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Shop Local Spotlight: Be the #1 giver this holiday season with these gift ideas for sports fan in your life


An occasional series

By Tabari McCoy
NKY Chamber of Commerce

What’s better than watching your favorite team take on their biggest rival, having a record-breaking performance or winning the big game? Being there to see it in-person – which is why this holiday season, getting the sports fan in your life tickets to see any of these teams live could be a hall of fame-worthy gift!

The NKY Chamber encourages you to shop local by considering these locally-based gift ideas for the sports fan on your shopping list.

WHO DEY THINK GONNA BEAT THIS GIFT?

Football is arguably the most popular sport in America – and it’s always a ‘new dey’ at the Cincinnati Bengals.

Limited tickets are available for the remaining Bengals’ home games this season, so be sure to grab your tickets to enjoy all the exciting action at “the Jungle” now before it’s too late. If you can’t get tickets, however, consider grabbing the ultimate gift in the form of season tickets for 2021 and beyond. Don’t forget to swing by the Bengals Pro Shop to pick up your officially licensed team apparel to root them on in style.

For tickets and more information, visit www.bengals.com or call (513) 621-3550.

ROUNDING THIRD & HEADED FOR YOUR HOME

They may be the sport’s oldest professional team, but there’s nothing like fresh Cincinnati Reds tickets and apparel to brighten up any baseball fan’s holiday!

Fresh off the team’s return to the postseason, season tickets are on sale now for the Cincinnati Reds 2021 season with single-game tickets to enjoy the national pastime to follow soon. That doesn’t mean you can’t stop by Great American Ball Park now, however, and take in the history and majesty of the team’s 151 seasons at the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame and Museum. The Reds Team Shop by Majestic will be more than happy to meet your needs for official jerseys, caps, and more; a customized Louisville Slugger would look great at home or around the office.

For tickets and more information, visit www.reds.com or call (513) 765-7000.

JOIN THE CLUB

If you prefer football of a different variety, FC Cincinnati can’t wait to “kick” it with you at its new home, West End Stadium, in 2021.

Greater Cincinnati’s Major League Soccer (MLS) affiliate has plenty of fans on both sides of the Ohio River, one of the many reasons the pitch will surely once again be the palace to be next season. Of course, fans of the team will want to stock up on plenty of FC gear, which they can do online or in-person at the team’s shop on Fourth Street in downtown Cincinnati between Walnut and Vine (now offering curbside pickup).

For tickets and more information, visit this website or this one or call (513) 977-5435.

BASEBALL FOR ALL, Y’ALL

Know what also makes for a great gift for a sports fan this holiday season? Tickets and gear for the Florence Y’alls, y’all!

Members of Independent Professional Baseball Federation, the Florence Y’all are the spirit of the national pastime personified: Players whose love of the game makes them continue to take the field with hopes of getting a contract with a Major League Baseball team, which nearly 50 Y’alls Alumni have since the team’s inception in 2003.

Of course, independent baseball isn’t just about the action on the field, which is why a Y’alls game has plenty of activities for kids, affordable food and great, family-friendly promotions. If you’re giving the gift of season tickets to a fan, don’t forget to get them some Y’alls apparel they can wear to the ballpark.

For tickets and more information, visit www.florenceyalls.com or call (859) 594-4487.

HEAD OF THEIR CLASS

The Greater Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky region is full of school spirit when it comes to college athletics … So, whether you’re a Bearcats backer, a manic Musketeers supporter, a devout Saints (no pun intended) fan, wild about the Wildcats or all about the Norse, there’s a college team with plenty of great gift options for you!

With football season underway and baseball, soccer, basketball, volleyball and a host of other sports set to play in the coming months, the student athletes of our region’s colleges have plenty of athletic action to satisfy local fans.

So, be it single game or season tickets, sweatshirts, shorts and all apparel in between, if you’ve got a fan of the college game on your gift list, there’s probably an item you can find to their liking.

Visit the following websites for more information:

Northern Kentucky University Norse
Thomas More University Athletics
University of Cincinnati Bearcats
University of Kentucky Wildcats
• Xavier Musketeers


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