by Nina Nocciolino

Just about everyone has defaulted to the “easy” gift for Father’s Day…a tie. Ties are safe, and go with just about everything. But, they’re not the most thoughtful gift on the block. This year, ditch the default and dig a little deeper to give Dad a meaningful gift loaded with thought. No matter what kind of king your family plays court to, there are gifts out there to satisfy the men who live for the game, the grill, and everything in between.

Whether your Dad is a card-carrying member of the Fenway faithful, still reveling in last year’s White Sox World Series win, or betting on the Bronx Bombers to add number 27 to the vault, Mitchell & Ness has the ultimate gifts for the ultimate sports nut Dad on the block. Specializing in authentic throwback jerseys from the MLB, NBA, NFL and NHL, Mitchell & Ness has over 1600 players to choose from to relive the glory days of yesterday.

Baseball fans from Wrigley to Camden Yards will find any of the replica jerseys, authentic-inspired jackets and pennants from their favorite team a worthy addition to their collection. New MLB Batting Practice Jackets are perfect for Spring and available from the Philadelphia Phillies, Oakland A’s, Red Sox, Yankees, Pittsburgh Pirates and more. The MLB Letterhead T-shirts are as close to the clubhouse as most can get. With script pulled straight from the clubs corporate letterheads, these t-shirts come in at a mere $25 each, and represent the Chicago Cubs, NY Mets, St. Louis Cardinals, White Sox and Washington Senators among others.

With football season on the horizon, avid fans want to gear up early. Mitchell & Ness’s latest Deion Sanders 1994 San Francisco 49ers Jersey is one of the newest additions to their collection along with the 1996 Jerome Bettis Pittsburgh Steelers Jersey. Old favorites like Terry Bradshaws 1975 Steelers Jersey may bring luck to last year’s Super Bowl victors.

And what would football season be without the proper tailgate party. AmericasBestBBQ.com carries a variety of portable grills perfect for the parking lot grill masters. Ameriwest makes unique patented grills shaped like basketballs and golf balls. Keg-A-Que pulls at the college day heartstrings of every tailgater with this grill that looks like a keg, but fires up curbside before the game. They also carry coolers, shelters, outdoor furniture and BBQ tools essential to any Dad ready to rival the next car over with one hell of a party in the parking lot.

AmericasBestBBQ.com also carries a variety of grills, smokers, grilling tools and BBQ sauces and rubs from some of the best barbecue restaurants around the country including Corky’s of Memphis, Gates of Kansas City and Dickey’s of Dallas. They come in gift packages with custom gift messaging so you can say exactly what you want to honor Dad. The Reveo Marinator is the perfect addition to the culinary cook’s backyard equipment. This rotating marinator cuts marinating time from hours to minutes, distributing the marinade evenly on everything from veggies to meat.

There are plenty of ideas out there to satisfy both appetite and loyalty that don’t come in a rectangular box. Instead of going with a default gift this year, get some game day tickets, sport an old school jersey and party in the parking lot this Father’s Day. Trust us… it ranks much higher than a tie.
About the Author

Nina Nocciolino is a copywriter for DMi Partners, an interactive marketing firm specializing in finance, higher education, retail and real estate.