Many including this reporter, are very clueless as to what Fantasy Sports is all about and how it works. Using Fantasy Football as an example, this is a type of game played using the internet where participants put together a virtual team using real players of the professional sport.
These players’ actual live game performances are converted into points totaled according to the team roster put together by each team manager. This point system is calculated by a league commissioner who manages the overall league. Team owner/managers can draft, trade, and cut players just as real owners do. Some may ask the question, where did fantasy sports come from?
Origin of Fantasy Sports
Wilfred Bill Winkenbach co-owner of the then Oakland Raiders created a rulebook for fantasy golf in the late fifties. In the early sixties, he created the first Fantasy Football league and called it the Greater Oakland Professional Pigskin Prognosticators League.
Best Fantasy Sports Apps to Use
The NFL’s Fantasy Football app for android or iOS would be a great choice having the latest information and data coming straight from the NFL. This app not only provides player profiles and stats but also provides player comparison tools. The option to join a public league or create a private one with friends is available.
ESPN’s Fantasy Football app for android or iOS grants the use of a desktop fantasy account to be transferable to a mobile phone. Creating teams and participating in mock drafts from a phone or tablet are key features of this app. The app also comes with a team management tool that allows easy team set up, benching players, and trades with other teams as well a Fantasy Cast Live scoring.
How Big is The Fantasy Sports Market?
The Fantasy Sports Trade Association believes that 32 million Americans spend $467.00 per person playing fantasy sports yearly totaling around $15 billion. This means that the secondary market has outgrown the main market by far.
Written by Omari Jahi
Sources:
ESPN: Yates: Missing fantasy football already? Scratch that itch with fantasy hoops! Field Yates
Forbes: The $70 Billion Fantasy Football Market, Brian Goff
Tom’s Guide: Best Fantasy Football Apps
Feature Image Courtesy of Matthew Roth’s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
Inset Image Courtesy of Lindsey Turner’s Flikr Page – Creative Commons License
