Make Money Selling Custom Hockey Apparel
- Hockey insiders have a built-in audience: players, parents, league contacts, and coaching networks.
- A Bear Grips Pro Shop earns $10+ profit per item with no inventory to buy or store.
- The affiliate program adds 10% of referred subscriptions plus $1 per item sold by every referral.
- Most active shops earn $500-2,000/month by month three with consistent promotion.
Hockey coaches, league organizers, and hockey parents have something valuable: direct access to a community that buys gear regularly. A Bear Grips Pro Shop turns that access into a side income -- $10+ profit per item, no inventory, and an affiliate layer that compounds as you refer other programs. This is the breakdown of how the math actually works.
Why Hockey Insiders Have a Natural Apparel Business
Custom apparel businesses fail when the seller has no audience. Hockey insiders do not have that problem.
If you coach a youth hockey team, you have 20 families buying from you before you even share the link -- because they already trust you and they want branded gear for their kids. If you run a rec league, you have 150-200 adult players and their families as a built-in market. If you have coached in a region for 10 years, you have a network of coaches, parents, and players who follow you on social media and would buy a branded item if you made it available.
The hockey community is also gear-loyal. Once a parent buys a hoodie from your shop, they come back for the hat, the long sleeve, and the tee for the sibling next season. Repeat buyers make the economics much better than a one-time purchase audience.
Revenue Model Breakdown: What a Hockey Apparel Shop Actually Earns
Two revenue streams run simultaneously in a Bear Grips Pro Shop:
Stream 1: Per-item profit from your shop sales
You set retail price above Bear Grips base price. The difference is paid to you bi-weekly. Most shops operate on a $10-15 per item markup.
| Scenario | Items Sold/Month | Avg Markup | Monthly Income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small team shop | 30 | $10 | $300 |
| Active program shop | 100 | $12 | $1,200 |
| League-level shop | 250 | $10 | $2,500 |
Stream 2: Affiliate commissions
Every Bear Grips vendor gets an affiliate link. When you refer another hockey program, coach, or league to open a shop, you earn 10% of their monthly subscription forever plus $1 for every item their shop sells.
Refer 10 programs to the $59/month VIP plan and you earn $59/month in passive subscription commissions. If those 10 shops collectively sell 300 items per month, add $300/month in per-item referral income.
The affiliate layer is why connected hockey insiders -- coaches with large networks, league directors who work with 20 teams -- have outsized earning potential. Details at the affiliate program page.
How to Grow a Hockey Apparel Side Hustle Quickly
The hockey apparel businesses that scale fastest in their first 90 days share a few patterns:
1. Launch at the start of the season. Team registration season (late summer and fall for most ice hockey programs) is when parents are in buying mode. A shop link in the registration email generates sales before practice one.
2. Run a limited-time opening sale. Bear Grips vendors can offer a 10% discount code to their community. Use it for the first 2 weeks to drive urgency and first purchases. Once parents have bought from your shop, they come back without the discount.
3. Add products seasonally. Cold weather hits in November -- add the winter beanie and a heavyweight hoodie. Tournament season in March -- add an event tee. Seasonally relevant products keep buyers coming back.
4. Refer other programs. If you know five other coaches running youth programs, refer them to Bear Grips. Each referral earns you 10% of their plan fee indefinitely. Five $59/month VIP shops = $29.50/month in passive commission without selling a single item yourself.
Real Income Scenarios for Hockey Coaches and Organizers
The youth travel coach: 18 players, 4 coaches, 60 family members in the parent orbit. Average 40 items sold per month at $12 markup = $480/month. Refers 3 other coaches to Bear Grips at VIP = $17.70/month passive affiliate. Year one total: roughly $6,000 in apparel income without counting affiliate uplift from referred shops' sales.
The adult rec league director: 200 players across 10 teams. Many buy a hoodie at signup, tee mid-season, hat at tournament. Average 150 items/month at $10 markup = $1,500/month. Refers 5 team captains who each open shops = $29.50/month passive commission. Strong year one: $18,000+.
The hockey parent influencer: 8,000 Instagram followers across hockey parent accounts. Posts a merch announcement. 2% conversion rate on 8,000 followers = 160 sales in the first month. Recurring buyers and holiday season push monthly average to 80+ items. Affiliate referrals from followers who own programs = multiplier layer.
Start at shops.beargrips.com/signup and build from whatever audience you already have.
Turn Your Hockey Network Into a Revenue Stream
Open your free Bear Grips Pro Shop today. Add your logo, set your prices, and start earning $10+ on every item sold. Your hockey community is already ready to buy.
Get Started FreeFrequently Asked Questions
Can I make money selling custom hockey apparel without holding inventory?
Yes. Bear Grips Pro Shops uses print-on-demand, so you never buy or store inventory. You set up a shop, set your prices, share the link, and earn the markup on every sale paid out bi-weekly.
How much can a hockey coach earn from an apparel side hustle?
Most active hockey coaches with a full team shop earn $300-1,500/month from per-item markups. Adding the affiliate referral program for other coaches and programs can significantly increase that total.
What is the Bear Grips affiliate program and how does it work for hockey?
Every Bear Grips vendor gets an affiliate link. When you refer another hockey program that signs up (free or paid), you earn 10% of their subscription forever and $1 per item sold through their shop. It is paid bi-weekly alongside your per-item markups.
Do I need a business license to sell custom hockey apparel?
You do not need a business license to start a Bear Grips Pro Shop. Many coaches start as individuals earning side income. Consult a local accountant about reporting requirements as income grows -- rules vary by state.
