We don’t normally get to do this due to the lack of Giveaways during Austin FC road matches plus our general malaise at attending thanks to Austin’s 3-7-3 record on the road this season.
But this weekend? We were delighted to find out that Nashville SC would have a giveaway and had to ensure we could get our hands on one, which in hindsight wasn’t difficult in a stadium that was barely 60% full. A few of our correspondents made the short trip to Nashville, land of never-ending Bachelorette parties, unmovable trains, and more rideshares than their Bar district can hold.
In case you are new here: we here at The False Nine, in our attempt to cover all aspects of Austin FC Soccer fandom, have come up with a grading rubric to judge and rate giveaways. 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 Giveaway:
Hyundai Lunchbox (8/24/2024 vs Austin FC)
Look: Ok, starting off the bat with some clarification, we are judging this giveaway not as an Austin FC giveaway but for the fans of Nashville SC.
This is dope for them.
Their yellow color is prevalent all over the stadium and offers a distinct look that is almost instantly recognizable. It also ensures that this item will be easy to see and find in the kitchen cabinet of randomly accumulated things it will likely be stored in.
Score: 5 out of 5
Usability: The item has a lot of functionality and versatility. It being able to keep things cold AND HOT makes it valuable to hold drinks, food, a lunch, or maybe a brick to turn it into an offensive weapon.
Score: 5 out of 5
Originality: This is the type of item Austin FC has never given out, and through some cursory internet research there are a lot of lunchbox giveaways, but typically the retro/nostalgic tin kind. This being a more modern (and cheaper) alternative makes it lose some points here.
Score: 2 out of 5
Throwability: This is where I was surprised the most. I wouldn’t think a lunchbox would be able to be throwable, but there are a few things they smartly did to score better in the rankings:
First, they added a reinforced handle, enabling the thrower to grip the item in a balanced way;
Second, it’s designed to lay flat while folded, enabling it to be tossed like a frisbee
Typically for away days (and some home matches) there is a coordinated march to the stadium, arriving as a group makes it easier and safer for everyone involved. On Saturday there was a second march, all of us heading to the Rideshare lot to make our way to the afterparty. As we waited, and boy did we wait, this giveaway provided a perfect way to pass the time: playing catch.
Score: 80 out of 85
Final Score: 92 out of 100