Why do I fantasize?
Well…that’s a story for another day but let’s get into the craze of fantasy sports. What it the big deal about choosing athletes, following their performance stats and then winning or losing based on the those numbers. Sounds asinine but there is something to it…and here’s why.
First, fantasy sports (and NFL is the runaway king of all US sports) is all about competition. You get to compete against 10-12 of your best-ies or a group of total strangers. Think about the bragging rights for beating your best friend in fantasy this week. It’s much better than beating him/her in Spin and you didn’t even have to break a sweat. Also, it makes going back to the grind on Monday (or Tuesday in some cases) a little bit easier. Maybe the US Post Office should implement mandatory fantasy sports leagues.
Second, random games become interesting. If you are from Chicago and a Bears fan, normally you would have no interest whatsoever in the Jacksonville Jaguars playing the Oakland Raiders (likely a terribly boring game). With fantasy sports, however, you might have a significant rooting interest in the game and be glued to your TV or smartphone. Also, what other reason would you have to be glued to five TV screens at once, or watch the greatest invention in sports, the NFL Network’s Red Zone channel?
Third, you can make a few bucks. Many fantasy leagues have some money attached and you can win around $300-500 for the season. Not bad for “drafting a few players and following stats every week.”
Fourth, the Draft. Playing General Manager is awesome. It is power for a day. In some cases it is the best 2-3 hours of the season, especially if your team ends up being terrible.
Fifth, Everyone does it, so it is a conversation piece. 40+ million people in the US and Canada can’t all be crazy. Even professional athletes play fantasy in their own sports.
So the next time you roll your eyes at fantasy sports, just remember there are a lot worse things out there your spouse or friend could be doing.
Remember at TINK Sports we watch the games so you don’t have to.
See you next time…
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