On one hand, it’s fun to look at the various bowl-game swag packages. SportsBusiness Journal compiles them every year, and it’s a nice little appetizer before all the games start. Kids getting free, ostensibly cool stuff is nice.
On the other hand, it’s obnoxious, because it’s a reminder of how hard college athletes get screwed. Let’s take a look at Pitt and the Pinstripe Bowl. NFL players get about 48 percent of all revenue, meaning that Pitt’s players would split $960,000 of the $2 million that goes to each team. If there are 85 scholarship players on a roster, each of them would get a little more than $11,000.
Instead, they’re limited to $550 in presents. That’s slightly less cool.
In any case, here’s players for the three local bowl participants are getting — and make no mistake, there is a distant third place.
West Virginia (Russell Athletic Bowl vs. Miami): $300 Best Buy shopping trip; Timely Watch Co. watch; ISlide sandals; beach towel; athletic performance pullover
So you get either a PlayStation 4, or a nice set of speakers, or take a chunk out of paying for a decent TV. You can never have enough sandals, and iSlide stuff is nice. Odds are the watch has a Russell Athletic logo on it, so that’s a minor deduction. Towels and pullovers are OK throw-ins. This is the winner.
Penn State (Rose Bowl vs. USC): Gift suite; Fossil watch; Ogio backpack; New Era 9Fifty snapback adjustable hat
We don’t know what’s in the gift bag, and there’s no real chance that it’s better than $300 free dollars at Best Buy, but a solid watch/backpack combo (Fossil is all over the place on the list, for whatever reason) and one hat are fine. That is an appropriate amount of hats.
Pitt (Pinstripe Bowl vs. Northwestern): A variety of New Era products
That, however, is an inappropriate amount of hats. New Era doesn’t make much else; you can get a bag for all your new hats, which you will need, because you are the proud new owner of $550 worth of $40 hats. Enjoy.
In other words, despite what the Pinstripe Bowl executive director said on Tuesday, they’re taking a backseat to somebody.
For the record, the best package probably goes the Valero Alamo Bowl. Colorado and Oklahoma State get an Apple Watch Nike+; $110 Best Buy gift card; myCharge HubPlus portable charger; team panoramic photo; and mini-helmet.
The worst: The Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl. Navy and Louisiana tech get a gift suite, Finrod’s Festive Wear holiday sweater, football, beanie. They get an ugly Christmas sweater. That’s literally all Finrod does. Enjoy!
First Published: December 7, 2016, 1:00 p.m.