Readers of this blog know that I am a big sports fan. As a sports fan I know how hard we can be to shop for and along that line I have some suggestions on what to get for your favorite sports fan. Just a tip. If you don’t know what his or her favorite teams are, find out before buying for them. While that Vancouver Canucks shirt is a great deal, I’ll never ever wear it, no matter how much I love the person who gave it to me. If you are wondering how deep team loyalty goes, I’ll let Rick Reilly from ESPN explain it to you.
The “If Bill Billicheck Coached in the CFL” Rider Hoodie :: With a pair of scissors, you can convert it to a short sleeve model as well. You can get one of these for any CFL team at the CFL store but let’s be honest, you only need a Saskatchewan Roughriders one. | $89.95 (Can) at the Rider Store
Saskatchewan Roughrider Fans Gather Here Wall Sign :: Not only does this sign look great hanging on your wall, it also let’s your brother-in-law from B.C. know that if he comes over on game day, he is going to get a big wedgie from your friends. | $29.95 at the Rider Store. Around $25 at other sports collectible places.
Notre Dame Football T-Shirt and the Notre Dame Football Sideline T-Shirt :: I know the Charlie Weis era has been hard for Notre Dame football fans but better times are coming (we hope). Either way a Notre Dame t-shirt for you or someone you love shows that you are no bandwagon jumper and you are in this for the long haul, no matter how many times in a row that USC beats Notre Dame.
Saskatchewan Roughriders BBQ cover :: I have one of these at the lake and not only does it look cool, it is a really high quality barbecue cover and is the envy or Rider fans at Arlington Beach. | $69.95 (Can) at the Rider Store but quite a bit cheaper at Canadian Tire.
Calgary Flames Upgrade Crew T-Shirt :: The Upgrade Crew Tee, part of the Reebok Face-Off collection, features:
- 100% cotton jersey
- Team name and logo screen printed across the chest
- Reebok logo located on the left sleeve
- Ribbed crew neck
Sure you can an Edmonton Oilers version but why would you want to be seen out in public in one? | $24.99 (USD)
Hockey Night in Canada Retro Puck & Stick Rug :: While Gary Bettman doesn’t respect the traditions of the NHL, that doesn’t mean that you can’t. Check out this retro Hockey Night in Canada welcome rug which would look great every Saturday night as you host your friends and family for the Hockey Night in Canada double header. Now if we could only find a way to automatically mute the television whenever Kelly Hrudey comes on. | $39.99 (Can) from CBC Shop
A customizable NFL team t-shirt or hoodie from NFL Shop.com. These are great looking short and long sleeve shirts that have customizable front, back and sleeves. They start about $20 for a basic shirt and can go up to $40 by the time you are done finishing it.
A pair of RB/WR NFL gloves :: If the person on your shopping list played high school football or above, there is a good chance he or she had a pair of these. While they won’t keep you that warm, they are a great three season glove that can be worn while biking, hiking, or calling plays during the big game from the sideline.
If your better half is like Wendy, they get a little tired of all of this sports stuff laying around. The Saskatchewan Roughriders have a solution in the form of this great looking gear locker. This Gamebox fits perfectly in any den, sports room, office etc and is designed with the highest attention to detail and quality. The easy-to-clean Roughriders Gamebox is scratch resistant, and is decorated with the vintage Roughriders logos, enhanced with the 13 man logo and provide the official licensed word marks. Dimensions: 34"w X 18"h X 18 1/4"d | $249.99 (Can) from the Rider Store
Spalding NBA sized Street Basketball :: You need a decent quality basketball for when friends come over or when you step outside and address the 4 for 56 three point shooting streak you are on. You could use the Spongebob Squarepants basketball your kid bought at Wal-Mart or you can ask for a decent looking Spalding basketball. While your game may have gone missing, at least you can look like you can still execute a pick and roll, even if you can’t. | $19.59 (USD) from Amazon.com
SIGMA BC906 9-Function Topline Wired Bicycle Speedometer :: The ability to monitor individual rides, and overall training schedules is important to the serious cyclist. The BC 906 tracks your trip, your overall speed, distance, and riding time as well as allowing you compare your actual speed with your average speed. Complete functions include: clock; actual maximum and average speed; comparison of actual and average speed; trip and total distance; trip and total riding time; language selection (seven languages); and low-battery indicator. Also, the BC906′s small, low-profile keeps wind resistance to a minimum, its twist-mount, no tools required design ensures quick installation and its included 3-volt lithium CR2032 battery provides long-lasting power. | $20 (USD) at Amazon.com
Sportscraft Pubmaster Dart Board :: The official size 18-inch dartboard has traditional colors with steel tensile steel spider and high visibility numbers. You can throw either steel or soft tip darts at the bullseye! Plus with no one really knowing when or if the economy is going to come back, having bunch of friends over for a night of darts is a lot cheaper than a night at the pub or doing much else now that I think of it. The great thing about darts (and bowling) is that you don’t have to be good at it to have a good time playing it. | $19.99 (USD) at Amazon.com
Speaking of having people over, air hockey is another one of those games that one doesn’t have to be good at to have a good time playing. Check out this free standing game for some good times.
If you have been to Mosaic Stadium, you know there are two temperatures. Too hot and too cold. The Saskatchewan Roughrider store has what you need to survive game day. Here is your official Saskatchewan Roughrider thermos and water bottle. Fill it with what you see fit.
University of Saskatchewan Huskies Basketball/Hockey Game Tickets :: It only costs $10 for adult tickets for Huskies basketball and hockey tickets. While watching a game at Rutherford Arena takes some courage and a seat warmer, watching games at the PAC is starting to have the feel of big time NCAA college basketball. If hockey is more your style, tickets for the Saskatoon Blades cost $16.57. My point is that while NBA, NHL, and NFL tickets are really expensive in this economy, there are some great other semi pro, college, and minor sports that are really cheap and a lot of fun.
Check out my other Christmas gift giving guides for more ideas.
