The Holiday Rush

So, you’ve got a sports fan in your life who made the nice list this year (clearly not a Commanders or Yankees fan), but hockey sticks and goalposts are so hard to wrap. And tickets to sit in Taylor Swift’s suite at a Chiefs game are kind of tough to find. For you, we put together a few ideas Tarrant County gift givers can easily procure to elicit joy from their sports-obsessed family and friends.

Game Tickets

Well, duh, sports fans like to go to games. Maybe they’ll be so grateful for the gift, they’ll ask you to go with them (though clearly it’s not in the Christmas spirit to hint at that too strongly).

Charles Schwab Challenge

Tickets are on sale for the annual PGA tournament at the Colonial Country Club (3735 Country Club Cir, Fort Worth, 817-927-4200). Tickets start at $50 per day at CharlesSchwabChallenge.com.

Dallas Stars Holiday Hat Trick

This deal provides you with two tickets to each of three Stars games in the New Year. The Holiday Hat Trick package, which starts at $165, also includes a Stars tumbler (that comes empty, but you don’t have to leave it that way). You can choose from three combinations of games featuring some pretty compelling opponents, including Carolina, Winnipeg, New Jersey, and Minnesota, who all are lurking near the tops of their respective conference standings in the first third of the NHL season. And here’s an especially cool bonus — you’ll also receive two tickets to Team USA’s opening game in the International Ice Hockey Federation Under-18 Men’s World Championship to be held in Frisco and Allen in April and May. You’ll find this package under the Tickets tab at DallasStars.com.

Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo

Your annual chance to see the best PRCA competitors in Dickies Arena (1911 Montgomery St, Fort Worth, 817-402-9000) begins in mid-January. You can buy tickets for the rodeo tournament at FWSSR.com or in person at the arena box office. Keep in mind some of the special competitions held in conjunction with the PRCA event, including the Cowboys of Color Rodeo and Mustang Magic. And cowboy culture provides some great wrapping options — maybe put the tix in the box with that new Stetson or pair of boots.

Harlem Globetrotters

If your kids (or you, for that matter) have never seen the Harlem Globetrotters live, you need to make sure that experience happens at some point. And guess what? Basketball’s entertaining “Ambassadors of Goodwill” play at Dickies Arena (1911 Montgomery St, Fort Worth, 817-402-9000) on Tue, Feb 17. Ticketmaster has the ticket packages.

Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl

On Fri, Dec 27, Amon G. Carter Stadium at TCU (2850 Stadium Dr, Fort Worth, 817-257-3764) will stage a bowl game. Teams get announced on Sun, Dec 8, at which point tickets go on sale. You can secure some for the game or the Kickoff Luncheon at ArmedForcesBowl.com. The pregame tailgate, by the way, features local musicians from different bands playing together as the Panther City All-Stars. We should also note that veterans, retired military, active-duty soldiers, and those serving in the guard and reserve are eligible for up to four complimentary tickets each.

North Texas SC

FC Dallas’s MLS NEXT Pro affiliate won their league championship this past season, and they play their home games at Choctaw Stadium (1000 Ballpark Way, Arlington, 817-533-1972). A lot of really good players come through this club on the way to Major League Soccer. Season tickets are available to watch them defend their title. Visit NTSCTickets.com to score yours.

TCU Basketball

Let’s talk hoops. The women’s team is a Top 20-caliber squad with some big wins on its résumé already and some serious star power. The men’s team is coming off an NCAA Tournament berth last season and plays in the stacked Big 12, with the likes of Kansas, Baylor, and BYU coming to Fort Worth this season. Purchase at GoFrogs.com or visit the Parrish Family Athletics Ticket Office in person at Schollmaier Arena (3000 Stadium Dr, Fort Worth, 817-257-3764) 8am-5pm Mon-Fri. Do note that men’s basketball Big 12 individual game tickets go on sale Tue, Dec 9.

