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CFP champ again has shot at $5,620 in gifts

Clemson players celebrate last year’s CFP championship.
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College football’s bowl season is upon us, which means, of course, the players will receive plenty in their postseason stockings.

For the fourth consecutive year, the reward provided more than any other by the bowl committees to the game’s participants will be a chance to shop in a gift suite. The suite is a portable store set up on campus or at a venue in the game’s host city, where players browse through a variety of items, then have up to $550 worth of those goodies shipped to the address of their choice.

Bowl gifts

Click here for a comprehensive list of bowl game gifts by date. The chart also includes links to RG Live for more information on the bowl games.

Nearly all of these experiences are set up and operated by Performance Award Center, a Carrollton, Texas-based company that serves as a broker between high-end brands and companies that provide gifts and incentives to their employees and partners.

Jon Cooperstein, who leads PAC’s sports marketing division, said that while the presence of the suites has leveled off — in each of the past three years about two dozen bowl committees have offered the perk — the number of conferences and individual schools that are hosting them as a reward for their bowl-bound athletes continues to increase.

The company this fall brokered such packages for more than 100 bowl committees, conferences and bowl-bound schools, a 25 percent increase over 2015.

The NCAA allows each bowl committee to provide gift packages worth up to $550 apiece to 125 participants per school. Schools can, and usually do, buy additional gifts that they can distribute to others beyond that 125 limit. Participants also can receive awards worth up to $400 from their school and $400 from their conference for a bowl appearance. CFP title game qualifiers are allowed these totals for the second game, as well.

Gridiron Gifts

The total amount allowed in postseason gifts and awards for FBS college football players and participants:

Type of award School Conference Bowl organizer Total value
Conference championship game participation $375 $375  -0- $375*
Conference championship $325 $325  -0- $650
Bowl participation $400 $400 $550 $1,350
Bowl winner $325 $325 -0- $650
CFP National Championship participation $400 $400 $550 $1,350
CFP National Championship winner $415 $415 $415 $1,245
Potential overall total value $5,620

* The combined value cannot exceed $375.
Source: NCAA


All told, a player can rake in the equivalent of $5,620 in gifts if his school runs the table and wins the national championship.

Beyond the bowl committee orders, Cooperstein said PAC’s apparel partners are looking for an uptick in business this winter as a result of the postseason presence of Notre Dame, Texas and Oregon. None of those schools played in a bowl last season, and each historically places large postseason orders.

As they have since SportsBusiness Journal’s inaugural list was published in 2006, Goodyear Cotton Bowl representatives would not disclose the contents of this year’s gift package. Organizers of this season’s national championship game also declined to provide details of their gifts. Players in last year’s national championship game, which featured Alabama and Clemson, each received a set of custom Beats Solo headphones, a Diesel watch, a new Era cap and an Ogio backpack.

2017-18 Gifts to Bowl Game participants 

R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl
Dec. 16, 1 p.m. (ESPN)
New Orleans (Mercedes-Benz Superdome)

Gift suite; Fossil watch

AutoNation Cure Bowl
Dec. 16, 2:30 p.m.
(CBS Sports Network)
Orlando (Camping World Stadium)

Watch; backpack; warm-up suit pants and jacket; Dri-Fit long-sleeve shirt; hat

Las Vegas Bowl
Dec. 16, 3:30 p.m. (ABC)
Las Vegas (Sam Boyd Stadium)

Gift suite; Oakley backpack; hat; Rock ’Em socks; beanie

Gildan New Mexico Bowl
Dec. 16, 4:30 p.m. (ESPN)
Albuquerque, N.M. (Branch Field at Dreamstyle Stadium)

Gift suite; Oakley sunglasses; Oakley 5-Speed backpack; Lit tumbler; beanie; Gildan stadium blanket; cap; fidget spinner

Raycom Media Camellia Bowl
Dec. 16, 8 p.m. (ESPN)
Montgomery, Ala. (Cramton Bowl)

