Today, the internet has unleashed the potential, especially for sports and adventure content. With the vast and diverse nature of the sports niche, it is now a lucrative piece of land for marketers.
Do you love sporty content and wanna make some bucks with it?
If yes, here is your place!
Potentials of Sports Affiliate Programs?
The sports industry is huge, valued at over $600 billion, and expected to reach $873 billion by 2027 (Statista), with millions of dedicated fans worldwide. This presents a large audience of potential customers for products and services promoted through affiliate programs.
Sports affiliate programs allow you to earn a commission by referring your visitors or subscribers to buy sports-related products or services from a merchant.
Sports affiliate programs are a perfect fit for adventure content creators, sports bloggers, or simply dynamic individuals interested in outdoor activities.
Note that we will not mention shoes and sneakers in this post – the footwear industry is just too big to include! Let’s check the list to find the best sports programs of 2024!
Related: 8+ Luxury Watches Affiliate Programs [2024]
Top sports affiliate programs (2024)
1. Under Armour Affiliate Program
Full review: Under Armour Affiliate Program – Commission and Review
Under Armour is a first-class global brand providing performance apparel, footwear, and accessories for sports players.
The company was founded in 1996 by Kevin Plank, a football player who was frustrated by the sweat-soaked T-shirts he wore under his jersey. He came up with the idea of creating a dry-wicking fabric that would keep athletes cool and dry. He named his brand Under Armour – a reference to the protective layer of clothing worn by soldiers.
Under Armour’s innovation has helped it become one of the most popular sportswear brands today. They sell a wide range of products and services, including apparel, footwear, accessories, sports equipment, digital fitness apps, and connected fitness devices.
The affiliate program from Under Armour offers a fixed 5% commission for all products and a 30-day cookie.
- URL: Under Armour® Official Store | FREE Shipping Available
- Commission rate: 5%
- Cookie duration: 30 days
- Payment methods: PayPal, Apple Pay, Wire Transfer
- Customer: athletes and fitness enthusiasts
- Products: sports apparel, athletic shirts, shoes, and accessories
2. Leather Head Sports Affiliate Program
Leather Head Sports is known for crafting hand-stitched, vintage-inspired sports balls and equipment.
Leather Head Sports’ success lies in its commitment to preserving traditional craftsmanship and delivering unique, handcrafted sports equipment in a market saturated with mass-produced alternatives. These products differ from competitors by their artisanal quality and retro aesthetic, which appeals to sports enthusiasts and collectors looking for distinctive, high-quality gear.
They focused on originality and innovation by creating high-quality leather sports balls, such as footballs, baseballs, and basketballs, that harken back to a bygone era. Their dedication to craftsmanship and attention to detail set them apart in a market dominated by mass-produced sports gear.
These products differ from competitors by their artisanal quality and retro aesthetic, which appeals to sports enthusiasts and collectors looking for distinctive, high-quality gear.
- URL: ShareASale.com and Leather Head Sports
- Commission rate: 10%
- Cookie duration: 60 days
- Payment methods: PayPal
- Products: handcrafted balls for baseball, football, basketball, soccer, rugby, and medicine balls
3. Gopro Affiliate Program
GoPro is a pioneered global brand specializing in action cameras.
If you have ever surfed YouTube for 20 minutes, I can guarantee that you actually have watched at least one video shoot with a GoPro camera.
GoPro’s cameras are a perfect solution for capturing adventure and sports experiences. They are compact, waterproof, shockproof, and equipped with image stabilization technology, allowing them to shoot high-quality video and photos in even extreme conditions. Besides, they charm with their focus on ruggedness, image quality, and user-friendly features.
GoPro’s seamless integration in combination with mass media platforms made it a must in the backpack of today’s adventure content creators. Just a perfect choice for action enthusiasts.
- URL: Affiliate Program | GoPro
- Commission rate: 3%
- Cookie duration: 30 days
- Payment methods: PayPal
- Customer: professional adventure seekers, athletes, content creators, travelers
- Products: cameras and mounting accessories
4. Lululemon Affiliate Program
Lululemon achieved its global popularity by emphasizing the athleisure and yoga apparel industry.
Lululemon stands out with its understanding of the unique needs of targeted customers and its usage of high-quality fabric. lululemon’s services often include in-store yoga classes and personalized product recommendations.
Lululemon primarily offers yoga and athleisure apparel, including leggings, sports bras, shorts, and tops. They also provide a variety of accessories like yoga mats, bags, and headbands, and personal care products like deodorant and dry shampoo.
The Lululemon affiliate program was reviewed to fairly pay the affiliates with the commission rate of 5% in 30 days cookie.
- URL: Affiliates and Creators | lululemon
- Commission rate: 5%
- Cookie duration: 30 days
- Payment methods: PayPal
- Customer: practitioners, fitness enthusiasts with above-average income
- Products: tops, yoga pants, shorts, sweaters, jackets, and undergarments. They also offer accessories such as bags, socks, yoga mats, water bottles, and personal care products like deodorant and dry shampoo
5. Sweaty Betty Affiliate Program
Sweaty Betty is an outstanding activewear brand empowering women to live active and confident.