Texas Rangers 20-Game Plans

These get you into 20 games during the 2025 season at Globe Life Field (734 Stadium Dr, Arlington, 817-533-1972). You can choose from two pre-selected plans (known as Gold Glove or Silver Slugger plans), or put together your own Fan’s Choice plan of games similar but not all identical to the other plans. The former range from a per-ticket price of $460 for upper reserved seats to $1,960 for Select Infield Mezzanine, the latter starting at $500 per seat. Check them out at TexasRangers.com.

Charitable Endeavors

Giving someone a ticket or entry to a sports-themed charity event just might get you on the nice list — enjoy that added bit of good karma in your own stocking. Here are a couple of possibilities:

Josh Jung’s Backyard Battle by MLW

You can play in a wiffle ball tournament fronted by Rangers third baseman Josh Jung at Globe Life Field (734 Stadium Dr, Arlington, 817-533-1972) benefiting the Texas Rangers Baseball Foundation & Miracle League. It’s Sun, Jan 12, and costs $145 for a team of 3-4 players. Age divisions include 10-12, 13-15, and 16-and-up. You’re guaranteed at least two games per team. Get info at MLWWiffleball.com.

Isner Cup

The recently retired John Isner was a top-ranked tennis player for more than a decade. He and his wife created the Isner Family Foundation to support indigent families with kids in the care of  Children’s Health Hospital in Dallas. The annual Isner Cup is an exclusive benefit event featuring fare from some of North Texas’ top restaurants and a chance to mingle with tennis pros at the Sub-Zero Wolf & Cove Showroom (3707 Lemmon Av, Dallas) 6:30pm-9pm Thu, Jan 30. Find details at JohnIsner.com.

Merchandise & More

Book Recommendations

We received a couple of recommendations for literary sports gifts from the proprietors of The Dock Bookshop (6637 Meadowbrook Dr, Fort Worth, 817-457-5700). They said Elevate and Dominate: 21 Ways to Win On and Off the Field by Colorado coach and former Dallas Cowboy Deion Sanders has been popular. Sanders also visited the store earlier this year after the book came out. For young adult fiction, The Dock suggests The Crossover by Kwame Alexander. Written in verse, it won both the Newbery Medal and Coretta Scott King Award Honor and Disney+ also turned it into a TV series.

The Bull Riding Hall of Fame

Help your significant other feel like a bad dude with a T-shirt from The Bull Riding Hall of Fame (121 E Exchange Av, Fort Worth, 512-400-9078). Check out the gifts page at TheBullRidingHOF.com.

Dallas Wings

Did you realize you can get a Dallas Wings Christmas sweatshirt or crewneck? Of course, they also have authentic jerseys, T-shirts, and plush toys of their Pegasus mascot, Lightning. Check out the assortment at ShopDallasWings.com.

Pickleball + Partaking

Courtside Kitchen (1615 Rogers Rd, Fort Worth, 682-255-5751) offers a combination of pickleball courts and craft cocktails. The order in which you indulge in them is up to you. Order a gift card at CourtsideKitchen.com or in person.

TCU Purple

Yeah, we listed the Horned Frogs twice. If you buy some game tickets as noted above, you may want to have some purple in your wardrobe to wear to the game. If you order online (just click “Shop” at GoFrogs.com) in a timely fashion, the TCU bookstore offers free ground shipping on orders of $75 or more. But if you’re not on the ball, you’re still covered. The physical store at the corner of University and West Berry in Fort Worth is open until 2pm on Christmas Eve to save you from your own procrastination.

UT Arlington

How about some UTA gear under the tree? Pick some up online at UTAGear.com or visit the UTA Bookstore (400 Spaniolo Dr, Arlington, 817-272-2785) in person. You can also acquire some at the merchandise shop at any of their three remaining December home basketball games at College Park Center (600 S Center St, Arlington, 817-272-5584), including Sat, Dec 14 (men’s team vs. Louisiana Monroe); Mon, Dec 16 (women’s team vs. Florida International); or Wed, Dec 18 (men’s team vs. Evansville).