Dick’s Sporting Goods received 10,800 applications for its Varsity Team creator program in 2026 (up from 5,300 last year) as the retailer expands the program to its largest roster ever, per Modern Retail. The company will select approximately 60 participants from the applicant pool, up from 50 in 2025.

Varsity Team members partner with Dick’s and its national brand partners to produce content for marketing campaigns and social platforms. The program, which launched in 2021 as an employee-only initiative, opened to the public one year ago.

Program Structure and Creator Mix

Dick’s recruits a broad range of participants, including store associates, NIL (Name, Image and Likeness) athletes, coaches, paralympians, and athletes’ family members. Applicants must be at least 18 years old and capable of filming and editing their own content. The retailer holds an annual four-day orientation in Florida for new members.

Olympic track and field athlete Tara Davis-Woodhall and Paralympic athlete Hunter Woodhall serve as program “team captains.” According to Dick’s, the 2025 cohort generated 2,500 pieces of content, totaling 40 million organic views. The company has identified footwear, soccer, and running as priority content categories for 2026.

“There are tons of really well-known athletes that are great for brand recognition and brand awareness,” Nicole Marcus, Influencer Marketing Lead at Dick’s, told Modern Retail. “But really, what we’re looking for is people in sports that are showing their life behind the scenes, not just the game-day highlights.”

Dick’s also operates a separate influencer program outside of Varsity Team, working with hundreds of creators for seasonal campaigns and local events, including store openings.