One of the best traditions of the college bowl season are the gifts and presents that college football players receive just for making it into a bowl game. Every bowl game and their sponsor are responsible for creating gift packages (not exceeding $550 in value) for the 125 players per school to take home.
There’s no doubt that some bowl game gifts are better than others, but I’m of the opinion that the best gifts are actual things to help you remember the game–not just Beats headphones, Oakley sunglasses, or an Amazon Echo. Obviously all those things are awesome (and relatively expensive to buy) but making it to a Bowl game and playing in one are memories that these students should try to preserve years down the road. In ten years, all that technology will be obsolete.
But anyways, we digress.
The way that the bowl game gifts work is one of two ways. The first is that you get the gifts that the bowl game decides you get. The second is that you’re eligible for a gift suite, wherein the actual prices of the gifts are removed and replaced by a point system. The players walk through the gift suites, choosing which gifts they’d like, and then make their choices based on the number of points they’re allotted. Big ticket items are worth more points, whereas the smaller ones are worth less. Here’s James Butler of the Louisiana–Lafayette Ragin’ Cajuns giving some more insight:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h9LIbHlmjTo
Dec. 17, 2016
Gildan New Mexico Bowl: UT San Antonio vs. New Mexico – Gift suite; Oakley sunglasses and Enduro 25 backpack; Bluetooth earbuds; beanie; Gildan stadium blanket; cap; selfie stick
https://twitter.com/GildanNMbowl/status/806636819093671936
Las Vegas Bowl Presented by Geico: San Diego State vs. Houston – Gift suite; Oakley backpack; beanie; cap
Raycom Media Camellia Bow: Toledo vs. Appalachian State – Gift suite; Fossil watch; coin; hat; beanie; Ogio duffel bag; Big Game autograph football
AutoNation Cure Bowl presented by Florida Hospital: UCF vs. Arkansas State – Sports watch; warmup jacket and pants; portable charger; Dri-Fit long-sleeve shirt; backpack
R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl: Southern Miss vs. Louisiana Lafayette – Gift suite; Fossil watch
Dec. 19, 2016
Miami Beach Bowl: Tulsa vs. Central Michigan – Under Armour backpack, hat and sunglasses; ISlide sandals; portable power bank; beach paddle-ball set; football
Dec. 20, 2016
Marmot Boca Raton Bowl: Western Kentucky vs. Memphis – Gift suite “and other items”
Dec. 21, 2016
San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl: BYU vs. Wyoming – Gift suite; Fossil watch; New Era cap
Dec. 22, 2016
Famous Idaho Potato Bowl: Idaho vs. Colorado State – Gift suite; Oakley backpack; beanie; football; Proof Eyewear sunglasses
Dec. 23, 2016
Popeyes Bahamas Bowl: Old Dominion vs. Eastern Michigan – Gift suite; S’Well insulated drink bottle; Jabba Bluetooth speakers; drawstring backpack; beach towel; bowl pin
Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl: Navy vs. Louisiana Tech – Gift suite; Finrod’s Festive Wear holiday sweater; football; beanie
Dollar General Bowl: Troy vs. Ohio – Leather duffel bag; Pure Boom wireless headphones; Wilson souvenir game ball; RTIC SoftPak 40 cooler; Timely Watch Co. watch
Dec. 24, 2016
Hawai’i Bowl: Middle Tennessee vs. Hawaii – Electronics gift suite; Oakley backpack and Holbrook sunglasses; Tori Richard aloha shirt; beach towel; Pro Athletics surf trunks; team performance gear
Dec. 26, 2016
St. Petersburg Bowl: Miami (Ohio) vs. Mississippi State – Gift suite; Oakley Turbine sunglasses and Enduro 20 backpack
