Whether you participate in any or not, fantasy sports
leagues are not unheard of by any sports fan today. Following sports and
fantasy leagues go hand in hand anymore.—literally, in the case of smart phone
users. But even if you do not participate, sports commentary and major sports
networks have their hand in these leagues, making all fans aware of their
existence.
With technology driving these leagues today, I was surprised
when I learned that the concept actually originated in the 50s shortly after
World War II. To further my surprise, it was golf that started the phenomenon;
however, when looking at the concept pre-technological assistance, golf would
be an easier sport to follow under the fantasy platform; a sport based on
individuals rather than teams of players.
Our modern idea of the fantasy league developed in the 1980s
when magazine writer/editor, Daniel Okrent, began the “Rotisserie League
Baseball.” Okrent’s journalistic profession brought the concept to other
journalists and with the 1981 baseball strike supplying little baseball
coverage, more publishing about these leagues and their rules began to be
printed for general public. Soon other media sources picked up on the concept
and furthered the spread of the fantasy phenomenon.
By 1988 USA Today estimated 500,000 people were playing and
Fantasy Sports Magazine debuted in 1989. The internet only enriched and
expanded the reach and abilities of fantasy leagues, just as smart phones have
extended their existence into our moment-to-moment lives.
Fantasy sports are a serious yet comical extension part of
our society now. The TV show, The League,
is completely centered around fantasy football exploring how online sports
obsessions affect relationships and everyday life in a comical light. Groups plan major events around fantasy
drafts and money is involved in numerous leagues.
Today, fantasy leagues serve as more than just a fun
involvement for extreme fans who know and study the players and teams from
season to season. They give us another extension of the games, teams and
players we love. For many, it’s a way to connect with friends and family who
may not be in close enough proximity to enjoy your favorite sports together.
My brother, knowing his wife’s deeply competitive spirit,
suckered her into creating a team in his football league about five years ago. She
was not even a football fan until dating my brother forced her to follow Ohio
State football if she wanted to spend Saturdays with him in the fall; however,
upon their marriage, she had yet to find a reason to gain any interest in the
NFL.
Knowing her well, though, my brother’s scheme to develop her
interest in professional football worked like a charm. By having a team of
players coming from numerous NFL teams, her competitive drive generated genuine
interest in how these teams and players were performing from week to week.
Before I knew it, she was throwing around names and stats like any other NFL
fan.
Today, she continues to be one of the most competitive in
the league. The fantasy league is something she and my brother enjoy keeping up
with together, while also having reason to talk smack to one another, as they
each have their own team. At the same time, they are able to enjoy actual games
together, as they are both knowledgeable on the players and teams and have
someone to root for or against.
I have yet to make time to dive deep into the fantasy world.
My husband and I are also in my brother’s league—but as a joint team. We were
negligent owners last season but the addition of an iPhone during the
off-season has made administering the team and making last minute adjustments a
much easier task.
For a long time, the fantasy league concept sounded intimidating
to me. I thought it was something requiring great knowledge on teams and
players prior to engaging in; now I see it’s a great educational tool for
someone who wants to learn more about a sport or league.
I don’t know that I will ever be as highly competitive as
many are about their fantasy teams, but I will vouch for fantasy sports’
ability to genuinely engage individuals in a sports league. This form of
entertainment is not just for the fanatics who know decades of statistical
history on teams and players, it’s for every sports fan or wannabe sports fan
out there.
No comments:
Post a Comment