday, November 13

11/13/15 District 33
CrossFit Reality
2445 N Palm Drive
Unit 105
Signal Hill, CA 90755

6:00 p.m., Saturday, November 14

11/14/15 District 35
Carson CrossFit
20720 Leapwood Avenue
Suite 400B
Carson, CA 90746

6:00 p.m., Sunday, November 15

11/15/15 District 34
CrossFit Marina
15541 Product Lane
Suite #1
Huntington Beach, CA 92647

6:00 p.m., Wednesday, November 18

11/18/15 District 40
Fathom CrossFit
1985 National Avenue
Suite 1129
San Diego, CA 92113

6:00 p.m., Thursday, November 19

11/19/15 District 7
CrossFit Walnut Creek
1628 Cypress Street
Walnut Creek, CA 94596

Contact: Erin Billings,
[email protected]
(202) 285 - 4528

SOURCE CrossFit