ETFs For BCS Bowl Games

Consider this more an exercise in fun than a legitimate trade thesis, but with college bowl season upon us, the Professor thought it would be interesting to make a mock portfolio based on the sponsors of the four most prestigious bowl games (Rose, Sugar, Fiesta and Orange) and the BCS National Championship Game. Hey, if we went through the sponsors of all 209 bowl games (it's really 35), we'd be here for days. So let's stick with big boys. Discover Orange Bowl: Discover Financial DFS will sponsor the Orange Bowl after FedEx FDX ended its agreement following last year's game. Discover pops up in almost 60 ETFs, but gets the biggest weight (2.75%) in the thinly traded PowerShares Morningstar StockInvestor ETF PYH. A more liquid option would be the Financial Select Sector SPDR XLF, but Discover gets scant representation in this ETF. Vizio Rose Bowl: Citigroup C formerly sponsored the grandaddy of them all and it would be nice if the bank still did because it would make ETF selection for this game much easier. Privately held HDTV maker Vizio now sponsors the prestigious game making a direct ETF play hard to come by, but VERY indirect plays would include the Consumer Discretionary Select Sector SPDR XLY and the Retail HOLDRs RTH. Allstate Sugar Bowl: Insurance giant Allstate ALL is the sponsor here making an ETF play easy to come by: The SPDR KBW Insurance ETF KIE. Tostitos Fiesta Bowl and BCS National Championship Game: Since the Fiesta Bowl is the site of this year's title game as well, PepsiCo's PEP Tostitos brand will sponsor both games. The best ETFs for the Fiesta Bowl are the iShares Dow Jones US Consumer Goods ETF IYK and the Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR XLP. Pepsi is a top-10 holding in both, as is Kraft KFT, which sponsors a lower-tier bowl game.