Living a Fantasy

People all around the United States are getting the opportunity to share a portion of Tom Brady’s paycheck. He’s not handing out dollar bills, but he is being drafted by over 74 million Americans for Fantasy Football. The craze that began in 1962 has been skyrocketing ever since. People of all ages gather together to do live drafts that awaken their competitive genes. Whether it be your friends, family, or online strangers, the price of winning is high and it keeps on growing.

Football Sunday has been known to rack up a bill while watching a favorite NFL team with the neighbors. Bets and prizes that come with a fantasy league rack up the check even more than normal. Americans are expected to spend $4.6 billion this year to participate in football and all it’s glory.

“The money that you can win in the end is definitely a bonus. It’s also fun to see if the players you put stock into can perform like you hope they can,” said junior, Dylan Weaver. Cash prizes can add up to $1 million in public drafts and other prizes in inner leagues. Fantasy Football users get to pick players from different teams and style their line up the best they can to come out with the greatest total score. They choose who starts and who they bench. Once the game starts, the players are locked in.

“It gives people a reason to watch the games. It makes it more interesting when you have a lot of different players to watch,” Torin Murphy, a junior, explained. If you are lucky enough to get the first draft pick, you get the best player. Most users compete against their relatives or friends, which makes for fun conversation around the dinner table.

“Everyone has a favorite football team, even if they don’t watch football. I’m very competitive and so is the rest of my family. It gives me a platform to bond with them every week, and most importantly, it gives me bragging rights,” said senior, Amber Skillicorn. Fantasy Football is a tradition for people all over the United States and they continue to pass on to each generation.

The game has also helped cross borders against sexism as women are just as into it as men. Aiga Petelo, a sophomore, loves engaging in the competition.

“I like how competitive you can become and how everyone is scrambling to get the perfect team.” American Express says that 1 in every 5 women is playing in a fantasy league this year and that number will only continue to increase. The game is all about strategy and, somewhat, luck. Women have an equal chance to win the whole thing. As does a 9 year old vs a 64 year old. This makes the game even more engaging because the victory could fall into anyone’s lap.

Even though America is known for their love for football, not everyone has jumped on the bandwagon.

“I don’t watch football and I don’t get it enough to be interested in creating my own team,” said senior, Tiernan Boyd. Every week, players schedules change, which requires users to switch their line up frequently. Players get hurt, have a bad week, or have a bye(where their team does not play). Running a team can be more stressful than fun for some who wish to spend their time doing other things.

“The more you know about a sport, the more interested and engaged you will be,” Reilly Flinn, a junior, argues as he decides to spend his time focused on basketball rather than football this season. He appreciates football, but would rather spend his time practicing his dunk than watching Odell Beckham Jr. score a touchdown.

Football will continue to thrive as long as the American dream lives on. The way that people interact competitively has dated back to as long as the human race has existed. Providing a digital way of earning bragging rights at Thanksgiving dinner is going to continue to interest our society and impact how we interact with one another.

Picture Credit: espn.com