Hello there Sea Changers. Welcome back to my series of program lists to assist those of you looking to fund your sea change with affiliate marketing. Today we are going to step out onto the court to look at my 10 best basketball affiliate programs to hit the hoop with this year. Basketball is an extremely popular sporting and leisure activity and whilst it falls nicely within the lucrative hobby niche where we know people will spend money, there is also the professional use element as well.
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Before we begin however, I am conscious that there are a number of different areas or sub niches within this subject hence the quantity of affiliate programs to choose from may be just as large. So how have I picked my best 10? Well… I really just wanted to give you a good cross section of what is out there so I did some searching around and checked a few out and chose them by looking at:
- What they offer
- Commission rates
- Payment terms
- Cookie duration
- Application processes
- Affiliate/Marketing materials provided
Before we start however, let’s have a look at what I mean by the term ‘Basketball’ and how it can be incorporated within an affiliate marketing website…
What do we mean by basketball?
I guess this is probably a silly question, but we are of course talking about the sport of basketball where players bounce a big orange ball up and down a court an attempt to throw it into a net that is way too small and way too high – you can probably tell I am not very good at it – but I do like watching it.
It is also a sport however that millions spend hours each and every weekend trying to perfect – some even make a little money out of it… So all in all, it might just be something that could make a good little online business.
There is also quite a lot that we could look into when it comes to basketball so for this post, I have tried to cover a good cross section of basketball related affiliate programs covering:
- General equipment
- Balls
- Accessories
- Hoops
- Training gear
- Lessons
And of course anything else you can think of when it comes to basketball… So, if you are looking to set up an online business in this space, let’s check them out below.
What can affiliate marketers promote?
There are essentially no real barriers to what affiliate marketers can promote when it comes to basketball. There are however some things to be aware of as you run your eye over basketball affiliate program possibilities that may suit your site. These are:
- Know your audience, some are looking for specifics and want the best whilst others are hoping to just get their equipment on a budget. Choose your affiliate sites accordingly.
- Basketball fanatics and professionals will not take risks if they don’t trust you or your affiliate site. Make sure the programs you choose are reputable and have good recourse options if the purchaser is not happy.
- Those purchasing for a family members, or are new to the sport will need to know exactly what they need and that the products you are promoting will fit in with their requirements. Make sure your programs can provide the products to back up the information that you are covering.
That said, stats show that people will spend money on basketball gear online if it can make their lives easier so as long as you are meeting their needs and solving problems, then you are on the right track. And to give you a boost, let’s have a look at 10 programs that I have found below:
1. NBA Store
Let’s start with the biggest competition of all with NBA Store. As the name suggests, this is a massive basketball based site providing access to just about everything you could need to watch or support the game. They stock gear from all 30 NBA teams including:
- Jerseys
- T-shirts
- Sweaters and jackets
- Hats
- Shoes
- Accessories
Gear can be browsed for men, women and children as well as by team and/or specific player.
This is a great site for affiliates as it allows you to cover all aspects of professional basketball in the one spot. You could possibly base an affiliate business around it or use it as an addon to any basketball, professional sport or even gift based site too.
Commission Rate: 8%
Payment Terms: Monthly
Cookie Duration: 7 Days
Application required?: Yes, the NBA Store affiliate program is managed by Impact. You will be required to apply for an account then for the NBA Store affiliate program. You will need to enter personal and website information as well as promotional plans and platforms to be used.
Marketing material provided: Banners, text links
2. Jump USA
Our next site is JumpUSA.com, an all encompassing site that deals with everything to do with basketball and its related gear. Their main catalogue is nice and large – i.e. they have everything you could possibly need to do with basketball from both a beginner and professional point of view including:
- Training aids
- Books and DVDs
- Basketballs
- Basketball hoops
- Arm and leg sleeves
- Spot markers
- Ball storage stacks
- And so much more.
And for those working across a number of other sporting pursuits, they also offer a good range of gear for other sports including:
This site could definitely be utilized to build a generalist online basketball business around as well as a great addition to any other professional or player sporting niches as well.
Commission Rate: 15%
Payment Terms: Monthly
Cookie Duration: Not Stated
Application required?: Yes, You will need to enter personal and website information to apply.
Marketing material provided: Text links
3. Team Express
Team Express continues our range of sports based sites offering everything needed to get started with, or improve on, your basketball game. Promoting themselves as ” a distributor of sporting goods and athletic equipment, footwear and apparel”, they offer all of that for basketball and numerous other sports as well.
This site is definitely one that you could build an entire affiliate marketing business around or as a great companion/add on to just about any sporting related niche possible – and maybe even for those dealing with specific sports brands as well.