Gift suite; Fossil watch; beanie; Ogio duffle bag; Big Game autograph football

Boca Raton Bowl
Dec. 19, 7 p.m. (ESPN)
Boca Raton, Fla. (Howard Schnellenberger Field at FAU Stadium)

Online gift suite “and an assortment of bowl-branded items”

Frisco Bowl
Dec. 20, 8 p.m. (ESPN)
Frisco, Texas (Toyota Stadium)

Gift suite

Bad Boy Mowers Gasparilla Bowl
Dec. 21, 8 p.m. (ESPN)
St. Petersburg, Fla. (Tropicana Field)

Gift suite; Oakley backpack; neck pillow

Bahamas Bowl
Dec. 22, 12:30 p.m. (ESPN)
Nassau, Bahamas (Thomas A. Robinson National Stadium)

Gift suite; iSlides sandals; drawstring backpack; beach towel; bowl pin

Famous Idaho Potato Bowl
Dec. 22, 4 p.m. (ESPN)
Boise, Idaho (Albertsons Stadium)

Gift suite; Oakley sunglasses; Under Armour backpack; beanie

Birmingham Bowl
Dec. 23, noon (ESPN)
Birmingham, Ala. (Legion Field)

Gift suite; Oakley sunglasses; beanie

Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl
Dec. 23, 3:30 p.m. (ESPN)
Fort Worth, Texas (Amon G. Carter Stadium)

Gift suite

Dollar General Bowl
Dec. 23, 7 p.m. (ESPN)
Mobile, Ala. (Ladd-Peebles Stadium)

Amazon Echo; Maui Jim sunglasses; Timely Watch Co. watch; Wilson football

Hawai’i Bowl
Dec. 24, 8:30 p.m. (ESPN)
Honolulu (Hawaiian Tel Federal Credit Union Field at Aloha Stadium)

Electronics gift suite; Oakley backpack and sunglasses; Tori Richard aloha shirt; beach towel; Pro Athletics surf trunks; performance T-shirt

Zaxby’s Heart of Dallas Bowl
Dec. 26, 1:30 p.m. (ESPN)
Dallas (Cotton Bowl Stadium at Fair Park)

Gift suite; football

Quick Lane Bowl
Dec. 26, 5:15 p.m. (ESPN)
Detroit (Ford Field)

$175 Best Buy gift card; JBL bluetooth headphones; life-sized Fathead decal for each participant of his likeness; Ogio backpack; mini-helmet; hoodie; workout shorts; winter hat; vintage football

Cactus Bowl
Dec. 26, 9 p.m. (ESPN)
Phoenix (Chase Field)

Yeti cooler and tumbler; Fossil watch; Ogio backpack; Legendary hat; JBL Flip 4 speaker; blanket

Walk-On’s Independence Bowl
Dec. 27, 1:30 p.m. (ESPN)
Shreveport, La. (Independence Stadium)

Gift suite; Timely Watch Co. watch; New Era skull cap; football

New Era Pinstripe Bowl

Dec. 27, 5:15 p.m. (ESPN)
Bronx, N.Y. (Yankee Stadium)

Variety of New Era products

Foster Farms Bowl
Dec. 27, 8:30 p.m. (Fox)
Santa Clara, Calif. (Levi’s Stadium)

Fossil watch; Sony extra bass noise-canceling headphones; Timbuk2 backpack; coin; $25 Apple iTunes gift card

Academy Sports + Outdoors Texas Bowl
Dec. 27, 9 p.m. (ESPN)
Houston (NRG Stadium)

Gift suite; Academy Sports + Outdoors gift card; Adidas duffel bag; belt buckle

Military Bowl presented by Northrop Grumman
Dec. 28, 1:30 p.m. (ESPN)
Annapolis, Md. (Jack Stephens Field at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium)

Rock ’Em socks; Under Armour beanie and backpack

Camping World Bowl
Dec. 28, 5:15 p.m. (ESPN)
Orlando (Camping World Stadium)

$400 Best Buy player shopping trip*; Timely Watch Co. watch

San Diego County Credit Union Holiday Bowl
Dec. 28, 9 p.m. (Fox)
San Diego (Qualcomm Stadium)

