Bowl shopping spree awaits Oklahoma teams
Gifts go high-tech Sooners will get $300 credit lines for Sony products
BY JOHN HELSLEY
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Published: December 9, 2008
Oklahoma’s win over Missouri landed the Sooners the Big 12 title, a spot in the BCS championship game and, get this, a shopping spree.
A report in Street & Smith’s SportsBusiness Journal reveals Orange Bowl officials creating perhaps the next wave in what has become a bowl gift extravaganza for participants: a $300 credit line at a suite-turned-store to be set up at both team hotels and featuring Sony products. Bowl gifts have been going high-tech in recent years, with electronic items always a hit with the college crowd. Orange Bowl officials, in conjunction with Sony, are moving to the shopping spree approach for players in both of their games, the Orange Bowl and the BCS national championship. It follows the lead of the Florida Citrus Sports group, who operates the Champs Sports Bowl and the Capital One Bowl and debuted a similar plan last year. This year, players in their bowls will be invited to a local Best Buy for a shopping spree of up to $400. The Texas Bowl is giving its players a Best Buy gift card. Across the board, ideas for bowl gifts are becoming increasingly creative. NCAA rules allow each bowl to award 125 participants per team with up to $500 worth of gifts. Teams typically pick up the tab for support personnel extending beyond the 125 total. Here’s a look at what players from OU, Oklahoma State and Tulsa can look forward to: →BCS championship game: OU Upon arrival at the team hotel, players will be invited to a suite and provided a folio (featuring school colors and logos) featuring Sony products. They can check off items they want – up to $300 in value – and have them delivered to the address of their choice, according to the SportsBusiness Journal. And there’s more: a Tourneau watch, a New Era 59fifty hat, Crocs and an Ogio duffle bag. →Holiday Bowl: OSU Electronics are in the goody bag for the Cowboys, too, with an Insignia LCD 19-inch combo HDTV/DVD part of the package. There’s also a $45 Best Buy gift card, say, for accessories, like movies or headphones. OSU players will also receive a Tourneau watch and a Sport-Tek hooded sweatshirt. →GMAC Bowl: Tulsa The Golden Hurricane lost out on the Conference USA hardware, falling to East Carolina in the league title game. But they’ll claim some bling. The gift package at the GMAC Bowl features a Timely Watch Co. watch, a ring from Jostens and a hat.
Related Topics:
Sports, Football, Shopping, College Athletics, College Football, Bowl Championship Series
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...I was awaiting the Demarcus Granger punchline :).