The Definitive Austin FC Giveaway Index - LED Bracelet Giveaway (2/24/2024)

There are very few things in life better than getting something for free. It’s why the human race has engineered ways to fire hot dogs, t-shirts, and tacos out of a compressed air cannon.

We here at The False Nine, in our attempt to cover all aspects of Austin FC fandom, have come up with a grading rubric to judge and rate giveaways at Q2 stadium. It’s a very simple system for very simple items, everything is graded 1-100 with 5 points possible for the Look, Usability, and Originality categories. An additional 85 points are available for the Throwability category.

Final Rankings:

1-24 – Not worth the effort of grabbing from the attendant

25-49 – No one will be heartbroken by not getting the item, nor will they be sad when they accidentally leave it at the stadium

50-74 – A perfectly cromulent giveaway item

75-99 – An item to cherish and display

100 – Reserved for a Rodney Redes bobblehead

Now, let’s get to the Giveaways:

LED Bracelet Giveaway (2/24/2024)

Look: It’s not an attractive design. The actual light/receiver section is bulky compared to the somewhat cheap ribbon used to keep it around the wrist. It seems like a combination of two things designed/produced where the two sides never talked to each other.

Score: 2 out of 5

Usability: The push button clasp made it difficult to put on or adjust solo. HOWEVER, It’s a bright and portable light that projects multiple colors and patterns making it more useful outside of the stadium than the lightshow in stadium. Especially in running or biking situations, or keeping a loved one safe in the dark.

Score: 5 out of 5

Originality: Xylobands have been around in concerts since 2012 when Coldplay first started using them as part of their Mylo Xyloto tour and have since been featured by artists such as Lady Gaga or Taylor Swift. The pre-match show added to the Heartbeat experience with the bracelet flashing green during “Verde” and white during “listos.” Had more fans stayed for Guilhermo Biro’s goal instead of leaving when Minnesota went up 2-0 we could have had a similar experience. It’s much better than the previous LED Bracelet we’ve gotten as a giveaway.

Score: 4 out of 5

Throwability: So….remember up above when I called this “bulky” in comparison to the ribbon? Yeah….that makes it incredibly throwable and the ribbons even give it kind of a cool like while it flies through the air. When the push button piece is placed right up against the light/receiver section it’s easy to throw, accurate, and lightweight enough that anyone can throw it. It’s almost a surprise that none of them ended up on the field instead of tossed aside outside the stadium

Score: 84 out of 85

Final Score:

Ranking of Giveaways (score in parenthesis):

Yeti 10 oz Tumbler (96)

LED Bracelet Giveaway (95)

Heineken Koozie (86)

4ATX Foundation/SeatGeek Fan (85)

Yeti Hat 2023 (84)

St. David’s LED bracelet (82)

Yeti Hat 2022 (81)

Netspend FanBand Bracelet (62)

4ATX Foundation Keychain Lanyard (50)