Sweaty Betty was founded by Tamara Hill-Norton, who wanted to create activewear combined with fashion and function, a concept that was novel at that time. The brand won hearts with diverse customer services, including community-building activities, in-store experiences, and personalized shopping.
Sweaty Betty products are designed of high-quality fabric which keeps them fresh, cool, and competitive.
As a direct competitor to Lululemon, Sweaty Betty targets a more diverse customer base as its prices can serve the middle-to-high-income segment, instead of focusing on high-income earners like Lululemon. Therefore, the commission rate of Sweaty Betty affiliates varies depending on the products and can reach to 12%.
- URL: Awin | Sweaty Betty US Affiliate Program
- Commission rate: 2,4% to 12%
- Cookie duration: 30 days
- Payment methods: PayPal, Apple Pay, Wire Transfer
- Customer: yoga practitioners, fitness enthusiasts, and women who appreciate comfortable,stylish, and high-quality activewear
- Products: leggings, sports bras, tops, jackets, and accessories
6. Enigma Fishing Affiliate Program
Enigma Fishing offers a wide range of gears to support anglers with rods, reels and lures to services such as accommodation and guides for fishing trips.
Overall, Enigma Fishing can be seen as having a soaring business in recent years. There are over 50 million Americans fishing for entertainment and this number continues to increase. This causes the total spending of anglers reach to 16 billion USD, including fishing equipment and other expenses they spend on fishing.
Fishing is a great niche for marketers because of its moderate competition and huge market. Currently, ShareASale (an affiliate platform) monitors affiliates as well as payment processes on behalf of Enigma Fishing as its marketing partner.
- URL: How to become a Enigma Fishing Pro Staff Affiliate – Enigma Fishing LLC
- Commission rate: 20%
- Cookie duration: 90 days
- Payment methods: bank transfer, direct deposit, payoneer, and check.
- Customer: freshwater and saltwater anglers at all levels
- Products: fishing gear including rods, reels, lures, and fishing accessories
7. Eastbay Affiliate Program
Eastbay is not a brand, but rather a well-known online retailer specializing in athletic footwear, apparel, and equipment.
Though having a wide range variety of products, the majority of the customer base of Eastbay are children and students who actively participate in sports, whether at a recreational, school, or competitive level. Parents, school coaches, and sports organizations of young athletes are also a significant part of their customer base, equipment, team uniforms, and training gear, etc.
The products listed on this platform attracted young athletes as well as young sports enthusiasts. By far, Eastbay affiliate program commission is 8% commission – a large number compared to other products in the same segment but in return, the cookie is quite short (only 7 days).
- URL: Eastbay affiliate program
- Commission rate: 8%
- Cookie duration: 7 days
- Payment methods: Bank transfer and cash
- Customer: youngster, parent or organization, even professional or amateur
- Products: sports shoes, sports equipment and clothes
See more: Best 10 Golf Affiliate Programs [2024]
8. ESPN+ Partner Program
ESPN+ is a streaming service with live sports and original shows. Subscribers can watch lots of sports events like UFC, MLB, NHL, and more.
What’s more?
They also get access to exclusive content and shows featuring famous sports stars.
As an ESPN+ partner, you will get updates on upcoming ESPN+ events, using their content and, of course, getting access to ESPN’s popular sports brand.
ESPN+ costs $10.99 per month or $109.99 per year. ESPN+ likely employs a variable commission structure based on various factors.
For example, the commission rate increases when the affiliate reaches a milestone of referrals and can reach to 30%. Recurring commission also applied.
- URL: ESPN+
- Commission rate: Up to 30%
- Cookie duration: N/A
- Payment methods: Bank transfer and cash
- Customer: Sport enthusiast
- Service: Online sports streaming
9. Sports Memorabilia Affiliate Program
Sports memorabilia is not a brand but a niche industry that deals with collectible items related to sports, such as autographed memorabilia, trading cards, and vintage sports artifacts.
As such, it doesn’t focus on originality and innovation in the same way that brands do.
It was popular due to the enduring passion of sports enthusiasts, collectors, and fans. It thrives on the historical and emotional connection people have with sports. The authenticity and rarity of items like autographed jerseys, vintage baseball cards, and game-worn equipment make them highly sought after by collectors.
The target customers of the sports memorabilia industry are primarily collectors and sports fans with a deep appreciation for the history and significance of sports. Their needs and motivations revolve around owning pieces of sports history, connecting with their favorite athletes or teams, and potentially investing in valuable and unique collectibles.
SportMemorabilia.com is a cool website. They provide almost everything for you there and are designed to be suitable for both professional and amateur collectors. heir trading cards, signed memorabilia, balls, shirts, and hats are all certified as 100% legitimate before they are listed for sale on the site, so anybody you send their way is in good hands.
