A sports marketing agency usually charges a monthly retainer, plus your ad spend on top. At Coala Studio, retainers start at $1,750 CAD a month. What you pay depends on how many programs you're filling, how much content you need and whether the agency runs your ads.
I'd rather you know the number before the call. So here's how pricing works, what's usually included and how it compares with hiring someone.
How do sports marketing agencies charge?
Most charge a monthly retainer for strategy, content and campaign management, with ad spend billed separately and paid straight to Meta or Google. Some charge per project, like a camp launch or a new website. A few charge per lead. The retainer model fits clubs with several registration windows a year, because the work never really stops.
The three models side by side:
| Model | How it works | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly retainer | A set fee each month for planning, content, ads management and reporting | Clubs and academies with several windows a year |
| Project | One price for one job, like a camp campaign or a landing page | A single launch or a rebuild |
| Pay per lead | You pay for each form fill | A one-off push, if you already have strong follow-up |
My view on pay per lead: most lead offers fill one tryout. A club needs a plan for every window on its calendar.
What does a sports marketing retainer include?
It depends on scope, but a full retainer for a club or academy usually covers a season plan, content made from your real training and games, Meta and Google ad management, landing pages for each program and a follow-up setup so every inquiry gets a fast reply. You should also get a monthly report on registrations, not likes.
What I'd expect in a retainer:
- A calendar of every registration window, tryout and camp for the next 12 to 18 months.
- Content days at your facility, turned into reels and posts.
- Ads in each window, with the budget and targeting agreed up front.
- One page per program with dates, price and one form.
- Follow-up that answers every inquiry the same day.
- A monthly report on inquiries, registrations and cost per registration.
How much should a club budget for ad spend?
Ad spend is separate from the agency fee, and it's yours: it goes straight to Meta or Google, not the agency. How much you need depends on your market, your programs and how many spots you're filling. A good agency sets the budget per window with you, then reports what each registration cost.
For a real example of what good content can do to the cost of a lead: our work with BC Prep brought in 400 leads in 6 months at under $7 a lead, because the reels and posts were already doing the heavy lifting before the ads ran.
Is an agency cheaper than hiring in-house?
Sometimes. Job Bank puts the median wage for a marketing coordinator in British Columbia at $33.65 an hour. In the US, the Bureau of Labor Statistics puts the median for market research analysts and marketing specialists at $78,760 a year (May 2025). That's one person, before software, gear and ad spend.
I think the bigger issue isn't the salary. The marketing unicorn doesn't exist: one person who plans strategy, films, edits, writes, runs Meta and Google ads, builds pages and follows up leads. You're choosing between one hire who's strong at two or three of those, or a team that covers all of them. Plenty of clubs do best with both: a coordinator inside who knows the families, and an agency for strategy, creative and ads.
What makes an agency cost more or less?
Scope. The more programs you're filling, the more content days you need and the more channels you run, the more it costs. A single academy with two intakes a year needs less than a multi-sport facility with leagues, camps and memberships running all year. Location matters less than it used to, since most of the work can be done remotely with a few shoot days on site.
What moves the price:
- Number of programs and registration windows.
- How many content days a month.
- Whether the agency runs ads, and on how many platforms.
- Landing pages and website work.
- How much of the follow-up the agency sets up.
How do you know if an agency is worth the money?
Judge it on registrations and revenue, not reach. Before you sign, agree on the targets and what the monthly report will show. After a season, divide what you spent (fee plus ad spend) by the registrations it brought in. If the cost per registration is less than what a registration is worth to you, it's working.
If you're comparing agencies, our honest comparison has a 10-question scorecard you can use on every call.
Want a straight answer on what your club would need?
We're a sports marketing agency that fills tryouts, camps and memberships around each club's season. On a 30-minute call we'll look at your next window and tell you what we'd build first. If it's something you can do yourselves, we'll say so.
Questions, answered
How much does a sports marketing agency cost?
Most charge a monthly retainer plus ad spend. At Coala Studio, retainers start at $1,750 CAD a month. The final price depends on how many programs you're filling, how much content you need and whether the agency runs your ads.
Is ad spend included in an agency retainer?
Usually not. Ad spend is paid straight to Meta or Google and is separate from the agency's fee. A good agency agrees the budget for each registration window with you.
Is it cheaper to hire a marketing coordinator?
Sometimes. Job Bank puts the median marketing coordinator wage in BC at $33.65 an hour. But one hire rarely covers strategy, video, ads and pages, so compare the full cost of the skills you need.
How do I know if a sports marketing agency is worth it?
Divide what you spent, fee plus ad spend, by the registrations it brought in. If the cost per registration is less than a registration is worth to you, it's working.
