LSU Debuts Special Cigar Line Ahead Of The College Baseball Season
When you think of the South Eastern Conference, the first thing that likely comes to mind is dominant college football programs and deep-rooted traditions. But after football season comes to a close, many fans down south start turning their attention to baseball. And who can blame them, considering the SEC has won the last five College World Series titles? But perhaps no university or fanbase is more eagerly anticipating the baseball season than Louisiana State University. The school down in the Bayou is partnering up with Bocock Brothers, a boutique cigarmaker that operates in Houston and Honduras, for another officially licensed, LSU-branded cigar to honor the Tiger baseball season.
Called The Power House: Jay Johnson Signature Series, the new release comes in two sizes, Robusto and Toro. The namesake pays homage to current LSU baseball coach Jay Johnson, who led the Tigers to a College World Series title in his second season in 2023. The Toro measures 6 inches long by 52 ring gauge and comes packaged in a decorative, pinstripe box meant to replicate one of LSU baseball’s core uniforms. The Robusto, coming in at 5 by 50, features an all-purple box, another uniform alternative for the Tigers. Both lines will be available in 20-count boxes that include a prominent replica of coach Jay Johnson’s signature on the outside. In another unique wrinkle, on the inside of the box, there’s a custom LSU baseball holder in the shape of home plate so you can show off your most prized baseball.
The blend for both cigars centers around a dark, Mexican San Andrés wrapper that covers binder leaf from Honduras and Nicaraguan and Honduran filler tobacco. The box-pressed cigars are limited-editions made in Honduras at Fabrica San Judas Danlí. The Robusto is set to retail for $325 a box, or $16.25 a stick. The Toro will go for nearly the same, $335 a box, or $16.75 apiece.
You may that prior to college football kicking off in 2024, Bocock Brothers and LSU announced the release of three Tiger-themed cigar lines. This collaboration included two regular production releases, LSU Connecticut and LSU Habano, as well as a limited-edition line called LSU Centennial Edition to commemorate the 100th anniversary of LSU football’s Tiger Stadium. The partnership made for the first officially-licensed, college-branded cigars, which was quite unorthodox in today’s present world where most universities, and the NCAA, are vehemently and openly anti-tobacco. With the newest release, it appears LSU is doubling down to another one of their sporting juggernauts.
The cigars were unveiled at the LSU Baseball First Pitch Banquet on January 16. The annual gathering connects boosters and the team to both raise money and build anticipation for the season. Nearly 1,000 people were in attendance and more than $400,000 was raised for the LSU baseball program during a series of auctions that included items like signed memorabilia and the new Power House cigars, which were auctioned off alongside a signed baseball from Paul Skenes, former LSU pitcher and current MLB star.
LSU is ranked No. 2 overall in the pre-season rankings by Baseball America, just behind the College World Series runner-up Texas A&M. They’re also a storied program, ranking second all-time in College World Series titles, with three of those coming in the 21st century, including their most recent one in 2023.
Part of the proceeds from the sale of the cigars will go towards Bayou Traditions, the LSU Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) collective. Bayou Traditions raises funds for NIL deals for LSU student-athletes. For those unfamiliar with NIL, a 2021 law change allows student-athletes to monetize off their name, image and likeness, which usually comes by way of marketing and endorsement deals. Many prominent athletes will decide where they attend college, and for how long, based on how lucrative the NIL deals available to them are. Hence, universities have begun placing great emphasis on raising NIL capital to keep their programs competitive. For diehard LSU fans, these cigars offer a unique chance to directly impact their beloved baseball program.
The Power House smokes are available for pre-order now at the Bocock Brothers website. On February 28, the cigars will be made available at Bocock Brothers partner retailers, which are primarily located in the south, in and around where presumably the majority of LSU fans and alumni are located, in states like Louisiana, Texas, Alabama, Mississippi and Florida.
LSU baseball starts the season February 14 in a home game against Purdue Fort Wayne. They’ll be looking to earn another top seed in the College World Series, which starts in June.
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