- URL: Sports Memorabilia Affiliate Program
- Commission rate: 10%
- Cookie duration: 30 days
- Payment methods: Paypal, credit and debit cards
- Customer: children and adults who play sports or follow it, or enjoy collecting memorabilia,
- Products: authentic sports memorabilia from sports leagues
Why Sports Affiliate Marketing is a lucrative pathway?
Several factors contribute to the lucrative potential of sports affiliate marketing, but let’s dive deeper with specific examples and data:
1. Passionate Audience & High Conversions:
Sport fans spend more money on sports items. This is not because sports products are more expensive, but fans tend to be more lenient when it comes to spending money on items from the team they love.
- For example, Fanatics, a sports apparel retailer, boasts over 85,000 affiliates and an average order value of $130 (CJ Affiliate). Normally, an AOV for apparel ranges from $60 to $100.
- Plus, Marketing Dive reports that click-through rates (CTRs) for sports affiliate programs are often higher than other industries due to the passionate audience.
2. Recurring Revenue Opportunities
There are changes for affiliates to earn recurring commissions from sports affiliate programs, especially from online sports streaming services.
For instance, ESPN+ (sports streaming) pays high commissions for acquiring new subscribers, who generate recurring revenue for the affiliate (Impact Radius).
Plus, DraftKings (sports betting) generated over $3 billion in affiliate revenue in 2021 (Affiliate Insider), demonstrating the potential of recurring commissions.
3. High Ticket Items & Large Commissions:
Some high-end sports equipment can cost hundreds of dollars, leading to potentially lucrative commissions for affiliates.
Commission rates in sports affiliate programs can range from 3-10% or even higher, with some exceeding 20% (Impact Radius).
4. Diverse Product Selection & Niche Targeting:
Affiliates can specialize in niches like fantasy sports, specific teams, or types of equipment, catering to targeted audiences with higher conversion potential.
Analysis website, such as Similarweb allows analysis of website traffic to sports-related platforms, helping affiliates understand and target relevant niche audiences.
5. Strong Emotional Connection & Brand Trust:
Affiliates who are genuinely passionate about sports build authentic connections with their audience, leading to higher trust and conversions.
PerformanceIN reports on affiliate program reviews and success stories, demonstrating the impact of trust and brand alignment in sports marketing.
Tips to Succeed in the Sports Affiliate Program
So you have already checked different affiliate programs for sports lovers, and I hope you chose for yourself a good one. But to make it a perfect puzzle for your marketing plan, I suggest you finish a checklist down here.
In this part, I will provide a guide for affiliates to create content that resonates with their audience and promotes affiliate offers. The article suggests the following five steps:
- Understanding your audience is the most important: You need to jot down their hobbies, passions, and pain points. With the listed shortcomings of your readers, you right now have to cater to their requirements. This profound insight will empower you to craft a suitable content plan and adeptly address their quandaries.
- Dazzle your readers with a mesmerizing display of the products: employ an array of high-quality images and videos that seamlessly connect with your text. To add authenticity, specify your personal experience of the products, making a bond of authority. This persuades your audience of your profound familiarity with the subject matter.
- Deliver your content with the richness of personal experiences: human connection thrives in the sharing narratives. Tell your story, recounting your encounters with the promoted products. Specify how these items resolved your dilemmas and flawlessly catered to your needs. Erase the distance between your experiences and your readers’ anticipation, making connections based on trust and understanding.
- Be a wellspring of wisdom: extend the horizons of your content beyond mere promotion. Or, to be exact, become a helpful hand to your audiences with your insightful reviews, advice, or meticulous how-to guides. This approach not only spotlights the products but also positions you as the undisputed sage of your niche. but remember, being truthful and honest.
- Finally, dialogue with your audience: encourage them to partake in the communal experience by leaving their questions or narratives concerning their product encounters. Nurture this shared space, weaving a huge community and interaction that amplifies engagement on your posts and transforms your platform into a thriving hub of collective wisdom.
Conclusion
These days, many companies pay highly competitive commissions for their sports affiliate programs. But, there is a bit different in the sports industry as it is associated with human active nature – everybody can vibe with a dynamic, sporty atmosphere. If your current occupation is highly related to sports, affiliate marketing is not only a way to get extra income but evaluate your authority in the niche!
Information Disclaimer: The content provided on this platform about company histories, their marketing strategies, and other information is intended for informational purposes only. While we strive to present accurate and up-to-date information, we cannot guarantee the data’s completeness, accuracy, or reliability. The details regarding our information are based on publicly available sources and may be subject to change without notice. Users are encouraged to conduct their own research and verify the information obtained from this platform before making any decisions or taking any actions based on such information. We disclaim any liability for any loss or damage incurred directly or indirectly from the use of or reliance on the information provided herein.
Dan Muller
I have been working in marketing for four years, passionate about creative writing and copy writing. Love to be alone at watersides, sip coffee, play games or read anything that is thought provoking.