Yahoo Sports MinuteCollege Football Playoff unveils national championship rings
For the vast majority of professional athletes, the ring is the thing. One of the spoils of winning a championship these days is being able to don some oversized bling on your finger, complete with an excessive amount of diamonds, as a symbol of the hard work that goes into capturing a title. But the pros aren't the only ones that get to enjoy the over-the-top hardware.
Here's a first look at the inaugural College Football Playoff National Championship ring, created by @Jostens pic.twitter.com/cUNXa1ofWY
— CFB Playoff (@CFBPlayoff) December 10, 2014
That there is a rather fine, if not generic, piece of jewelry. Per the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal:
[Manufacturer] Jostens described the rings as "custom-designed [and] handcrafted" with more than 50 cubic zirconia synthetic gems set in Jostens' Silver Elite fine metal mix, which is composed of silver, elements of palladium and gold, and a rhodium coating.
And there's a reason why the winner of the first big-time college football tournament will be awarded a relatively modest ring. Again, quoting the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal:
The NCAA caps the value of championship rings at $415, said Chris Poitras, who is vice president of Jostens' college and professional championship business.
So while ESPN is paying $5.6 billion over 12 years for the broadcast rights, the student-athletes that walk off the AT&T Stadium field as national champions Jan. 12 get that ring.
