The American Football market worldwide is projected to grow by 6.92% over the next five years, reaching $38.05 billion by 2029. It’s a smart move to promote American football brands, with higher chances of boosting earnings.
In this article, we’ve compiled the 13 best American football affiliate programs with lucrative offers & quality products.
For more options, we’ve curated a list of standout sports affiliate programs. Be sure to check out our recommendations for soccer, baseball, basketball, golf, and wrestling.
In the later section, we will suggest some first steps for creating your affiliate program for American football products.
TL;DR
From gear and apparel to coaching lessons, you have plenty of American football affiliate programs to explore. Let’s find out how much you can earn from these partnerships.
- NFL Store (Commission: 8%, Cookie: 7 days)
- Leather Head Sports (Commission: 10%, Cookie: 60 days)
- Chiefs Pro Shop (Commission: 8%, Cookie: 7 days)
- Sport Memorabilia (Commission: 8%, Cookie: 7 days)
- Fan’s Edge (Commission: 8%, Cookie: 7 days)
- Strideline (Commission: 10%, Cookie: 60 days)
- Paragon Sports (Commission: 8%, Cookie: 7 days)
- Coachtube (Commission: 30%, Cookie: 30 days)
- Wilson (Commission: 8%, Cookie: 30 days)
- 500 LEVEL (Commission: 8%, Cookie: 30 days)
- SPT (Commission: 5%)
- Prep Sportswear (Commission: 15%)
Affiliate marketing will help American football brands market their products more effectively. By leveraging the influence of affiliates or influencers, their products can reach a wider audience. Keep reading to find out some useful tips when you build an American football affiliate campaign.
- First, you need to select the best affiliate software to create an affiliate program effortlessly.
- Then, set up your commission structures to attract affiliates to your program
- It’s also important to support your partners with pre-made marketing assets. This way, they can better promote your brand and drive more sales to your store.
- Lastly, remember to showcase your affiliate program clearly. Make it as easy as possible for affiliates to learn about your brand, so they can sign up quickly.
It can be challenging to build programs, manage affiliates, or handle tracking and payments. However, with the right affiliate software like UpPromote, all those tasks can be done effortlessly. Our app makes it simple for even beginners to start an American football campaign.
With 3000+ positive Shopify reviews, UpPromote boasts as the top trusted affiliate software.
Top 13 Best American Football Affiliate Programs
Want to start earning money through American football affiliate programs? Consider these best options in this table at a quick glance:
| The best affiliate programs | Program name |
| Affiliate program with the highest commission rates | Coachtube (30%) |
| Affiliate program with the longest cookie duration | Leather Head Sports (60 days) |
| Affiliate program with the most payment methods | NFL Store, Chief Pro Shop |
| Affiliate program requires a payment threshold | Coachtube, SPT ($100) |
| Affiliate program with the most promotional materials | Paragon Sports, Prep Sportswear |
1. NFL Store
NFL Store is the official shop to find authentic merchandise of NFL clubs for football fans. You can update every latest launch at their store with various discount offers from your favorite teams.
The NFL Store affiliate program is run through Impact. The commission rate is 8% for each successful sale of your audience. NFL Store will pay out every 45 days after the end of the month.
The cookie duration is only 7 days since the first click. Therefore, customers must purchase within a week so affiliates can get their approved commission.
Affiliates can only promote using banners from NFL Store affiliate network partners. Moreover, affiliates are not allowed to use any official NFL logos, including “The Shield,” to promote their links.
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2. Leather Head Sports
If you are a die-hard American football fan, having a customized ball is a must in your collection. Leather Head Sports is a leading brand in designing and selling handcrafted balls with a modern, nostalgic look.
They offer up to a 10% commission rate for their partners and a 60-day cookie duration. With an average order value of over $150, affiliates could earn $15 per order.
When promoting Leather Head Sports, you can use their personal customized service to attract more buyers. They also have professionally designed banners for you upon request.
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3. Chiefs Pro Shop
Kansas City Chiefs is a famous American football team that has won the NFL championships for 4 times. Their official Chiefs Pro Shop is where you can buy jerseys, t-shirts, and other apparel from the team.
Their affiliate program is managed through Impact. They allow their affiliates to earn up to an 8% commission rate per sale.
The cookie duration has a tracking period of 7 days. Therefore, please note that your affiliate link will only generate commissions within this period.
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4. Sport Memorabilia
American football fans come to find the rarest items of their famous superstars at Sports Memorabilia. On their website, you can discover autographs, signed balls, and exclusive items from any professional player.
To join their affiliate program, you can sign up through Impact. The commission rate is 8% for every successful order from your affiliate link.
You should notice the program’s cookie length. Their cookie duration only lasts for 7 days from the first click of customers.
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5. DICK’s Sporting Goods
DICK’s Sporting Goods is the top choice retailer in the USA for finding American football products from renowned brands. They are the official sponsor for Team USA during the Olympics in the recent season.
