For 11 months out of the year, the NCAA prohibits its athletes from accepting gifts. But come bowl season, the rules regarding impermissible extra benefits go out the window — allowing bowl committees to lavish football players with gifts ranging from electronics to clothing to — as in the case of Marshall and Colorado State at the Gildan New Mexico Bowl — a commemorative fidget spinner.
Each bowl can award up to $550 worth of gifts to as many as 125 participants from each school. Here, courtesy of Street & Smith’s Sports Business Daily, is the rundown of impermissible extra benefits — er, bowl swag — that will be taken home by football players from state teams this year:
Appalachian State (Dollar General Bowl vs. Toledo, Dec. 23, Mobile, Ala.): Amazon Echo, Maui Jim sunglasses, Timely Watch Co. watch, Wilson football
Duke (Quick Lane Bowl vs. Northern Illinois, Dec. 26, Detroit): $175 Best Buy gift card, JBL bluetooth headphones, life-size Fathead decal for each participant of his likeness, Ogio backpack and tag, mini helmet, hoodie, workout shorts, winter hat, vintage football
NC State (Sun Bowl vs. Arizona State, Dec. 29, El Paso, Tex.): Gift suite, Timely Watch Co. watch, Majestic Pro Base fleece pullover, Ogio Politan backpack, Under Armour cap, coin
Wake Forest (Belk Bowl vs. Texas A&M, Dec. 29, Charlotte): Shopping spree to Belk department store, Fossil watch.
