Hmm. From the Bowl Officials Expectations Document released today on the CFO web site:
Bowl Gift - The bowl game’s management shall present each game official and conference coordinator of
officials (if in attendance), with a bowl gift. The gift is up to the discretion of the bowl but will include at a
minimum a bowl specific commemorative watch. If a bowl does not produce a watch the gift should
include the bowl logo and be of similar significance.
A watch.
In my FBS days, they were required to give us a gift(s) equivalent in value to the gift(s) players were given. Doesn't seem to be the case nowadays.
At my first bowl game, they gave a us a watch - nice enough. We had some time, so we went to a Detroit area mall, and a couple of us wanted to stop in a jewelry store to have links removed from the band, so it would fit better. No problem. Jeweler was happy to help (no charge). But, after looking over the watch - a popular 'award' brand watch in those days - the jeweler told us, "You know, these watches are not very expensive." We got a little chuckle out of that. Not like were expecting Rolex or anything.
They also gave each of us an autograph football, for all of us to sign for each other. Still in my display, with the other trinkets we got over the years (including the other 6 'not expensive' watches).
But not all bowls gave us a gift of any significant value. Got an adjustable golf cap and a plastic lapel pin from the Seattle Bowl. That's it. Lucky to get paid, as it turns out. When we arrived, we got a check for the game fee, but not the per diem and air fare. Our R went to the stadium operations office and told them that we would not be setting foot on the field until they presented us with checks for per diem and airfare. They produced the checks. We gave them to our wives, with instructions to leave the stadium and immediately go to a bank and cash them, which they did. (They came back for the game, too, which was nice, since they had the bowl-provided vehicles.)
That bowl did not exist after that season. Sad, as Seattle (as liberal as it is) is a fun place to visit. Pike Place Fish Market is cool, as is the Space Needle, the Chihuly Garden, and a number of really good restaurants. Seahawks stadium was very nice, too.
Fun times.
