Sometimes it seems that the most fascinating elements of professional football are the dealings behind the scenes, as well as the mechanical creation of the perfect team. This is the idea behind fantasy football, a fantasy sports game in which players take on the role of team owners and organize themselves into a fictional league. Players wield data to determine their fantasy league championship results, that is, the names of real-life NFL players. Each team begins the season by recruiting or acquiring NFL players through an auction and then scores points based on the statistical performance of the players on the field. (Note that some fantasy leagues also use the NCAA division) How are wins between players determined? It’s up to the creators of the league, as the winners can be determined by the most points accumulated at the end of the season or in an NFL-style head-to-head tournament.
When did the fantasy football phenomenon begin? This sport within a sport began in 1962 as an idea passed along by Bill Winkenbach, a limited partner of the Oakland Raiders, as well as Bill Tunnell, the Raiders’ public relations man. Also involved in the creative process were Scotty Stirling of the Oakland Tribune and George Ross, the Tribune’s sports editor. The idea grew out of a three-week road trip in which the Raiders visited the East Coast. The men developed the idea along the way and then wrote the basics of the first fantasy football league, the GOPPPL, also known as the Greater Oakland Professional Pigskin Tipster League.
Throughout the years, fantasy football leagues continued in groups or even through BBS (Bulletin Board Systems) communication. With the rise of cheaper PCs and the Internet in the late 1990s, fantasy football saw a slight resurgence in popularity. The sport remains popular with football purists and pundits who know the facts of football like no one else. Fantasy football players are still passionate about their favorite pastime and are always looking for ways to win. That’s why so many magazines, websites, and books offer tips and tools on how to get ahead in fantasy sports.
There are magazines, websites, books, and software available that give fantasy players the information they need to make better decisions. In addition, the popularity of this sport has increased thanks to the availability of live soccer matches through satellite television, satellite radio, cable and Internet websites. Interestingly, while the internet has taken business from many retail industries, when it comes to football, fantasy football only increases football show ratings, attendance, and website traffic. By nature, fantasy sports players must watch more live game broadcasts, buy more tickets, and spend more money at stadiums than the average football fan who just watches their team and has a Super Bowl party. In general, fantasy football has had a very positive effect in educating football fans about the rules of the sport and the skills of the players. If you’re interested in playing, consider the top three virtual leagues: CBS, ESPN, and Yahoo.