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

will sponsor the Orange Bowl after FedEx

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

. A more liquid option would be the Financial Select Sector SPDR

, but Discover gets scant representation in this ETF. Vizio Rose Bowl: Citigroup

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

and the Retail HOLDRs

. Allstate Sugar Bowl: Insurance giant Allstate

is the sponsor here making an ETF play easy to come by: The SPDR KBW Insurance ETF

. 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

Tostitos brand will sponsor both games. The best ETFs for the Fiesta Bowl are the iShares Dow Jones US Consumer Goods ETF

and the Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR

. Pepsi is a top-10 holding in both, as is Kraft

, which sponsors a lower-tier bowl game.