I love fall. It is one of my favorite seasons. The fall signifies I’m another year older, but more importantly it is the start of college football season. I was born and raised in Columbus, Ohio, so growing up the fall was always filled with tradition. For the past several years, we have released a series of pins celebrating these football traditions called “Rivalry Weekends.” Gosh, there are some classic rivalries!
The Rivalry Weekends collection was first introduced 2007 by John Smith, former Product Developer for limited edition pins (funny thing is he now develops sports product for Disney). The first set of pins saw four classic rivalries. We then took a year off (still not sure why) and then introduced another set in 2009. The theme last year was “Game On” (which was a popular phrase often uttered by John).
This brings us to this year and the 2010 collection titled, “Game Time.” The collection will again include four classic match ups. The pins are limited release which means they don’t have a finite production number. You may also notice that the pins are focused on teams from the east coast of the United States (mostly because they will be released in Florida).
I’m often asked why we don’t feature more teams. Believe it or not, there is a finite production budget each month for pins. We base many decisions about development on historic sales record, yet we like to try new things. This year we introduced a new rivalry – University of Alabama vs. University of Tennessee.
All of this brings me to one final question: which is the greatest college football rivalry today? I think you already know my answer. Look for these pins to be released on October 7, 2010, at Walt Disney World.
Comments
Go Buckeyes!
Not sure of the logistics involved, but what about a pin for what is (in my opinion) an even bigger rivalry than Michigan/OSU: Army vs. Navy?
Are these exclusive to the parks, or can they be bought online too? I’d love to get ahold of that FSU/UF pin but I won’t be down any time soon.
Based on the feedback here (Wow! – I guess there is a lot of passion :-), we are mostly likely going to offer a limited quantity of these pins on the Disney Parks On-Line store: http://www.DisneyParks.com/Store
It will happen in October after these pins are released in the Parks. Still plenty of time before the “big game!”
I love the pins and all, but why so much Stitch? It’s really annoying that he’s EVERYWHERE at the parks, even though most people aren’t fans of him at all.
I’d like to see more of the originals, like Pluto or Goofy!
LOVE that you added TN/AL! Go Vols!!!
I would love to see an Army vs. Navy pin, Go NAVY!
Love the new pin for the Crimson Tide and the Viles…uhhh Vols! The third Saturday in October is truly an intense week around here; what a great way to represent that tradion! Roll Tide!!!!
YES, YES, YES!!! Finally a OSU vs Michigan rivalry Pin, THANK YOU! Ohio State Mickey pin was my 1st pin. GO BUCKEYES!
Personally, I LOVE Stitch…and am bummed that he’s not ever in the Gator gear.
GO GATORS!
I guess Steves growing up in Ohio is why Ohio is represented in every year shown here? I was kind of hoping for different pins this year, you know maybe including PSU, instead of 3 replay from last year…… I also agree an Army Navy pin is a must do.
I would like to see Univeristy of Oklahoma vs Oklahoma State or even better…University of Oklahoma vs Texas! BOOMER SOONER!!!!
Alabama vs TN??? are you kidding me? Umm..when you move to AL they don’t ask you “Bama or Tennessee” they ask “Alabama or Auburn’ and you have to pick one or they will hound you till you do. All of Alabama hates TN but the Alabama / Auburn thing is a year round rival.
Regardless, I’m a Buckeye! LOL
How about Penn State University and Ohio State University????!!!!! HUGE rivals!!
Army-Navy is a must have. But please do some West Coast rivalries, too!
I’m a big Michigan fan and live in AZ. How can I get my hands on one of those OSU vs. MICH pins? BTW GO BLUE!
South Carolina – Clemson
Brutal rivalry!
What about South Carolina/Clemson and Iowa/Iowa State?
Please tell me that there are gonna be some basketball rival pins, too. First one that needs to be made, Duke/Carolina, no rivalry in basketball is bigger(Go Duke). Please, please, please! But love the OSU/Michagan pin-go Buckeyes!
How about Purdue/IU? Go Boilers!
Yes please make an OU vs Texas one for next year!! We’ve been to the national championship twice this decade, certainly people would buy our pin 🙂
Where is the OU/texas pin!!!!! I’m a Disney College program Alum. Would by an OU/texas Pin for SURE!
NEED UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
What about UL vs. UK maybe not the longest but one of the best
ROLL TIDE!!! =D
ROLL TIDE ROLL! 13 National Championships!!!! Is this year gonna be another year? I’d love to have the Alabama/Auburn pin!
Those pins look great! Would love to see one for the Backyard Brawl. Over 100 times Pitt and West Virginia have done battle in one of the greatest rivalries of all time.
