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Monetizing a Sports Related Site

by andymisiu
11 replies
Hello Everyone! lets get this first idea I have crackin shall we??

I have a niche idea related to my favorite sports team. The question is... how will I monetize it?

At the moment I know of a couple ways.

Adsense: don't think that is going to generate a whole lot of revenue. I just think it looks cheesy when you have advertisements that aren't even related to the subject matter of the site.

Affiliate Programs: This is probably what I'm gonna want to do.

YardBarker? heard of that program? seems like they just want to do all the work for you, provide you with ads, and take a piece of your profits. Not so sure I'm interested in that.

I will probably look into a sports apparel affiliate marketing program like fanatics or something like that.

I think amazon lets you be specific about the products you put on your site.

I want the ads to be specific to what sports people would be interested in...

So, very long story short.... any idea's or direction for monetizing a sports related site?
#monetizing #related #site #sports
  • Profile picture of the author theebookcavern
    Where are you based Andy? And what nationalities are you mainly targeting with the site?

    Most of the sports sites in the UK seem to be affiliates for betting companies and from what I've seen these betting companies have really generous affiliate programs. However, this would only be an option if your site targets UK visitors.

    Thanks,

    Tom
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  • Profile picture of the author andymisiu
    Ok, I see. I bet it would be helpful to mention the market I'm in. I'm in the States, Baltimore, Maryland.
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  • Profile picture of the author Joseph Robinson
    Banned
    Are we talking Yardbarker as in this website? If so, I would say that is a solid option. The Foxsports website in particular likes to include links at the bottom of their articles, and as a fan myself I click through at least a few times per day. Of course, I know nothing of the costs or anything like that to use the site, just that it is a pretty mainstream (in a good, non-hipster) way to get attention.
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  • Profile picture of the author jaiganeshv
    goldencan.com has data feed from major sports vendors become an affiliate and use the feeds from major sports stores like nba.com nfl.com etc...

    HTH
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  • Profile picture of the author andymisiu
    Yes, that's the site Joe Robinson. They have an affiliate program that looks pretty good. Just need to check the costs.

    Thanks Jaiganeshv!
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  • Profile picture of the author sportbetaus
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    • Profile picture of the author Christopher Fox
      In addition to other suggestions, look to provide a service where you do not rely on people clicking on links. As an example, being from Baltimore, how many Terrible Towels do you see at the Raven's stadium when the Steelers are in town? Those folks bought those tickets somewhere and plenty of Raven ticket holders sold them somewhere.

      Make your site that somewhere and charge a small fee. Do it for the entire NFL. Maybe even college. You'd be going up against sites like Craigslist, but that is where marketing would have to come into play. May not add up to much and might take time to build, but the more eyes you have on your site the more you can charge for advertising and get paid whether or not people click on an affiliate link.

      Just a thought. Not an instead of but an in addition too the other ways. Find ways to get people there without relying upon them purchasing an item from a third party and you can sell advertising for a fixed rate.
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  • Profile picture of the author Cash37
    I have a pretty large sports related site. I'm actually thinking of doing a product on monetization, because the niche is SO unique... but for what you are asking Yardbarker and Adsense are no-no's. They will only get you Peanuts. Much better ways to get paid.
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    • Profile picture of the author robp12
      I have a sports related website called the Jersey Jets Fan. I have a similar monetization plan that you do, using a combination of Google AdSense, Yardbarker and some affiliate marketing networks. I've had small successes with each, nothing huge, but it's still money in my pocket.

      As far as sports blogging networks go, Yardbarker is pretty much the largest one out their. It's not too difficult to get into the program, you essentially just sign a contract and they give you a log-in, advertising codes, etc. The payouts aren't bad, although my ads have a horrendous CTR. I like Yardbarker though and I'd definitely recommend it to get a little more traffic as well as earn some more income. If you have any specific questions about it, or monetizing a sports niche site, you can absolutely send me a PM with questions.
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      My name is Rob and I'm the founder of Career Dreaming, where I help job candidates leverage the power of recruiters to find a new job.

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      • Profile picture of the author Cash37
        Originally Posted by robp12 View Post

        I have a sports related website called the Jersey Jets Fan. I have a similar monetization plan that you do, using a combination of Google AdSense, Yardbarker and some affiliate marketing networks. I've had small successes with each, nothing huge, but it's still money in my pocket.

        As far as sports blogging networks go, Yardbarker is pretty much the largest one out their. It's not too difficult to get into the program, you essentially just sign a contract and they give you a log-in, advertising codes, etc. The payouts aren't bad, although my ads have a horrendous CTR. I like Yardbarker though and I'd definitely recommend it to get a little more traffic as well as earn some more income. If you have any specific questions about it, or monetizing a sports niche site, you can absolutely send me a PM with questions.
        Are you the guy that sold, or bought Jersey Jets Fan? I almost bought that site off Flippa at one time.

        I have to disagree on YB unless something really changed over there. They rejected my site initially, but that was a good thing because Im with a network now (no pm, not telling) that matches or beats the CPM that YB promises. I have a guaranteed min CPM, which can always increase, and Im free to sell any other banner space I would like below the fold.

        Their are a lot of networks out there guys. My tip is to pick up the phone and start calling. Once again, such a unique niche but lots of opportunities in it.
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  • Profile picture of the author andymisiu
    Thanks for the insights everyone! I have learned a lot in the last week or so. I'm gettin to creatin.
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  • Profile picture of the author Alphy3000
    Ever considered to purchase advertising directly from sites?

    This way you can choose the ads that are specific to your sports audience, and you can often strike good deals when going direct to site with the owners.

    - Alphy
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