All The Good Fantasy Sports Can Do | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Sports

All The Good Fantasy Sports Can Do

Fantasy sports get fans more engaged in the sport and can benefit leagues.

15
All The Good Fantasy Sports Can Do
NPR

Fantasy sports have become a huge part of the sports market in recent years. You have daily leagues, weekly leagues, and betting leagues. You have leagues for football, hockey, baseball, basketball, NASCAR, and golf. These leagues began back in the late 1970s early 1980s and primarily focused on the sport of baseball. It was first primarily done by the media before it grew into something that upwards of 3 million people participated in during the 1994 baseball season. Fantasy football was the next to join in on the game and was founded in 1987 and started to take off in 1999. Fantasy sports got a huge boost when the internet became more common in homes and the first sport to join was hockey. Hockey followed the success of fantasy baseball and football and the first fantasy hockey league was formed in the mid-90s. Fantasy football dominates the fantasy marketplace currently as fantasy football is the only fantasy sport that has a whole show dedicated to it.

From my own experience, fantasy sports have been one of the best things that the internet has done for the better of the actual sports. Now I am not going to say that my knowledge of sports can be attributed primarily to playing fantasy sports. However, I will argue that before I started playing fantasy sports I didn’t know as much about them as I do now. Before when watching SportsCenter, I would mainly focus on the highlights that dealt primarily with my teams and whatever news, like trades and injuries, for whatever leagues those teams were in. Fantasy sports require more than a basic knowledge of the sport because not only do you need to know who the star players are, you also need to know about the guys that you may not always hear get called because they are more of role players than stars. In addition, you can’t just limit yourself to the knowledge of your team and the rivals that you play; but rather, you also must know about the players on other teams and the impact that they have on those teams. Lastly, when playing fantasy, you must make sure that you keep up with the health of players and how their seasons are going because one day a guy might be healthy and the next day he’s not or he could be facing a tough matchup that could hurt your fantasy chances. All this new information often means that you follow a sport more closely and gain a better understanding of the nuances of the game.

Fantasy sports are great for someone who is looking to grow their knowledge in any sport because to play, there are a variety of new roles that a person must take on as a fan. Many consider this knowledge to be trivial, and for some it is, but this is a great way for people to bond with others that have common interests. In addition, it is a great way to get a little competition going in between friends that sometimes end with tattoos you don’t want or doing something funny, yet embarrassing for the person who finishes in last that create great stories for other fans. Fantasy sports overall have grown the “market share” of sports in everyday life and will continue to do so as long as the product on the field is worth watching.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Student Life

A Few Thoughts Every College Freshman Has

The transition into adulthood is never easy

11628
Mays Island
Courtney Jones

Today I started my third week of college at Minnesota State Moorhead. I have survived welcome week, finding my classes on the first day, and being an awkward loner in the dining hall. Even though I have yet to be here for a month, I have already experienced many thoughts and problems that only a new college student can relate to.

Keep Reading...Show less
college

"Make sure to get involved when you're in college!"

We've all heard some variation of this phrase, whether it came from parents, other family members, friends, RAs, or college-related articles. And, like many clichés, it's true for the most part. Getting involved during your college years can help you make friends, build your resume, and feel connected to your campus. However, these commitments can get stressful if you're dealing with personal issues, need to work, or aren't sure how to balance classes and everything else going on during the semester.

Keep Reading...Show less
Relationships

9 Reasons Why Friends Are Essential In College

College without friends is like peanut butter without jelly.

5230
Bridgaline Liberati and friends
Bridgaline Liberati

In college, one of the essential things to have is friends. Yes, textbooks, a laptop, and other school supplies are important but friends are essential. Friends are that support system everybody needs. The more friends you have the better the support system you have. But you also have someone to share experiences with. And don’t settle for just one or two friends because 8 out of 10 times they are busy and you are studying all alone. Or they have other friend groups that do not include you. Don’t settle for just one or two friends; make as many friends as you can. After the first couple of weeks of college, most friend groups are set and you may be without friends.

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

The Power of Dressing Up

Why it pays to leave the hoodie at home.

3877
sneakers and heels
Sister | Brother Style - Word Press

For a moment your world is spinning. The phone alarm has just scared you awake and you’re flooded by daunting thoughts of the day ahead. You have three assignments due and little time to work on them because of your job. You’re running late because you’ve hit snooze one to many times after yesterday’s long hours. You dizzily reach for a hoodie, craving its comfort, and rush for a speedy exit, praying you will have time to pick up coffee. Does this sound familiar?

Keep Reading...Show less
Entertainment

11 Signs You Live At The Library As Told by 'Parks And Recreation'

A few signs that you may live in the library whether you'd like to admit it or not.

3416
brown wooden book shelves with books

Finals week is upon us. It is a magical time of year during which college students everywhere flock to the library in attempt to learn a semester's worth of knowledge in only a week. For some students, it's their first time in the library all semester, maybe ever. Others have slaved away many nights under the fluorescent lights, and are slightly annoyed to find their study space being invaded by amateurs. While these newbies wander aimlessly around the first floor, hopelessly trying to find a table, the OGs of the library are already on the third floor long tables deep into their studies. Here is a few signs that you may live in the library, whether you'd like to admit it or not.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments