Sports media company The Sporting News is shaking up affiliate marketing by adopting a revenue-share model that focuses on lifetime customer value.
Unlike typical affiliate programs that pay a one-time fee per acquisition, The Sporting News earns a percentage of the total value generated by the customers it refers over their entire relationship with gambling operators.
This novel approach helped the publisher attract $15 million in Series A funding in September 2023. CEO Rich Routman explains that receiving recurring revenue aligns better with long-term customer engagement rather than short-term payouts.
Affiliate Revenue Share Model: How The Sporting News Affiliate Model Works
The Sporting News refers its audience to sportsbooks and gambling platforms and gets paid based on the players’ lifetime earnings for these operators. This method emphasizes customer quality and retention rather than just volume.
Key Details
- Revenue-share model means payment on a percentage of lifetime value (LTV), not just first purchase
- Focus on long-term customer engagement with sportsbooks
- Encourages publishers to deliver high-quality referrals
- $15 million raised partly due to this innovative revenue approach
- Opposite of traditional cost-per-acquisition (CPA), which rewards only first-time conversions
- Aligns incentives between publisher and advertiser for sustained growth
Also read about: Top 10 Best High Paying Hosting Affiliate Programs 2025
Advantages of Betting on Lifetime Value
The model prioritizes customer loyalty, rewarding The Sporting News as referred users stay active longer. This creates passive, repeat revenue streams for the publisher and builds a stronger advertiser relationship.
Benefits Include
- More stable and predictable income for publishers
- Better alignment between marketing spend and true customer worth
- Incentives to support customer retention and satisfaction
- Possibility of higher total affiliate earnings over time
- Differentiates The Sporting News in crowded affiliate marketing landscape
Summary
By embracing a revenue share affiliate model that focuses on lifetime value, The Sporting News is pioneering a sustainable way for sports media to generate recurring income.
This structure benefits both publishers and advertisers, reflecting a smarter approach to affiliate marketing beyond short-term gains.
More News To Read:
