There’s no doubt that communities have been a prominent feature of sports since their inception. Rivalry’s go back decades in America between major cities & states & teams. The communities formed around sports have been divisive and transformative over the years, and have changed drastically since the age of the internet.
Fantasy League
Fantasy league sports has been one of the innovative crazes to change the sporting industry. Fans are no longer separated based on their teams, but can form new communities in a way that was never thought to be possible before. Fantasy league lets fans create their own teams and draft players form any team into their ideal “fantasy” team without actually having any power. Fans make a league and compete with their friends and others to see who could make the team that performs best as individuals. CBS Sportsline reported that in 2003 that their baseball and football fantasy league billings was $14.4 million. This new atmosphere of fantasy league allows fans to connect in a way that has never happened before. Because now fans aren’t arguing over their favorite teams, but their players as individuals and connected with fans from all over. Not all of fantasy league is a good thing however.
The Down Side of Fantasy Football
Fantasy Sports are a major industry spin-off of regular athletic events. It is estimated that 21% of Americans participate in some sort of fantasy sport. The Dark side of Fantasy football as The Washington Post describes is one that takes away from fans investments into the players themselves, and dehumanizes them to a point system in which they are graded on their performance. Many players have become frustrated because fans simply aren’t invested in teams like they used to be. Many of the players have started openly showing their opposition to fantasy leagues. Green Bay Packers tight end Martellus Bennett tweeted “I don’t care about your fantasy football team. Thanks! Sincerely real life football guy.”
The Effects of Fantasy Sports
The industry has grown rapidly since its inception. Currently the business $2 billion annually according to the Fantasy Sports Trade Association. Fantasy sports generate money from advertisements on their sites & apps as well as annual membership fees. This business has become a dominant figure in the sports world thanks to the internet and the connectivity it brings to sports fans.
CBS sportsline findings
Media and Sports 