Affiliates can sign up for the DICK’s Sporting Goods affiliate program via Impact. The commission rate is 2% per sale through an affiliate link. Noticeably, the cookie duration lasts for only 3 days from the first click of the customer.
DICK’s Sporting Goods pays their affiliates on a net 60 basis after the end of the month. After joining the program, affiliates will get access to the banners and links from the brand to use in promotion.
DICK’s Sporting Goods will also send weekly newsletters to notify their partners about special promotions during the season.
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6. Fan’s Edge
Fan’s Edge provides every item you’re looking for from many sports teams, such as American football, baseball, and basketball. Their diverse collections include the NFL, MLB, NBA, and more leagues.
If you want to join their affiliate program, you can join via Impact – one of the most popular affiliate networks. Fan’s Edge pays their partners up to an 8% commission rate.
The cookie duration stays active for 7 days, allowing you to earn a commission for any purchases made within a week.
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7. Strideline
Strideline has been selling the most comfortable socks for NFL and MLS fans and athletes for over 10 years. They are proud to have recycled eco socks that have sold over 20 million pairs worldwide.
The brand offers a 10% commission rate for every partner who joins the Strideline affiliate program. The cookie duration is up to 60 days of tracking.
Strideline only uses PayPal to send monthly payouts to affiliates. Therefore, you must have a PayPal account to join their affiliate program.
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8. Paragon Sports
Paragon Sports covers top-notch gear in various sports, including American football, soccer, tennis, and other outdoor activities. They have over 30,000 items from 300 different brands worldwide.
Paragon Sports affiliate program offers a commission rate of up to 8%. The average order value is $170, so affiliates can earn about $14 per order. The cookie is active for 7 days, tracking any referrals during this period.
As their affiliates, you can promote their products using unique links and creative banners. Paragon Sports also has a dedicated affiliate team to support you further.
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9. Coachtube
You can choose from over a hundred coaches in more than 30 sports on Coachtube to enhance your skills. From American football to soccer to tennis, you can learn any sport with professional coaches on Coachtube.
Coachtube pays a generous 30% commission rate for their partners, with a 30-day cookie duration. They will pay affiliates through direct deposit. However, you need to have a payment threshold of $100 to receive your earnings.
Coachtube allows affiliates to promote them through various ways, such as mailing lists, writing blog posts, and social media posts. Affiliates could use PPC advertising and display ads for your promotion as well.
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10. Wilson
Wilson has over 100 years of innovation and provides high-performance sports equipment, footwear, and apparel. They bring a diverse collection for sports players, including basketball, American football, soccer, and more.
Wilson runs their affiliate program through Impact. The commission rate is 8% for each sale, with higher rates available for top-performing affiliates. Affiliates can earn their credited commission within 30 days of cookie duration.
When joining their affiliate program, you will have a unique link for your promotion campaigns from Wilson. You can also use their designed and creative banners to make your content more appealing to the audience.
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11. 500 Level
More than just sports gear and jerseys, 500 LEVEL creates art and t-shirt junkies for the NFL, MBA fans. They have the authorization to create clothes inspired by sports superstars, such as Patrick Mahomes, Steph Curry, and more.
Affiliates can sign up for the 500 LEVEL affiliate program through ShareASale. They offer a commission rate of 8% for affiliates with a 30-day cookie duration.
500 LEVEL focuses on creating unique offers for each partner and their members. Therefore, you will receive exclusive offers to promote your campaign and attract more audiences.
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12. SPT
SPT designs and develops powerful and affordable GPS tracking tools for outdoor sports, such as American football, tennis, and basketball. These tools will monitor and manage physical output.
The commission rate for the SPT affiliate program is 5% per successful order. But only orders placed on the SPT website will be counted for commission.
SPT will pay their affiliates on a quarterly basis only through PayPal. However, affiliates must have at least $100 to receive payouts at the end of the quarter. Otherwise, your commission will be held for another quarter until the threshold is reached.
Notably, SPT will create a customized URL for its partners and provide other promotional materials. Affiliates can also use SPT’s affiliate site to track their commission and use alternative marketing tools.
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13. Prep Sportswear
Prep Sportswear is a leading retailer of sports apparel for school, college, and youth sports in the US. In addition to the domestic American football league, Prep Sportswear provides merchandise for the Australian, German, and Canadian football leagues.
Affiliates can join the Prep Sportswear affiliate program by signing up for ShareASale. The commission rate is up to 15%. With an AOV of about $67, affiliates can achieve $10 per order. Prep Sportswear also has bonuses for high-performing partners on their first-time sales and network reach.
Prep Sportswear provides banners and customized links for affiliates to put on the website. Moreover, they will regularly send monthly newsletters about new products and events.
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Best Tips to Start an Affiliate Marketing American Football Program
Looking to start an affiliate program but not sure where to begin? Let UpPromote guide you through each step. Our in-app instructions will help you set up a basic campaign in under 5 minutes. Plus, our support agents are always ready to answer your questions.
UpPromote lets you launch an affiliate program for free, with no risk involved.
