We all know at least a few people who are all about sports. They may be passionate about a particular team, like their alma mater or local professional league, or they could be the year-round fans who somehow always have a sporting event to attend.
If this sounds like someone on your holiday gifting list this year, you might be wondering how you can enhance their gameday experience. From the professional tailgaters to the armchair quarterbacks, there’s something for everyone in this winning assortment of holiday gifts for the MVP in your life.
Tailgating Gear
Grilling is an essential component of tailgating, and it all starts with the right equipment.
Portable grill
What’s the difference between an amateur tailgate and an expert tailgate? The food. Sure, a six-foot sub is a great way to feed a crowd, but being able to offer some hot options takes the tailgate to the next level. A portable grill opens up a whole new assortment of possibilities on the menu, which makes it a perfect holiday gift for the sports fan in your life.
Folding picnic table
I don’t mind opening up the hatchback and eating out of the back of the car when it’s just me and my husband, but when we’re tailgating with a group, we’re bringing the table and chairs. This foldable picnic table is an all-in-one that collapses into a small carrying case. When fully open, it seats four and has an umbrella stand hole in the tabletop.
Summertime tailgating is no problem when you’ve got a pop-up portable canopy ready.
Pop-up canopy
Whether it’s rain or blazing sunshine, nothing can get in the way of a tailgate when a pop-up canopy is on hand. It’s a great spot to set up a food station, table and chairs, or even stream the game. I love that this model also has zip-up enclosures to keep any pests and bugs out of the way.
Hard-sided coolers can take up valuable car space, making a soft-sided option a no-brainer for the tailgater in your life.
Soft-sided cooler
Tailgates and coolers go hand in hand. But those heavy, bulky coolers take up tons of trunk space and are hard to lift and move. Luckily, soft-sided coolers keep your food cool and your hands free, and as a bonus, they take up less trunk space! This 26-liter Hydroflask cooler bag holds up to 42 cans and fits wherever you’ve got space.
For the Stadium
Make any seat in the stadium feel closer to the field when you gift a pair of binoculars to the sports lover in your life.
Binoculars
A solid pair of binoculars can make a sporting event much more enjoyable from seats that are further from the action. This pair by Nikon offers 10X magnifying power and retractable eyecups, making them a great gift for someone with or without glasses. Plus, they’re lightweight enough to easily be transported in a pocket or small, stadium-friendly bag.
Put the sports fan in your life in the best seat at every game by gifting them a heated seat for year-round sports viewing.
Seat cushions
Whether they’re sitting in the bleachers or the arena, the sports lover in your life will love upgrading their seating situation with a heated stadium seat. It folds in half for easy portability and storage, has a bleacher hook to keep everything in place, and comes with a rechargeable battery that offers up to three hours of constant heat when temperatures drop.
If you’ve got a sports lover in your life whose favorite teams play in the hot sun, a personal misting fan is a must this holiday season.
Personal misting fan
Here in South Florida, going to outdoor sporting events can get really sweaty, really fast. If the sports lover in your life braves the heat in pursuit of watching their favorite team play, help them out with an accessory that will literally be a game changer. This personal fan goes around their neck and sprays a gentle mist to keep them cool until the final whistle.
A daytime game usually means sun exposure, so a good pair of sunglasses is always a great gift for any sports fan.
Sunglasses
If you’ve ever been to an outdoor daytime game without sunglasses, I’m sure it was the first and last time that happened. A good pair of shades, like classic Ray-Ban aviators, for instance, is a priceless gift that any sports lover will appreciate. Target carries over 200 different styles, so you can find the perfect pair no matter their style.
Home Viewing Essentials
A VR headset brings sports fans closer to the action than ever before.
VR headset
Did you know that the Quest VR headset offers compatibility with most major streaming services? That means that the sports lover in your life can get totally immersed in the gameplay from the comfort of their home, all thanks to your awesome gifting skills. With tons of additional ways to play, watch, and interact, this tech is truly one of the best gifts you can give this year.
Keep the refills coming all season long with a beer tower that holds up to three quarts of your favorite sports fan’s favorite gameday brew.
Beer tower
No matter their drink of choice, any sports fan who’s watching the game from home knows the value of not having to go too far for a refill. This beer tower comes with an inner cooling tube and holds up to 100 ounces—that’s 6 pints’ worth! It’s a great way to serve everything from lagers to lemonade for a game day party.
When you’re watching the game at home, it’s all about the finger foods. A cookbook keeps things fresh all season long.
Finger foods cookbook
Level up the game day grub for the sports lover in your life with a cookbook that features all sorts of small plates, finger foods, and “meandering meals.” Whether they’re entertaining a crowd or watching with a small group, they’ll love whipping up these impressive spreads without much effort.
Gifts They’ll Enjoy in the Offseason, too!
You don’t have to rest on flashy team gear as your go-to sports fan gift. If you’ve been stuck in a slump of logo socks, license plate frames, knick-knacks, and t-shirts, we hope these ideas will be the start of a gift-giving winning streak! Plus, pretty much every gift on this list can be used for non-sporting-related activities, giving them true MVP status.