UGA vs. U of F…
GOOOOOO DAWGS!!!
OSU-(that team up North) is the longest and greatest rivalry! GO BUCKEYES!!
PLEASE PLEASE add a University of SC/Clemson one!!!!
I agree with Douglas, in post #6, Where is the Army-Navy pin???
Tony USNA ’90 Go Navy, BEAT Army!!
Why not release some at Disneyland. The focus on Disney World is kind of annoying. At Disneyland the obvious choice is USC/UCLA. You could even do Stanford/Berkeley.
It is something we can consider for next year – clearly there is interest.
How about the UNC/Duke Rivalry???? OR USC Gamecocks & Clemson Tigers??? 2 HUGE rivals!!
I’d buy an OU vs TX pin the day it came out. Boomer Sooner!
To Autumn…I could continue my research, but I believe these facts make the point as to why Ohio State is always there. The Bleacher Report has Ohio State-Michigan as the 3rd best rivalry in all of sports, behind the Yankees-Red Sox and some silly basketball thing. The Sports Dish has them at #2 behind said Yankees-Red Sox. ESPN has Ohio State-Michigan as #1. Point is, The Game is in the Top Three most everywhere you look, and that’s in the whole of North American Sports, including all levels (professional and college) of all types (football, basketball, baseball, hockey, etc). Only the most successful team in professional sports (the New York Yankees) ranks as well across the board, and no other college football game comes close.
Couldn’t have said it better. We actually did the same kind of research. It honestly has nothing to do with me being from Columbus (that’s just purely coincidence :-). We base a lot of decisions on fan interest as well as historical sales record. But we also leave the door open to trying new things.
Army Navy pin is a must! Go Navy!!!
Go Blue!!!
Go BUCKEYES!!! Gotta have that pin!
David-I am not trying to belittle your research, nor the collection in a whole. What I am trying to point out is that perhaps its time for a change in how the series is made each year. Why not expand the series to cover more than the top 4 rivalries? I know personally have bought MULTIPLE Mickey PSU pins as gifts for family and friends and they are always a favorite gift to be received. But I have also bought friends the Ohio,Gators, Yankees and Red Sox pins in the sports lines because even though these may or may not be my favorite teams, they are the favorites of people I love and we try to bring home pins as gifts from the park.
It just seems odd to me that a collection like the Disney Pin series that tends to constantly change and grow keeps putting out the same line of Pins in one series over and over and the only thing making them different is the background or character clothing. I am not saying the Ohio/Michigan game isn’t a big Big 10 game. But I am trying to point out there are other BIG college rivalries (Psu/Ohio, Army/Navy, VA Tech/WV, Michigan/Michigan State) in all the conferences and that these games could be getting made into pins making the different years of the series more exciting to the team fans, and more exciting to those of us that collect Disney pins.
And yes I do LOVE Stitch. We have more Stitch pins than I choose to admit in a public forum. And I would LOVE to see Stitch in a PSU jersey, or better yet dressed like Joe Pa. 🙂
Virginia Tech v. UVA – GO HOKIES!!
How cute! I am not a “fanatic” for football but I do love Mickey and Stitch. Disney is my team! Being from Alabama I am happy for both teams (AL and AU) when they win.
LOVE this football series, but where is PSU? Where is JoePa? Of course I’m biased as as alumi, but from an economic perspective, PSU has the largest, active, alumni association in the USA. While I was at Disney I bought one pin for myself – a Mickey/PSU one. Go State! Thank you for the great pins you’re producing!
Glad to help Steve! (Do I get a free pin now 😉 Go Buckeyes! O – H!
Why yes, you do … it’s virtual though:
http://eventservices.disney.go.com/files/190200971.jpg
And I must say that these comments are awesome! Really a great way to kick off the season. Many mahalos to those who have taken the time to write. I’ll just say, “Go Team!” Let the debate continue.
I think if you go for basketball, Uof L vs UK shoould be at the top of the list! And IU over anybody! 🙂
TX vs OU!!!!
Army vs. Navy would be great, but Texas A&M vs. University of Texas!!!!!!
Hey Steven – O * H! Great pins – will forward to picking them up during my trip to WDW in November!
Christine
Yeah T vs. AL! My daughter from a Vols family married into an Alabama family. How and where can we get this pin without visiting WDW? I am coming in Sept. before they come out.
Mickey as a Vanderbilt Commodore vs. Pete as a UT Vol! Go ‘DORES!
Just want to add my preference for UCLA/USC. I can’t believe Disney would miss out on this money-making opportunity – especially for a local rivalry near one of their two USA theme parks. Definitely the biggest college rivalry in the Los Angeles / Orange County area.
Army Vs Navy!!
Go Army!
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