It’s bowl season and we all know what that means, time to criticize, mock and marvel at the ridiculous bowl gifts teams are getting just for making a bowl.
And this year, not only are players being showered with watches, Oakleys, high-end electronics and gift cards, they’re also being treated to luxury recliners.
Yes, bowl gift giving has officially gone off the rails.
Several bowls will have gift suites set up where participants can choose from an array of gifts as long as they don’t exceed the $550 NCAA-allowed award. And for the first time, players can choose home theater recliners that have built in USB ports so they can charge their devices.
Not a bad deal for the third-string kicker that gets to make the trip.
The Sports Business Journal, as it has done for the past eight years, has compiled a list of all the gifts available to bowl participants this season. There are 18 games that have a gift suite, the most expansive, expensive and popular gifting choice. Several others are offering Samsung Galaxy tablets, PlayStation 4’s and the ever-popular Best Buy gifts cards in various values. In the past, we’ve seen players actually give those gift cards away when they makes trips to children’s hospitals as part of their bowl experience.
What’s always been surprising is that the gifts aren’t necessarily better if you’re in a BCS bowl. Florida State and Auburn, which play in the BCS National Championship, receive roughly the same things that the participants of the Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl. However, the difference is made up in the bowl experience.
Several bowls also remind us that Fossil watches still exist (and have been a reoccurring bowl gift for as long as anyone can remember) and that mini helmets are still something bowl officials think athletes collect. Ogio backpacks will be all the rage on campus in the spring semester. The Texas Bowl is giving out belt buckles, which is kinda awesome and the Sun Bowl still gives out the best bowl gift of all-time – a Helen of Troy Hair Dryer. That gift has become a staple (and possibly a running joke) of the Sun Bowl. So congrats to Virginia Tech and UCLA for scoring that collector's item.
Here’s a look at the gifts for all the bowls, except the Cotton Bowl, which refused to divulge what it was handing out because it must be too awesome.
Gildan New Mexico Bowl
Sat., Dec. 21, 2 p.m. (ESPN); Albuquerque, N.M.
Gift suite, portable mobile device charger, 8 GB USB; Oakley Breadbox sunglasses; cap, Oakley Fine Knit beanie; Oakley Flak Pack XL backpack; Gildan stadium blanket
Royal Purple Las Vegas Bowl
Sat., Dec. 21, 3:30 p.m. (ABC); Las Vegas
Samsung Galaxy Tab 3; beanie, cap; Oakley Flak Pack XL backpack; football, Zappos gift card
Famous Idaho Potato Bowl
Sat., Dec. 21, 5:30 p.m. (ESPN); Boise, Idaho
Gift suite; Port Authority winter coat, Tiger Woods Nike Golf beanie, Scott winter ski gloves; iPack backpack; Big Game football
R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl
Sat., Dec. 21, 9 p.m. (ESPN); New Orleans
Gift suite; Fossil watch
Beef ‘O’ Brady’s St. Petersburg Bowl
Mon., Dec. 23, 2 p.m. (ESPN); St. Petersburg, Fla.
Samsung Galaxy Tab 3; Oakley Breadbox sunglasses; Oakley Status backpack; Schutt mini helmet
Sheraton Hawaii Bowl
Tues., Dec. 24, 8 p.m. (ESPN); Honolulu
Gift suite; Oakley sunglasses; Tori Richard aloha shirt, Pro Athletics shorts and performance T-shirt; Ogio backpack; beach towel
Little Caesars Pizza Bowl
Thurs., Dec. 26, 6 p.m. (ESPN); Detroit
Timely Watch Co. watch; leather luggage set; football
San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl
Thurs., Dec. 26, 9:30 p.m. (ESPN); San Diego
$205 Best Buy gift card; Reactor Heavy Water watch; Maui Jim sunglasses; cap
Military Bowl presented by Northrop Grumman
Fri., Dec. 27, 2:30 p.m. (ESPN); Annapolis, Md.
Sony PlayStation 4; winter hat; Ogio backpack
Texas Bowl
Fri., Dec. 27, 6 p.m. (ESPN); Houston
Samsung Galaxy Tab 3; Fossil watch; belt buckle, T-shirt; Ogio backpack; lapel pin
Fight Hunger Bowl
Fri., Dec. 27, 9:30 p.m. (ESPN); San Francisco
Soundmatters wireless portable speaker system; Fossil watch; Maxx HD Wayfarer sunglasses; messenger bag; Macy’s gift card
New Era Pinstripe Bowl
Sat., Dec. 28, 12 p.m. (ESPN); New York City
Variety of New Era products
Belk Bowl
Sat., Dec. 28, 3:20 p.m. (ESPN); Charlotte
Shopping trip to Belk department store; Fossil watch
Russell Athletic Bowl
Sat., Dec. 28, 6:45 p.m. (ESPN); Orlando
$450 Best Buy gift card and shopping trip; Timely Watch Co. watch; Russell Athletic workout shirt
Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl
Sat., Dec. 28, 10:15 p.m. (ESPN); Tempe, Ariz.
