As corporate sponsorships, esports, and internet access continue to expand, the sports industry holds great potential for growth. Likewise, sports affiliate programs offer substantial prospects for promoting sports and recreational products. Let’s find out what’s best for you.
With the sports industry being so extensive, we’ve collected the top affiliate programs for different sports, such as soccer, baseball, basketball, golf, and wrestling.
Later in the article, we’ll outline best practices for brands looking to optimize their sports affiliate programs.
Before we get into the introduction of each affiliate program, take a look at the quick comparison table I’ve compiled below:
| Program Name | Commission (%) / Flat | Cookie Duration (Days) | Niche Suitable | Affiliate’s Rating* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vatic Pro | $5–10 per paddle | 30 | Pickleball, sports gear | ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆ (Strong brand, flat payout) |
| Under Armour | 5% | 30 | Sports apparel, footwear | ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆ (Top brand, low commission) |
| Leather Head Sports | 10% | 60 | Premium leather sports balls | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (High AOV, long cookie) |
| Mountain Hardwear (Sweaty Betty) | 8% | 21 | Climbing, mountaineering gear | ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆ (Good brand, short cookie) |
| DICK’S Sporting Goods | 2% | 3 | General sports retail | ⭐⭐⭐☆☆ (Huge catalog, low rate & cookie) |
| Love Fitness | 10% | 30 | Women’s activewear, Hawaiian style | ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆ (Good benefits, PayPal only) |
| Nike | 15% | 7 | Sports apparel, shoes, accessories | ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆ (Strong brand, short cookie) |
| Nimble Activewear | 5% | 30 | Women’s activewear (yoga, aerobics) | ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆ (High AOV, low commission) |
| Lululemon | 5% | 30 | Premium activewear & loungewear | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (Strong demand, stable program) |
| X3 Bar Sports | Up to 15% | 45 | Fitness, muscle training, supplements | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (High rate + long cookie) |
23 Best Sports Affiliate Programs You Should Join In 2025
1. Vatic Pro
Vatic Pro is a leading brand in developing pickleball paddles in the USA. This brand is trusted by professionals worldwide for their carbon fiber paddles.
The Vatic Pro affiliate program is powered by UpPromote with flat commission rates per item:
- $5 for Prism paddles
- $10 for non-Prism paddles
The cookie length is 30 days for affiliates to earn a commission. Vatic Pro pays their partners monthly through various methods such as cash, credit, or bank transfer.
Affiliates can receive custom unique links, discounts, and access to the newest launches from Vatic Pro as they join the program.
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2. Under Armour
Under Armour is a suitable choice if you need better sports apparel with a feeling of zero gravity. This brand produces various items, such as shoes, shirts, and other gear, to boost your energy while training.
Under Armour sports affiliate program is run by Awin. The commission rate for each sale is 5%, and the cookie tracks for 30 days. Additionally, the average order value is $100, meaning affiliates can earn $5 for a successful order.
Under Armour offers their affiliates an in-app tracking for their commission and cross-device tracking as well. They also hand out banners and creative text links for promotion. Especially their discount is available for students and military-related jobs by up to 10%.
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3. Leather Head Sports
Leather Head Sports is known for their world-class American-made leather sports balls. Custom-made by expert craftsmen, these balls have a modern, nostalgic look.
The Leather Head Sports affiliate program is powered by ShareASale. Affiliates can earn up to $15, as the commission rate is 10%, and the average order value is $150. The cookie duration lasts for 60 days from the customer’s first click.
Leather Head Sports offers special customized items that could help affiliates attract more customers. You can even request Leather Head Sports to design your unique banners as well.
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4. Mountain Hardwear Sweaty Betty
Mountain Hardwear Sweaty Betty has built equipment for climbers and mountaineers. Their designs are comfortable, functional, and durable for mountainous activities.
Managed through CJ Affiliate, the Mountain Hardwear affiliate program offers an 8% commission rate and 21 days of cookie tracking. With an average order of $140, affiliates can earn $11 per sale.
Their affiliate program provides exclusive coupons and discounts to help affiliates reach more customers. They also give their affiliates promotion codes, gift cards, and continuously updated data feeds.
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5. DICK’S Sporting Goods
DICK’s Sporting Goods is a top retailer of authentic sports apparel, footwear, and accessories from renowned sports brands. Their items are mostly from Nike, Adidas, HOKA, and so on.
When joining their affiliate program, you can earn 2% for every sale made through your affiliate link. However, you should notice the cookie duration is only 3 days for the commission to be approved.
Transaction for commission payout is every 60 days after the end of that month. Dick’s Sporting Goods gives you access to their banners and text links to promote. Moreover, you can get a weekly newsletter with special promotions to increase your total sales.
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6. Love Fitness
Are you looking for the latest tropical fashion trends for women? Love Fitness is the right place for you. Their fitness items have unique designs inspired by Hawaiian style that suit every size and make customers comfortable.
They offer affiliates a 10% commission rate and a 30-day cookie duration. However, their payment is now only available through PayPal, so having a PayPal account is a must to sign up for their program.
As their affiliates, you can access exclusive new launches and unique links to promote. After every 15 successful sales, you will receive a $20 gift card. Love Fitness particularly gives its affiliates a 10% discount on every order at their store as a benefit.
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7. Nike
Nike is among the top two sports brands in the world. This famous brand sponsors many superstars, big games, and sports competitions.
