Fantasy Sports is Real Money

Is it me, or does the anticipation for the opening kickoff of the NFL season seem greater than ever? Meaningless preseason games are easily winning the Nielsen sports ratings wars, even though stars are playing limited time, if at all, and coverage of the NFL is dominating local and national sports news outlets despite compelling baseball playoff races. The NFL barrage has begun (perhaps it never even stopped) and the football intensity will continue until the Super Bowl champions come back from their trip to Disney World.

While it doesn't account for everything, a major driver in the unprecedented anticipation of the NFL season is the explosion of fantasy football. Under the pre-fantasy model, fans generally would begin the season with the hope that their hometown or favorite team has been regenerated and will take them to the championship. Today, the anticipation for the opening kickoff is not as much about whether their favorite team will win the Super Bowl, but whether their own fantasy team will beat their buddies and win the sometimes inconsequential pot of money. As a $1.5 billion industry, fantasy sports are redefining the ways that the football fan interacts with the sport and the media they use to do so. The DirecTV NFL Sunday Ticket option that showcases multiple games on one screen at one time, ESPN Mobile's instant fantasy updates, and CBS Sportsline's extensive GameTrak system are all redefined media experiences designed for the statistics-hungry fantasy fan. It’s no surprise fans are watching preseason games in large numbers; they’re doing research for the diamonds in the rough that they can steal in the 12th round of their fantasy drafts.

The fantasy football phenomenon begs the question: Would you rather your favorite team win the Super Bowl or you win your fantasy league?

This entry was posted by Ben Shields on Tuesday, August 22. 2006 at 06:49. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own blog.

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  1. Mike T says:
    #1 2006-08-22 20:26 (Reply)

    You make some very interesting points, Mr. Shields, and I happen to agree with you on a few of them. In particular, the main point of your most recent posting, that fantasy football is a "major driver in the unprecedented anticipation" of the season.

    I happen to work in the NFL, and see daily tangible examples of the like, despite being in perhaps the atmosphere where fantasy football is most frowned upon. You see, working for an NFL team, you don't want to confuse individual player stats with team accomplishments, and this is certainly stressed from the top of the organization down. From ownership to coaching and staff, and in particular, from coaches to players. The "team" is always stressed, yet it's quite clear to everyone that people are worried about their stats.

    Example 1: After games last season, and the first preseason game this season, certain players come up to me asking not how the team looked or how the offense was clicking, but what their respective yards-per-carry average was, or how many catches and for how many yards. Tackles, sacks, etc. etc. Of course, the players are more worried about getting paid than their specific statistics, but statistics correlate directly to salary...which correlate directly to fantasy draft position. It's a cyclic process between player, fan, and fantasy owner.

    Players are driven by numbers and individual accomplishments just as people pick them up for their fantasy teams would hope.

    Another example: The media (in any respective market, and certainly in the two in which I've worked for teams)when standing around watching practice and seemingly working on notes for their coming articles and columns, often wind up talking about whom they are going to take first in their fantasy draft. For the Bears, for example, certain media members might be writing an article about who will win the QB or RB battle, while also wanting to personally know if Benson or Jones, Grossman or Griese will be starting so they know which to draft.

    The examples are endless, and one thing is for sure: these conversations weren't going on at Browns or Colts training camp in the 60s and 70s. By the way, how much did players make back then? How much was the NFL's TV contract?

    Interesting how it all ties together...

  2. Jeffrey Talen says:
    #2 2006-08-22 20:32 (Reply)

    I hate to say it, but despite being a life-long 49ers fan...I'll take a fantasy team win. I don't think it's because of money or anything, but more because I control it personally. I can brag to my friends and it reflects more on me than it does if, you know, the 49ers win the Super Bowl. I guess I wouldn't have thought it would develop like this. But hey, my draft is in 2 days, and I won't be watching the 49ers game that night...

  3. Ally D. says:
    #3 2006-08-22 20:35 (Reply)

    I'm sorry, but I don't even like the idea of playing fantasy sports. It is not a good thing, not to like your own team, I think. It's my Dallas Cowboys, and I am nott thinking about if T.O. scores or if Julius Jones does. I want a Super Bowl. It's kinda sad to like your fantasy team more. That's just my opinion.


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