8feature
wingspan • december 16, 2010
What’s your FANtasy? Online sports become the new way to game
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Collin Armstrong Feature Writer
unday is a day for rest — a day to spend with family and friends to enjoy the last hours of the weekend before heading into the week — but for some it is much more than that. It’s about football. Not the type of bonecrushing, head-bashing football that comes on TV, but the Internet sensation: fantasy football. “Sunday is my favorite day of the week because I wake up and wait in excitement for 1 p.m. when the games begin,” sophomore Jordan Lyles said. “I love watching all the games and having my computer right next to me to check on my fantasy football team.” Fantasy football is an online game in which participants form leagues of usually eight to 10 players. Each player owns a team and drafts 16 players (a quarterback, two running backs, two receivers, a running back/receiver, a tight end, a place kicker, a defense/special team and seven bench players). “When I draft my team, I look at the stats of the players from the previous year,” Lyles said. “I also listen to the predictions and projections for the year.” A team’s line-up can be changed after the Monday night game and anytime before the
games on Sunday. Players can be added or dropped throughout the year. Players dropped are moved to a list where other players in the league can add them to their teams. “I want the best team possible, so about every two days I change up my team to see if I can pick up a good player,” Lyles said. There are two types of leagues: head-to-head and accumulative. In head-to-head leagues, players have an opponent every week and are given either a win or a loss based on whether or not they have more points than their opponent. In accumulative leagues, points are tallied throughout the season. Playoffs are held for the teams with the best records or with the most points. Fantasy football was created by Wilfred Winkenbach, an Oakland-area businessman, in 1962. Wikenbach and two other men formed the GOPPPL (Greater Oakland Professional Pigskin Prognosticators League). The league consisted of eight members who were either sports reporters affiliated with the American Football League or who had bought and/or sold 10 tickets to the 1963 Oakland Raiders season. “I have been playing for four years, and twice I have won my league,” Lyles said. “I have been in four different leagues in the four years I have been playing.”
GOLF FOOTBALL NASCAR BASKETBALL BASEBALL SOCCER HOCKEY
“I personally play fantasy sports because of my love affair with sports. I like the players, and it’s just fun. I like fantasy football the most because you get to pick certain people, and you only have to check it once a week. I like being able to talk about it Josh VanWingerden Freshman
The first ever draft pick for fantasy football league was George Blanda who played for the Houston Oilers in 1963. During that season, Blanda had 36 touchdown passes. “Right now, I would say that Peyton Manning is my best player,” Lyles said. “However, if the Colts were playing the Steelers, I would root for the Steelers. I have never cheered against the Steelers, even if it means I don’t want my fantasy starters to do well.” Fantasy sports have been a huge sensation since being introduced to the Internet in 1997. In 2008, fantasy football alone had 30 million players, doubling the total from only three years earlier in which the industry had 15 million players and amounted to over $1.5 billion. “When I won my league, it was great because even though we don’t play for money, we still get bragging rights,” Lyles said. “The pride lasts for a long time because even into the next season people still think that you are going to win.” Other fantasy sports include baseball, basketball, golf, ice hockey, auto racing and wrestling. In each of these sports, team owners draft players and points are awarded based on performance. “I play fantasy golf, but it is hard because you have to pick your players based on how they do in the tournaments and pick different golfers every week. It’s a lot different than fantasy football,” Lyles said. “Golf is also in a league but I was placed in a league with eight other people that I don’t even know.”
“I never used to play fantasy football until I got into my second period class in the career center. But Adam (Steurer) started playing, so that got me into it. I was the commissioner of creating a fantasy team in the class. It’s just a fun game, and I enjoy it.” Dylan Parris Junior
of students play
19% fantasy sports
Fantasy football is the most popular with of student participants
80%
Of the students who participate in fantasy sports, play for money
36%
of student players 7% spend 90 minutes or more on fantasy sports a day (based on a survey of 323 students)
“We all got bored in my second period class after doing our work, so we decided to create this fantasy football league. We all got really into it. I win a lot, so I just continue getting more into it and more competitive. I enjoy playing, and I enjoy winning.” Courtney Blackwell Senior
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“I play fantasy sports so that I can show everyone that I dominate in managing a football team. I like to just beat everyone every week. It makes me feel good about myself. Everyone in my second period class is very competitive with each other in our league.” Adam Steurer Senior
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