Commission Rate: Not stated
Payment Terms: Monthly
Cookie Duration: 30 Days
Application required?: Yes, the Team Express affiliate program is managed by Avantlink. You will be required to apply for an account then for the Team Express affiliate program. You will need to enter personal and website information as well as promotional plans and platforms to be used.
Marketing material provided: Text links, banners, discount codes
4. Paragon Sports
Whilst more of an overall sporting goods site than one focuses solely on Basketball, Paragon Sports does however includes a massive range for this sport as well. They stock all of the most well known basketball brands with options including:
- Balls
- Jerseys
- Shoes
- Apparel
- Accessories
From here, I was going to list all of the other sports that the site provides gear for, however there are so many that I didn’t know where to start. Categories though do include:
- Winter sports
- Personal training and fitness
- Outdoor (camping, surfing etc.)
- Team sports
- Club sports (tennis, golf)
- Skateboards, scooters etc.
This probably goes without saying but there is definitely enough here to base an entire affiliate marketing business around in both the basketball niche and any other sport listed above. And best of all, if you are in the general sport niche, there is something to cover all year round.
Commission Rate: Up to 8%
Payment Terms: Monthly
Cookie Duration: 7 Days
Application required?: Yes, the Paragon Sports affiliate program is managed by Pepperjam. You will be required to apply for an account then for the Pepperjam affiliate program. You will need to enter personal and website information as well as promotional plans and platforms to be used.
Marketing material provided: Text links, banners, product feed
5. Dicks Sporting Goods
Dick’s Sporting Goods is another extremely large sports supplies store with equipment for just about every sporting pursuit that you could think of. And of course their huge range also includes many options for those in the Basketball niche including:
- Basketballs
- Hoops
- Shoes
- Training equipment
- Court equipment
- Apparel
- Arm and leg sleeves
- Bags
- Head and wristbands
- Mouthguards
On top of all of that (think everything you could need for the above), there is also a range of fan gear for all major U.S. Sports as well as fitness accessories, outdoor and travel accessories and electronic monitoring devices too. Oh, and if there is another sport that is played, they have it as well.
This would make a great addition to any Basketball based site aimed at professionals and hobbyists alike as well as a baseline for those working on the other sports listed above as well. Oh, and they also offer a range of training tip videos and custom uniform design too.
Commission Rate: 2%
Payment Terms: Monthly
Cookie Duration: 3 Days
Application required?: Yes, the Dick’s Sporting Goods affiliate program is managed by Impact Radius. You will be required to apply for an account then for the Dick’s Sporting Goods affiliate program. You will need to enter personal and website information as well as promotional plans and platforms to be used.
Marketing material provided: Text links and banners, product data feed
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6. Fanatics
Here we continue our look into the professional sports niche with Fanatics. This is fan gear site on steroids that whilst is stocked with options for every team in every major U.S professional code as well as individual and international sports with obviously is a great range of Basketball based options as well. Their stock range is massive and includes:
- Jerseys
- Hats
- Shirts
- Hoodies
- Memorabilia
- Collectables
- Shoes
- Home Decor
- Women’s gear
- Toys
And so so much more. Gear can also be customized or chosen by team, player or event.
There is really a lot here and the site could be utilized to build an affiliate business around within the professional sporting or fan based niches or as a great add on or gift idea for just about any other sporting site dealing with these particular sports or events. Oh, and you can buy tickets via this site as well for cash back rewards.
Commission Rate: Up to 10%
Payment Terms: Monthly
Cookie Duration: Not Stated
Application required?: Yes, the Fanatics affiliate program is managed by Share-A-Sale. You will be required to apply for an account then for the Fanatics affiliate program. You will need to enter personal and website information as well as promotional plans and platforms to be used.
Marketing material provided: Text links, banners, product feed.
7. Inspirational Basketball
Inspirational Basketball starts us on the training and bootcamp style basketball sites with content “created to provide some in depth knowledge on basketball for young players, coaches and parents”. To assist those with their basketball improvement needs, the site provides a massive range of drills, coaching videos and blog posts as well as assistance with the location of basketball camps as well.
As with most sites of this type, there may be enough here to base an affiliate business on if you are dealing with coaching etc. Alternatively it would be a great addition to anything related to basketball or general sport coaching as well.
Commission Rate: 25%
Payment Terms: Monthly
Cookie Duration: Not Stated
Application required?: Yes, the Inspirational Basketball affiliate program is managed by ClickBank. You will be required to apply for an account then for the Inspirational Basketball affiliate program. You will need to enter personal and website information as well as promotional plans and platforms to be used.
