How much are NCAA football championship rings worth? Exploring the value and symbolism of college sports’ ultimate prize

Championship rings are an element of sports that are unique to the United States. They are the main sign that people know that you have been involved in a championship-winning team.

Championship rings are known to be usually made of gold and feature diamonds and crystals. They are not cheap. But players who win the Super Bowl or the World Series are earning a lot of money per season, and expensive rings seem to go with the lifestyle that these players can live.

So, what about college athletics? They also have championship rings given out to those taking part in a championship-winning team. When did this tradition start in the collegiate game, and how expensive is a college football championship ring?

How much does a College Football championship ring cost?

On average, a Super Bowl ring can cost $35,000 per ring, but there is no limit to how much a ring can be worth, allowing jewelers to use expensive and high-quality materials, without having to worry about the cost.

But the value of a college football championship ring has a ceiling that cannot be exceeded. This value is $415, which is the amount that the NCAA says is the most that a university can spend on its student-athletes.

This forces jewelers to use cheaper materials. In contrast to the diamond-filled rings of the NFL, a college football championship ring would use synthetic stones and cheaper metal alloys that look like gold.

History of championship rings in College Football

The first ring in college football was given to Princeton University in 1872. Princeton were claimed college football champions after a 1-0 season.

At this point, the sport of football had just been invented and was only played by a small selection of teams located in and around New Jersey, the state where the sport was invented.

Since then, schools have handed out championship rings to their players. The rings would be standardized in design in 2014, with the first College Football Playoff National Championship game, which Ohio State would win.

Over the past 152 years, the rings have changed in design and the materials that they are made of, but what they symbolize remains the same.

To own a championship ring means that you have been involved in a team that was for one year, the best in the country.