Fantasy football: Building your own dream team
It’s hard to imagine a team made up of NFL superstars like Peyton Manning,
Reggie Bush, Shaun Alexander and Chad Johnson would ever lose a game, but it’s
possible in fantasy football.
Fantasy gives the average football fan an opportunity to draft and cut NFL
players, make trades and decide who starts on Sunday – even if it’s only on
their virtual teams.
A 2005 survey conducted by the Fantasy Sports Trade Association estimates
between 12 and 18 million people play fantasy sports in North America.
Barry Holcomb, a first-time fantasy owner, attributes the success of fantasy
football to its broad appeal.
“Anyone with any interest in football would enjoy it,” said Holcomb, a
senior majoring in finance and economics. “It appeals to the expert and the
novice.”
For Rich McHenry, a senior majoring in public relations, the competition
and management aspect make fantasy football fun.
“Every guy wants to be George Steinbrenner,” he said.
McHenry started playing fantasy football with his dad 14 years ago. For him
there is a social aspect to the fantasy game. He no longer plays with his dad,
but has his own league, which gives him a chance to communicate with friends
across the country.
“For 16 weeks out of the year, we’re in the same ‘neighborhood,'” he said.
Holcomb also plays with friends. He said the friendly competition gives them
an opportunity to “razz” each other about the games.
The evidence of fantasy football’s popularity is everywhere.
Sports shows, newspapers and the Internet all dedicate time and space to
fantasy news, picks and predictions. Celebrities and NFL players even have
fantasy teams, McHenry said.
Its popularity could be connected to the devotion fantasy football inspires
in those who participate.
“It’s definitely an obsession,” McHenry said, noting he spends at least one hour
Monday through Saturday and three hours on Sunday on fantasy.
It gets in the way of homework, studying and can be a “roadblock” in
relationships, he said. He adds that a lot of fantasy owners – himself
included – would put fantasy football above dating, at times.
Holcomb doesn’t dedicate as much time as McHenry, putting in only one hour
during the week, but he said he is constantly monitoring his team’s score on
Sundays.
But both agree that fantasy has made football more interesting.
“I’ve been more connected to the games,” Holcomb said. “It’s a great marketing
strategy for the NFL.”
This connection seems to be lost on women, who only make up 8 percent
of fantasy sports players, according the 2005 Fantasy Sports Trade Association
survey.
But Holcomb thinks fantasy is a great way for girls to get involved in
football. He has learned a lot about football from playing fantasy, and adds
that it could be a good way for girls to learn more about the game.
McHenry recommends fantasy football, to any fan of the sport. Also, he adds
that it’s pretty simple to get into, and requires very little knowledge about
football to enjoy.
Fantasy football basics:
Owners create virtual teams and compete against the other owners in their
league. After setting the lineup for the week, fantasy owners sit back and
watch as their players get points for their on-field performances. Although
the allocation of points varies depending upon the league, points are
generally given for touchdowns, field goals, extra points and yards gained,
but are taken away for fumbles and interceptions.
Offensive plays aren’t the only way to earn points. Owners also select a
defense, which earns points for fumble recoveries, interceptions, sacks and
minimizing their opponent’s points and yards gained.
For example, if you have Peyton Manning, and he throws a touchdown, you
receive a set amount of points. But if he throws that touchdown against your
team’s defense, you will lose points.
You can play fantasy football at a number of places, including nfl.com,
espn.com, cbssportsline.com and foxsports.com. Many of these sites offer it
for free, but some require a fee to set up a league. For more information,
visit any of the aforementioned Web sites.