Before watching the documentary I went into it with some questions already in mind.
1. When did the first fantasy season take place? 1980
2. Why was it created? Out of boredom and a desire to prove to his buddies that he knew more about baseball then any of them.
3. What sport was used in the first fantasy league? Baseball
Here are some unexpected things I think are worth mentioning.
1. The WHIP was first thought up for the first fantasy baseball season.
2. The founder of fantasy (Dan Okrent) has never won a season.
3. The founding fathers have never gotten any financial compensation.
After watching the video I asked myself, "Why do I play fantasy sports? What do I get out of it?"
1. Quenches some of my competitive hunger.
2. I'm not good at keeping in touch with people. So it helps me talk with old friends that I would have loss contact with years ago.
3. I enjoy knowing meaningless statistics that I can throw out during conversations. No lie, I spoke with an older couple from Texas couple years back and their jaws nearly dropped on the floor because they couldn't believe how much I knew about their professional teams. I guess they didn't think an island boy would know anything about Texas. I guess I proved them wrong.
Here are some other questions I asked myself:
1. Has fantasy added or taken away from professional sports?
2. Should the founding founders of fantasy be placed into the baseball hall of fame?
Please leave a comment if you want to answer these questions and share your thoughts.
Great post, Keola. Why do I play fantasy sports? As the Herminator says, "You play to win the game." Nah, winning is just a small part of why I play. While it may (or may not) be the product, I play more for the process. Simply put, fantasy sports is fun. I can be a pseudo-GM and manage my team and players however I see fit. It's fun to follow players on the worst team in the league not because I care whether or not the Bobcats lose 23 straight games, but to see if Kemba Walker can score 20 points and win me the points category. In other words, utterly meaningless games suddenly become completely meaningful.
ReplyDeleteIn this essence, fantasy has not necessarily added to pro sports per say, but it has added another dimension to FANS of pro sports. In this social media generation, fans feel a connection to players on their teams. Fans roster players, start them, and cheer for them. In return, players score points and help them win. I don't think this connection would have been possible to obtain and maintain if it weren't for fantasy sports.
I also agree with you that it's a great way to keep in touch with friends. Our BYU-H leagues have been going strong since the early 2000's. With me being in the Pacific NW and almost everyone else back in the 808, I think it's one of the most effective and fun ways to stay in touch.
Right on Mike. Also wanted to add that a league is a standard deviation better when everyone involved is participating in the draft and is trying to better their team during the season through trades and free agency. I think trades are the closest you can come during the season to the exhilaration that you get on draft day. Which is probably why I try to trade more then the average person. It doesn't always pay off but it's fun.
Delete