At the start of the shortened NHL season I participated for the first time in a fantasy sports league with my friends. Before, the term ‘fantasy sports’ left me with an “unimpressed” and “lame” attitude towards the whole idea. Maybe its because the term ‘fantasy’ left negative connotations with me, especially since playing sports is a million times more fun than simply being a spectator.
A fantasy league is pretty much when you create an artificial league and players act like owners of actual teams. Prior to when a season begins, you draft (choose) the players you want to be on your team, and make game-day decisions (who to start, and who to bench) throughout the season. You then earn points based on how well the players on your team perform. After joining a fantasy league I see that there is a lot of awesome things about fantasy sports.
First and foremost it’s a good way to keep up with friends and socialize with one another. The incentive is primarily bragging rights. There’s a sense of ownership and pride in the players that are on your team, and it’s always fun to rag on your buds for the failures of their players.
Moreover it gets people interested in the sport. Some of the people who are involved in our league didn’t particularly even know what hockey was prior to joining. They joined simply to be part of the group. After awhile however, as their “team managing” continued, they started to follow the sport and showed a genuine vested interest in the game.
And although initially I believed that fantasy sports were for those who couldn’t actively participate in the sport, I find that part of the reason why I enjoy it so much is because I play sports. It often gives you added insight into all the different aspects of the game (not just the flashy stuff like goals, but the more grittier parts of the game) and also why certain players are exceptional and sought after in every league.
Fantasy sports have something in it for everyone, as Brain Havig puts it; “Fantasy football is unique: It combines something incredibly masculine with something incredibly nerdy. It’s like the high school quarterback and the captain of the Dungeons and Dragons Club got together, became best friends and created the most popular game in school.”