The annual list of bowl gifts that each game gives to players came out yesterday, courtesy of the Sports Business Journal, and while it's full of some of the stuff you expect to see year after year (like watches, backpacks, bowl branded gear, etc), there are also a few surprises.
An increasing number of bowl games are opting to go the "gift suite" route, where players get a certain number of points to spend on items as small as backpacks, to as large as recliners and televisions. Bowl games that decided to go exclusively with the gift suites (and also something small like a watch) for players are the DXL Frisco Bowl (LA Tech vs. SMU), Tax Slayer Bowl (Louisville vs. Mississippi State), Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl (Kentucky vs. Northwestern), and the Nova Home Loans Arizona Bowl (Utah State vs. New Mexico State).
Here's a look from a few years ago at what those bowl suites look like for players
The strangest gift listed? That has to go to the Gildan New Mexico Bowl's decision to award a fidget spinner as a gift. Colorado State and Marshall coaches will surely immediately ban them from all meetings.
Below are a few of the more notable gifts and their bowl games.
Again this year, one bowl chose not to disclose their gifts - The Goodyear Cotton Bowl featuring USC vs. Ohio State. Also worth noting, the bowl gift for the teams that compete in the National Championship is stating simply as an "Iconic gift."