Gift suite; Fossil watch; Ogio backpack

Valero Alamo Bowl
Dec. 28, 9 p.m. (ESPN)
San Antonio (Alamodome)

Amazon Echo Show; $175 Amazon gift card; Fossil watch; mini-helmet; Rock ’Em socks; team panoramic photo

Belk Bowl
Dec. 29, 1 p.m. (ESPN)
Charlotte (Bank of America Stadium)

Shopping trip to Belk department store; Fossil watch

Hyundai Sun Bowl
Dec. 29, 3 p.m. (CBS)
El Paso, Texas (Sun Bowl)

Gift suite; Timely Watch Co. watch; Majestic Pro Base fleece pullover; Ogio Politan backpack; Under Armour cap; coin

Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl
Dec. 29, 4:30 p.m. (ESPN)
Nashville (Nissan Stadium)

Gift suite; Fossil watch

Nova Home Loans Arizona Bowl
Dec. 29, 5:30 p.m. (CBS Sports Network)
Tucson, Ariz. (Arizona Stadium)

Gift suite; watch; Ogio backpack; beanie

Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic
Dec. 29, 8:30 p.m. (ESPN)
Arlington, Texas (AT&T Stadium)

Would not disclose

TaxSlayer Bowl
Dec. 30, noon (ESPN)
Jacksonville (EverBank Field)

Gift suite; Fossil watch

AutoZone Liberty Bowl
Dec. 30, 12:30 p.m. (ABC)
Memphis (Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium)

Bass Pro Shops shopping trip*; Bulova Caravelle watch; Nike athletic shoes, sport sandals and backpack; football

PlayStation Fiesta Bowl
Dec. 30, 4 p.m. (ESPN)
Glendale, Ariz. (University of Phoenix Stadium)

PlayStation PS4 Pro bundle; Fossil watch; Ogio backpack

Capital One Orange Bowl
Dec. 30, 8 p.m. (ESPN)
Miami Gardens, Fla. (Hard Rock Stadium)

Gift suite; Tourneau watch; Lyfe Brand hat; Ice Shaker water bottle and shaker cup

Outback Bowl
Jan. 1, noon (ESPN2)
Tampa (Raymond James Stadium)

Jostens ring; Fossil watch; $125 Best Buy gift card; Outback Steakhouse gift card; hat

Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl
Jan. 1, 12:30 p.m. (ESPN)
Atlanta (Mercedes-Benz Stadium)

$300 Vanilla Visa gift card by InComm; Ultimate Ears Wonderboom Bluetooth speaker; Fossil watch; football

Citrus Bowl presented by Overton’s
Jan. 1, 1 p.m. (ABC)
Orlando (Camping World Stadium)

$400 Best Buy player shopping trip*; Timely Watch Co. watch

College Football Playoff at the Rose Bowl Game presented by Northwestern Mutual
Jan. 1, 5 p.m. (ESPN)
Pasadena, Calif. (Rose Bowl)

Gift suite; Fossil watch; Ogio backpack; New Era 9Fifty snapback adjustable hat

College Football Playoff at the Allstate Sugar Bowl
Jan. 1, 8:45 p.m. (ESPN)
New Orleans (Mercedes-Benz Superdome)

Gift suite; Fossil watch; New Era Cap; Rock ’Em socks; panoramic game photo

College Football Playoff National Championship Game presented by AT&T (Rose Bowl winner vs. Sugar Bowl winner)
Jan. 8, 8 p.m. (ESPN)
Atlanta (Mercedes-Benz Stadium)

Iconic gift


* Credit to be spent during the team’s official store visit.

Notes: All times listed are ET. Product details are provided as they were available as of Nov. 28. Most watches, rings, clothing, luggage and footballs are custom-made with the bowl logo. Gift suites are set up as private events in which up to 125 game participants per school are given an order form and allowed to select a gift, or gifts, up to a value that is predetermined by each specific bowl, not to exceed the NCAA limit of $550 per person. Additional packages can be purchased by the school.

Compiled by David Broughton and Brandon McClung

Sources: Bowl committees and vendors


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