The first 100 shoppers in line at every Academy Sports + Outdoors store on Black Friday get a bonus card worth $20 to $500. With more than 300 stores, that's at least 30,000 cards.
Getting up early on Black Friday might actually pay at Academy this year.
Academy Sports + Outdoors said Monday, Nov. 9, that the first 100 customers in line at each of its stores on Black Friday, Nov. 27, will get a bonus card worth $20 to $500. Academy calls it "Line-Up to Win."
The chain has more than 300 stores in 21 states. Our math: that's at least 30,000 bonus cards handed out on one morning. Most of them won't be the $500 one, so manage expectations accordingly.
The cards are good on in-store holiday purchases from Nov. 27 through Nov. 29, according to the release. Official rules are posted at academy.com/officialrules, where Academy lists it as the "Black Friday Line Up & Win Giveaway."
"The holidays are about giving people something they'll truly enjoy," said Matt McCabe, Academy's executive vice president and chief merchandising officer.
When is Academy's Black Friday sale?
Academy split the season into a string of smaller events. Here's the lineup from Monday's release:
Discover Gifts You Want to Give: now through Nov. 18
Black Friday Starts Now: Nov. 19 to 25
Black Friday Doorbusters: Nov. 26 to 28
Cyber Week: Nov. 29 to Dec. 6
25 Days of Fun: Dec. 1 through Christmas Day, in the myAcademy Rewards app
Last-Minute Holiday Shopping: Dec. 17 to 25, with same-day delivery
So the doorbusters kick off online on Thanksgiving Day, and the bonus card line happens the next morning.
What time does Academy open on Black Friday?
5 a.m. Academy's Black Friday page says stores reopen at 5 a.m. on Black Friday and stay open until 11 p.m.
Stores are closed on Thanksgiving. Academy's FAQ says the company treats the holiday as "a day to rest and recharge." You can still shop deals online that day.
If you want one of those 100 spots, plan on being there well before 5 a.m. Academy didn't say when lines can start forming.
What are the best Academy Black Friday deals so far?
Academy hasn't posted its full doorbuster list yet. Its Black Friday page already has early prices, though, and the best ones are in the backyard. These were the listed prices Tuesday morning:
Pit Boss Navigator 1000 Wood Pellet Grill: $499.99, regularly $999.99
Pit Boss 3-Series Digital Electric Smoker: $199.99, regularly $449.99
Blackstone 36-inch 4-Burner Omnivore Griddle: $349.99, regularly $499.99
Masterbuilt Digital Electric Smoker: $249.99, regularly $399.99
Blackstone Original 28-inch XL Griddle: $249.99, regularly $329.99
Huffy 24-inch Granite 15-Speed Mountain Bike: $99.99, regularly $119.99
The Pit Boss Navigator is the headliner at half off. That's a $500 discount, which happens to match the top bonus card.
What else is on sale at Academy?
The Black Friday page also lists kids' bikes and cold-weather basics:
Ozone 500 Boys' 20-inch Blaze Bike: $89.99, regularly $99.99
Ozone 500 14-inch Blaze Bikes (boys' and girls'): $69.99, regularly $79.99
Magellan Men's Base Camp Thermal Henley: $19.99, regularly $24.99
Category banners promise up to 60% off grills, smokers and griddles, up to 50% off shoes and boots, and up to 60% off bikes, ride-ons and game tables.
Prices can change once the Nov. 26 doorbusters start, so check before you drive over.
What gifts is Academy pushing this year?
The release named a list of "top holiday gifts," with no prices attached:
Turtlebox speakers
Meta AI sunglasses
HOKA Arahi 9 running shoes
Burlebo x Crocs and Burlebo x HEYDUDE shoes
ChicknLegs running shorts
Centr HYROX competition equipment
Coike lures with a storage case
Academy also has same-day delivery on orders placed by 4 p.m., per its Black Friday page.
How do the Academy bonus cards work?
Show up early at any Academy store on Black Friday and be one of the first 100 people in line. Each of those shoppers gets a card worth somewhere from $20 to $500.
Spend it in the store on holiday purchases from Friday through Sunday, Nov. 29. That three-day window is the only one the release lists. The full fine print lives in Academy's official rules.
Article compiled and written by Kambrea Pratt (editor-in-chief), Derek Gibbs (beat editor) and the Pirates & Princesses newsroom. Pirates & Princesses is part of WebReef Media.
Pirates and Princesses is your destination for Disney news, theme park updates, and the pop culture you love. From Disney cruises and travel tips to Disney fashion, food, collectibles, and movie news, PNP covers it all. Visit us at piratesandprincesses.net for daily coverage. Follow PNP on Facebook and Instagram, and listen to the Pirates & Princesses podcast on Apple Podcasts and YouTube.
Hat Tips:
Academy Sports + Outdoors via Stock Titan (Nov. 9, 2026), the Line-Up to Win bonus cards, event dates, gift list and the McCabe quote
Academy.com (Nov. 10, 2026), Black Friday store hours, Thanksgiving closing, early deal prices and the official rules listing
AI Disclosure: All articles are assigned, edited and reviewed by an experienced human editor before posting. Like most modern newsrooms, WebReef Media uses a variety of AI tools to help with accuracy and efficiency. Ways AI may be used in article creation include research, grammar, fact-checking and ideation, as well as occasional AI generated or enhanced thumbnails or graphics. No articles are generated or posted without human oversight or involvement.