Marketing material provided: Text links, banners
8. Pro Skills Basketball
Pro Skills Basketball is the second of our coaching based sites that offers access to “over 175 Club Teams and 100+ Camps and Clinics throughout the US annually”. This includes:
“Youth Basketball Camps during the winter holidays and summer are dedicated to teaching the fundamentals of basketball to boys and girls in a safe and enjoyable environment, including through stations, drills, games, and competitions designed for kids of all skill levels.”
As with the site above, there is probably not enough here to base as affiliate business upon unless you are working with coaching and camps exclusively. However again, it would work as a great addition to any sporting type site based on basketball or coaching.
Commission Rate: Not Stated
Payment Terms: Monthly
Cookie Duration: Not Stated
Application required?: Yes, the Pro Skills Basketball affiliate program is managed by Share-A-Sale. You will be required to apply for an account then for the Pro Skills Basketball affiliate program. You will need to enter personal and website information as well as promotional plans and platforms to be used.
Marketing material provided: Text links, banners
9. Sports Box Co.
With a primary goal to keep the fun in sports, Sports Box Co. is a cool little site that that offers subscription and once-off services for children to learn and maintain an interest in their chosen sport. This includes
- Games
- Training aids
- Accessories
- Clothing
- Learning guides
- And more
Now obviously there are options here for Basketball but they also cover Baseball, Hockey, Football and Soccer as well.
There is probably not enough on this site to base an entire affiliate marketing site around but of course it would make a great addition to anything covering basketball, coaching or children’s sport in any niche.
Commission Rate: Not Stated
Payment Terms: Monthly
Cookie Duration: Not Stated
Application required?: Yes, the Sports Box Co. affiliate program is managed by Share-A-Sale. You will be required to apply for an account then for the Sports Box Co. affiliate program. You will need to enter personal and website information as well as promotional plans and platforms to be used.
Marketing material provided: Banners, text links
10. Amazon Associates
Alternatively, should you wish to set up your site up with a range from a few different brands or companies on the same site then you can do so via Amazon. Amazon provides access to a good range of Basketball related products and has a fairly good affiliate program as well. So if you wish, join the Amazon Associates program, locate the best products relevant to your site within Amazon itself and you can post links on your own site as per below:
Amazon’s commission rates are not too bad and some prefer this avenue due to the sheer amount of traffic and trustworthiness that comes with a company site of this size.
FAQ
What can you sell within the basketball niche?
The online sale of basketball gear and equipment is a popular option with possibilities amongst all levels from beginners to professionals alike. Products that can be sold within this niche include balls, shoes, accessories, clothing and even lessons for those starting out. And most importantly, basketball falls within the lucrative world of hobbies with a professional element where we know people will spend cash.
How to find your own affiliate programs
As stated earlier, by outlining the sites above I have really just tried to give you a good cross section of the types of programs that are out there by listing the really good ones in each ‘category’. That does not mean that you cannot find affiliate programs that better suit what it is that you are trying to do within this space especially as I could never even begin to cover every basketball related requirement or sub niche in the one post. Luckily for us, there is a simple way to find these programs online.
All you need to do is enter “affiliate: niche type” into your search engine (substituting ‘niche type‘ for whatever product it is that you are choosing to sell).
There are basketball related affiliate programs for everything else that we have listed at the top of this page as well – you will just need to have a look around until you find one or two that suit your site. Once you have completed your searches, you can look through and find programs that:
- Relate to your niche/problems that you are solving.
- Have quality products – your brand can be severely damaged if you promote poor quality products.
- Have solid payment and customer service arrangement.
- Pay decent commissions.
- Have good testimonials covering commission payouts and quality of product.
In most cases, you will need to apply for the program before you are allowed to promote their products – don’t take this step lightly or you will be rejected. Affiliate programs will generally want to know:
- Your website name.
- Traffic levels.
- Why you want to join – (so I can make money by selling your hoops is unfortunately not generally a good enough answer).
- How you plan to promote their products.
Conclusion
So… There are 10 of the best basketball affiliate programs to serve up this year. I hope it has been helpful for you as you commence your own basketball based affiliate marketing business and as usual, please do not hesitate to comment below if you have any questions, need some advice or have any experiences to share. Oh, and especially comment if you have any experience with these, or any other programs as well.
Until next time
Have fun
Paul
Note: If you make a purchase from this page, there is a very good chance that I make a commission from it – these commissions do not increase your sale price. This may include sales made via Wealthy Affiliate.
Do you want further assistance with any of the above or need help to build your own basketball based website?
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