Choose the best affiliate software
Affiliate software will make it easy for anyone to manage an affiliate program. With the right one, you can automate the entire process and concentrate on scaling other areas of your business.
UpPromote is the top-rated affiliate solution trusted by leading e-commerce experts. Our app will guide you through every phase, from program setup and affiliate recruitment to overall tracking and management.
- Flexible pricing for every business. UpPromote offers affordable and scalable pricing plans to meet the needs of businesses, regardless of size or industry.
- No risk in trying. You can start with our free plan or explore all features with a 14-day free trial on any paid plan—no commitment required.
- 24/7 support at your fingertips. In-app instructions and 24/7 chat support are available to assist with any questions. Our team is always ready to help.
- Comprehensive affiliate management. UpPromote allows you to recruit affiliates, set flexible commissions, track referrals and sales, and more.
- Advanced integrations or customizations: Our developers will help tailor the app to fit your unique requirements.
Define your commission structures
Commissions always come first for affiliates. When people search for an affiliate program, they want to know how much they can earn. Affiliates need an appealing motivation to promote your American football brand.
There are three most popular types of commissions, including:
- Percent of sale: A percentage of the total sale price. Eg: A 10% commission on all sales made through an affiliate’s unique link.
- Rate per item: A fixed amount for each item sold. Eg: A $5 commission for each football helmet sold
- Rate per order: A fixed amount per order: Eg: A $15 commission for each order containing at least two items.
These simple commission rates can be set up in minutes with our affiliate app. Just go to the UpPromote dashboard > Program > Add program.
Additionally, UpPromote also supports setting more advanced commission rates.
Want to boost sales of your latest football gear? Consider using our Special Product Commission feature. You can offer higher commissions on specific items, like a new line of jerseys or limited-edition Super Bowl merchandise.
Or, our Auto-tier Commission setting will be a big help if you want to reward your top-performing affiliates. Your partners will automatically move up to higher commission tiers based on their sales performance. For example, you could create a tier system where affiliates earn a higher commission rate for selling more jerseys or game-day packages.
One note for American football brands is to adjust their commissions around seasonal events. During times like the NFL Draft or Super Bowl, fan demand often spikes. Offering higher commission rates can motivate affiliates to push your products more enthusiastically.
Provide ready-made marketing materials
While it’s not mandatory, ready-made marketing materials for affiliates are essential.
Affiliates can hit the ground running and promote your products more effectively. Meanwhile, your American football brand maintains a consistent and polished look across all channels.
Here are a few examples of marketing materials you can provide:
- Banner ads: Banner ads in various sizes and formats (static or animated) showcasing your football gear, team merchandise, or special promotions.
- Social media graphics: Visually appealing graphics for each platform, like Instagram, Facebook, and X (formerly Twitter).
- Email templates: Pre-designed email templates for those who prefer promoting through email marketing.
- Product descriptions: Detailed product descriptions for items like jerseys, helmets, or fan merchandise.
- Videos: High-quality videos showcasing your products in action, tutorials, or behind-the-scenes footage.
Brands like NFL Store and Leather Head Sports are always open to creating custom banners for their affiliates upon request.
As you use UpPromote to run a campaign, we let you upload any media (images, videos, files, links). Once affiliates are onboard, they’ll have everything ready to begin promoting.
Publish all necessary information about your affiliate program
Your affiliate program page is the perfect spot to present all the details about your program. When we say all, we mean absolutely everything. Affiliates want to gather as much information as possible before signing up.
That would save a lot of time for both you and your partners. No one wants to ask or answer tons of the same questions every day, right?
The list below is just a suggestion—add anything you think will be useful to your affiliates.
- Commission structure: Clearly define your commission rates, whether it’s a percentage per sale, per item, or per order.
- Cookie duration: Let affiliates know how long their referral cookies remain active. This info is especially important during high-demand periods like football season.
- Payment terms: Specify how and when commissions will be paid, including payment methods, payout thresholds, and payment frequency.
- Tracking tools: Share details about the tracking system you use to monitor affiliate performance and sales attribution.
- Affiliate guidelines: Clearly set expectations for how affiliates should promote your American football brand. Eg: Affiliates should use approved marketing materials to adhere to brand guidelines and ethical standards.
- Support and resources: Highlight available resources to affiliates, such as access to marketing materials for upcoming football events or dedicated support from account managers.
- Program terms and conditions: Provide the full terms and conditions of your affiliate program, including any restrictions, limitations, or termination policies. Being upfront about these terms builds trust and prevents misunderstandings.
Final Words
Affiliate marketing can help American football brands expand their reach and drive more sales. Since you only pay affiliates for actual sales, it allows for smarter use of your marketing budget.
What’s crucial is to have top-notch products and an attractive affiliate program. With lucrative incentives & dedicated support, affiliates are motivated to bring sales to your store.
When it comes to affiliate management, UpPromote provides a complete solution. Our app assists businesses of any size or industry in running affiliate campaigns with ease. Take a look at our pricing plans to see which one best fits your business.