Gift suite; Fossil watch; Ogio Cube backpack
Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl
Mon., Dec. 30, 11:45 a.m. (ESPN); Fort Worth, Texas
Gift suite, RadioShack gift card; ESPN cap; Ogio overnighter bag; Big Game football
Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl
Mon., Dec. 30, 3:15 p.m. (ESPN); Nashville
Gift suite; Fossil watch
Valero Alamo Bowl
Mon., Dec. 30, 6:45 p.m. (ESPN); San Antonio
iPad Mini with retina display, Apple gift card; Fossil watch; panoramic photo, Schutt mini helmet
National University Holiday Bowl
Mon., Dec. 30, 10:15 p.m. (ESPN); San Diego
$305 Best Buy gift card; Reactor Meltdown watch; Maui Jim sunglasses; cap
AdvoCare V100 Bowl
Tues., Dec. 31, 12:30 p.m. (ESPN); Shreveport, La.
Gift suite; Timely Watch Co. watch; New Era skull cap; football
Hyundai Sun Bowl
Tues., Dec. 31, 2 p.m. (CBS); El Paso, Texas
Gift suite; Timely Watch Co. watch; Top of the World cap, Majestic fleece pullover; Ogio backpack; coin, Helen of Troy hair dryer
AutoZone Liberty Bowl
Tues., Dec. 31, 4 p.m. (ESPN); Memphis
Sol Republic Tracks HD headphones; Bulova watch; Nike sunglasses; Nike athletic shoes and sport sandals; Nike Kevin Durant backpack; football
Chick-fil-A Bowl
Tues., Dec. 31, 8 p.m. (ESPN); Atlanta
Fossil watch; Russell Athletic cap; Russell Athletic bag; football, $300 Visa gift card, Chick-fil-A gift card
TaxSlayer.com Gator Bowl
Wed., Jan. 1, 12 p.m. (ESPN2); Jacksonville
Fossil watch; Dome hat; Mercury Luggage Seward Trunk luggage set; football, Jostens ring
Heart of Dallas Bowl
Wed., Jan. 1, 12 p.m. (ESPNU); Dallas
Gift suite; Fitbit Flex watch; ESPN cap; football
Capital One Bowl
Wed., Jan. 1, 1 p.m. (ABC); Orlando
$450 Best Buy gift card and shopping trip; Timely Watch Co. watch; Russell Athletic workout shirt
Outback Bowl
Wed., Jan. 1, 1 p.m. (ESPN); Tampa
$150 Best Buy gift card; Fossil watch; cap; Jostens ring, Outback Steakhouse gift card
Rose Bowl Game presented by Vizio
Wed., Jan. 1, 5 p.m. (ESPN); Pasadena, Calif.
Gift suite; Fossil watch; New Era 59Fifty cap; Ogio backpack
Tostitos Fiesta Bowl
Wed., Jan. 1, 8:30 p.m. (ESPN); Glendale, Ariz.
Gift suite; Fossil watch; Ogio Cube backpack
Allstate Sugar Bowl
Thurs., Jan. 2, 8:30 p.m. (ESPN); New Orleans
Gift suite; Fossil watch; New Era 39Thirty cap; Ogio backpack
AT&T Cotton Bowl
Fri., Jan. 3, 7:30 p.m. (Fox); Arlington, Texas
Information not available; bowl committee would not disclose
Discover Orange Bowl
Fri., Jan. 3, 8:30 p.m. (ESPN); Miami Gardens, Fla.
Gift suite; Tourneau watch
BBVA Compass Bowl
Sat., Jan. 4, 1 p.m. (ESPN); Birmingham, Ala.
Samsung Galaxy Tab 3; Fossil watch; Oakley sunglasses; ESPN cap; Big Game football
GoDaddy.com Bowl
Sun., Jan. 5, 9 p.m. (ESPN); Mobile, Ala.
Sol Republic deck; Timely Watch Co. watch; Mercury Luggage Seward Trunk luggage bag; Wilson football
Vizio BCS National Championship Game
Mon., Jan. 6, 8:30 p.m. (ESPN); Pasadena, Calif.
Gift suite; Fossil watch; New Era 59Fifty Hat; Oakley Flak Pack XL backpack
Major thanks to Sports Business Journal for putting this list together every year
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Graham Watson is the editor of Dr. Saturday on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email her at dr.saturday@ymail.com or follow her on Twitter!Follow @YahooDrSaturday