Quick Lane Bowl: Boston College vs. Maryland – $200 Best Buy gift card; JBL headphones; life-sized Fathead decal for each participant of his likeness; hoodie; winter hat; Rock ’Em Apparel socks; backpack; vintage football
Camping World Independence Bowl: N.C. State vs. Vanderbilt – Gift suite; Timely Watch Co. watch; New Era skullcap; football
Dec. 27, 2016
Zaxby’s Heart of Dallas Bowl: Army vs. North Texas – Gift suite; Amazon Echo Dot; football
Military Bowl presented by Northrop Grumman: Wake Forest vs. Temple – $300 Microsoft gift card; Under Armour backpack and beanie; headphones
National Funding Holiday Bowl: Minnesota vs. Washington State – Gift suite; Fossil watch; New Era cap
Motel 6 Cactus Bowl: Baylor vs. Boise State – Gift suite; Ogio Baja 70 backpack; Fossil watch; mixer bottle
Dec. 28, 2016
New Era Pinstripe Bowl: Pittsburgh vs. Northwestern – A variety of New Era products
Russell Athletic Bowl: Miami vs. West Virginia – $300 Best Buy shopping trip^; Timely Watch Co. watch; ISlide sandals; beach towel; athletic performance pullover
Foster Farms Bowl: Indiana vs. Utah – Gift suite; Fossil watch; Timbuk2 backpack
AdvoCare V100 Texas Bowl: Kansas State vs. Texas A&M – Gift suite; belt buckle; Adidas backpack; iSlide sandals
Dec. 29, 2016
Birmingham Bowl: USF vs. South Carolina – Gift suite; ESPN beanie, power charger and USB adapter; souvenir football
Belk Bowl: Virginia Tech vs. Arkansas – Shopping trip to Belk department store; Fossil watch
Valero Alamo Bowl – Oklahoma State vs. Colorado – Apple Watch Nike+; $110 Best Buy gift card; myCharge HubPlus portable charger; team panoramic photo; mini-helmet
Dec. 30, 2016
AutoZone Liberty Bowl: TCU vs. Georgia – Bass Pro Shops shopping trip^; Oculus Pro Team HD binoculars; Bulova watch; Nike athletic shoes, sport sandals, backpack and sunglasses; football
Hyundai Sun Bowl: North Carolina vs. Stanford – Gift suite; Timely Watch Co. Silvertone Watch; Majestic Pro Base fleece pullover; Ogio Politan backpack; Under Armour cap; coin
Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl: Nebraska vs. Tennessee – Gift suite; Fossil watch
Nova Home Loans Arizona Bowl: South Alabama vs. Air Force – Red, inflatable “big-lazy” couch; Selco watch; Ogio rucksack; Beats by Dr. Dre Powerbeats2 headphones with case; No Sweat Specialties socks
https://twitter.com/novaAZBOWL/status/807064016589729793
Capital One Orange Bowl: Florida State vs. Michigan – Gift suite; Tourneau watch; Schutt mini-helmet
Dec. 31, 2016
Buffalo Wild Wings Citrus Bowl: Louisville vs. LSU – $305 Best Buy shopping trip^; Timely Watch Co. watch; EA Sports video game; ISlide sandals; $25 Buffalo Wild Wings gift card
TaxSlayer Bowl: Georgia Tech vs. Kentucky – Fossil watch; carry-on bag; Under Armour sunglasses; football; bobblehead with player’s face, name and uniform number
Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl: Alabama vs. Washington – $300 Vanilla Visa gift card by InComm; JBL Bluetooth speaker; Fossil watch; football
PlayStation Fiesta Bowl: Clemson vs. Ohio State – Gift suite or PS4 game and accessory bundle; Ogio Throttle backpack; Fossil watch; football
Jan. 2, 2017
Outback Bowl: Iowa vs. Florida – Gift suite; Fossil watch; coin; cap; beanie; Ogio duffle bag; Big Game autograph football
Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic: Western Michigan vs. Wisconsin – Would not disclose
Rose Bowl Game presented by Northwestern Mutual: Penn State vs. USC – Gift suite; Fossil watch; Ogio backpack; New Era 9Fifty snapback adjustable hat
Allstate Sugar Bowl: Auburn vs. Oklahoma – Gift suite; Fossil watch with custom tin; New Era cap
Jan. 9, 2017
College Football Playoff National Championship Game: TBD – Iconic gift
