5 Sports Blogger Success Stories [2024]
The sports blogger business involves creating a website or platform where you write about various sports topics, share insights, and engage with an audience interested in sports.
To start this business on a budget, you’ll need a computer, an internet connection, and basic writing skills.
Begin by choosing a specific niche within sports (like a particular sport, team, or type of content) to focus on.
Consistently create high-quality, engaging content and promote your blog through social media and online communities to build an audience over time.
Monetize your blog through methods like affiliate marketing, sponsored content, and advertising once you have a steady flow of visitors.
In this list, you'll find real-world sports blogger success stories and very profitable examples of starting a sports blogger that makes money.
1. Cup of Coffee ($221K/year)
Cup of Coffee is a daily baseball and culture newsletter that provides fans with a comprehensive summary of significant news in Major League Baseball, along with analysis, commentary, and coverage of other current events, reaching over 10,500 subscribers and generating average monthly revenue of $18,400.
Craig Calcaterra, a former lawyer and sports writer, came up with the idea for his baseball and culture newsletter, Cup of Coffee, as a way to continue sharing his writing and analysis after being laid off by NBC Sports. He wanted to provide readers with a daily briefing on the latest baseball news and other topics of interest, all delivered in the morning to start their day. Since launching, Calcaterra has built a loyal subscriber base through social media promotion, offering free newsletters, and running occasional sales. Word of mouth has also played a significant role in the growth of the newsletter.
How much money it makes: $221K/year
How much did it cost to start: $200
How many people on the team: 1
Craig Calcaterra's daily baseball and culture Substack newsletter Cup of Coffee has amassed just under 10,500 subscribers, with over 3,300 paying monthly ($6) or annual ($65) subscriptions, achieving average monthly revenue of around $18,400 and growing.
2. Bold Tribe ($112K/year)
In June 2015, Temo Valle founded Bold Tribe with the goal of offering high-quality sports products for CrossFit. After conducting detailed market research, Valle identified resistance bands as the ideal starting product. Through strategic branding and content creation on platforms like YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook, Bold Tribe has become the #1 brand for resistance bands in Mexico, achieving impressive sales growth year after year.
How much money it makes: $112K/year
How much did it cost to start: $300
How many people on the team: 5
Bold Tribe, a Mexico-based company, became the #1 resistance band brand in the country, with a sales growth rate from $25,000 in 2016 to $550,000 in 2020, by initially investing $300 in testing the product through one of the popular marketplaces.
3. Chief in the North Newsletter ($48K/year)
The Chief in the North Newsletter is a Substack publication that provides in-depth analysis and insights into the Kansas City Chiefs and the NFL.
Seth Keysor, a longtime football fan and writer, started the Chief in the North Newsletter as a way to provide in-depth analysis of the Kansas City Chiefs and the NFL. With over 5,500 subscribers in less than two years, the newsletter has become a legitimate side income of over $4,000 a month for Keysor. By offering unique insights and bypassing clickbait, Keysor has attracted a loyal following of diehard fans.
How much money it makes: $48K/year
How much did it cost to start: $0
How many people on the team: 0
A sports writer launched a newsletter that now has over 5,500 subscribers in under 2 years and generates a legitimate side income of over $4,000 a month, with a subscription fee of $12 a year or $2 a month, by providing in-depth analysis for diehard Kansas City Chiefs and NFL fans.
4. HeavyBJJ ($12K/year)
Zack Nicholas, the founder of heavybjj.com, came up with the idea for his martial arts and fitness blog after seeing the success of a friend's similar site that was making $3,000 a month with minimal work. With a passion for fitness and martial arts, Zack decided to start his own blog, and within a year, he is set to make around $500 a month through ad revenue and affiliate marketing.
How much money it makes: $12K/year
How much did it cost to start: $200
How many people on the team: 2
A software IT manager started a niche martial arts and fitness blog, earning ~$500/month after just one year through ad revenue and affiliate marketing, with plans to eventually leave his IT job in 1-2 years and make $5,000/month at the 2-year mark of his business.
5. Joker Mag ($3K/year)
Tyler O'Shea, founder of Joker Mag, drew inspiration for his media platform from his personal experience of being cut from his baseball team in 7th grade. He found solace in the stories of undersized athletes who defied the odds, and he wanted to share those stories to inspire others. Today, Joker Mag receives an average of 25,000 monthly visitors, generating approximately $250 in revenue per month with potential for significant growth.
How much money it makes: $3K/year
How much did it cost to start: $200
How many people on the team: 0
A media platform celebrating underdog stories in sports, Joker Mag, founded by Tyler O'Shea, receives an average of 25,000 monthly visitors generating $250/mo, and focuses on improving traffic through SEO, seeking to move towards brand partnerships as a primary monetization method in the future.
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Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