The Nike affiliate program allows its partners to earn a 15% commission per US product sale. The cookie lasts only 7 days, which means you have a week to earn a qualified commission.
When you are accepted to their affiliate program, you will have access to a range of creative banners. They also send newsletters about new launches and update their product feed regularly.
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8. Nimble Activewear
Nimble Activewear was founded in 2014 with the goal of making the best activewear for women. Their activewear is mostly functional workout wear suitable for yoga, aerobics, and more.
Nimble Activewear offers their partners a 5% commission rate and 30 days of cookie tracking. Their average order value is $160, so affiliates can earn about $8 for every successful purchase.
Nimble Activewear will release regular campaigns, promotions, and monthly product drops for affiliates to promote their products.
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9. Lululemon
Lululemon is a trustworthy provider of technically advanced activewear, loungewear, and footwear. In addition, Lululemon also creates a community for sharing sweating activities.
The Lululemon affiliate program is managed through Awin. They offer a 5% commission rate for each sale with up to $100+ average order value. The cookie duration is 30 days, which means you can earn a qualified commission within one month.
If you become their partner, you will be the first to know about new product drops and promotions. You can also join the Lululemon affiliate community through special events access.
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10. X3 Bar Sports
X3 Bar Sports offers advanced scientific training and supplements to promote health. Their products enhance the power of muscle, making them more effective and quick.
This brand offers up to 15% commission for affiliates. Their cookies last 45 days, meaning affiliates can earn a commission for 1.5 months through their unique link.
X3 Bar Sports allows spamming emails until the violation is verified. Additionally, they have exclusive coupons and promotional codes to help affiliates promote more.
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11. GoPro
- Commission rate: 3%
- Cookie duration: Not mentioned
GoPro manufactures action cameras and editing software for recording sports. Their products are diverse, from cameras and applications to gear equipment.
12. Sports Memorabilia
- Commission rate: 8%
- Cookie duration: 7 days
Sports Memorabilia is where you can see the rarest items of sports superstars. Through their site, you can find autographs, signed balls, or exclusive items of any professional player.
13. Enigma Fishing
- Commission rate: 20%
- Cookie duration: Not mentioned
Enigma Fishing makes your fishing time more fun and valuable with an advanced fishing rod. They sell a wide range of fishing gear at reasonable prices.
14. Jump Sport
- Commission rate: 4-8%
- Cookie duration: 30 days
Trampoline training is becoming a trend in the sports industry. At Jump Sport, you can buy backyard, fitness, and office products that help you practice jumping trampoline more effectively.
15. Champs Sports
- Commission rate: 2%
- Cookie duration: 3 days
Champs Sports is a part of Foot Locker, a footwear and apparel retailer with more than 2,500 stores in 26 countries. Champs Sports mainly sells sports products for kids, men, and women.
16. Gainful
- Commission rate: 10-25$
- Cookie duration: 30 days
Gainful creates personal training programs for every customer to have the most suitable plan for their health. They also sell many supplement products, including protein powder, collagen, and more.
17. BPI Sports
- Commission rate: 25%
- Cookie duration: 30 days
BPI Sports helps people achieve their fitness goals with products for workouts and weight loss. They update with many discounts, so you can buy any workout product, ketogenic or protein, in their shops at a reasonable price.
18. Play Your Court
- Commission rate: $15
- Cookie duration: Not mentioned
Play Your Court is a great tennis community for you to find partners and trainers. You can book personal lessons with professionals or find a partner to practice at Play Your Court.
19. Total Gym
- Commission rate: 3-7.5%
- Cookie duration: 45 days
You can get access to full equipment for the gym with just one machine at Total Gym. Their plans are available for ages 8 to up to 80 to help lose weight and stay in shape.
20. Elite Sports
- Commission rate: 10%
- Cookie duration: 60 days
Elite Sports supplies high-quality martial arts gear with a stylish look and affordable price. They make fight-wear products for Martial arts, including Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, MMA, Boxing, and more.
21. RDX Sports
- Commission rate: 10%
- Cookie duration: 45 days
RDX Sports is a top brand in the market, with over 1,100 partner clubs and gyms worldwide. The products of this brand range from MMA, yoga, and fitness to boxing.
22. Fanatics
- Commission rate: 1-8%
- Cookie duration: 7 days
At Fanatics, every item for sports league is available with various choices. They have items from NFL, MLB, NBA, MLS, golf, and more for you to shop.
23. Online Sports
- Commission rate: 10-14%
- Cookie duration: 60 days
Online Sports is one of the oldest and largest retailers of sports items. They offer up to 100,000 products of Sports Equipment, Jerseys, Sports Jewelry, and more.
Conclusion
Building a high-performance affiliate program for your sports brand on Shopify takes careful planning. But the rewards are worth it. Success comes from combining a logical plan with a deep focus on each step.
By following this guide, you can build a powerful community of brand advocates. This community will drive revenue and help your brand grow for years to come. Now, go start building your affiliate army today.
Ellie Tran, a seasoned SEO content writer with three years of experience in the eCommerce world. Being a part of the UpPromote team, Ellie wants to assist Shopify merchants in achieving success through useful content & actionable insights. Ellie's commitment to learning never stops; she's always eager to gain more knowledge about SEO and content marketing to create valuable content for users. When she's not working on content, Ellie enjoys baking and exploring new places.
