Fantasy Sports: Catching Up with the Evergrowing Phenomenon

Not long ago, summer days consisted of either playing catch with the neighbor boy, rounding up a group of friends to play ball at the local park, or going to see a good ole' ball game with pops.

Now, though, it's spent scanning the web for all of the late-breaking, up-to-the-second sports news that stat-thirsty fantasy enthusiasts crave.

But, really, should it come as a surprise?

Fantasy sports originated in the year 1960 by Harvard University sociologist William Gamson. However, it became most popular in the 1990's decade as the internet boom made it possible—and a whole lot easier—to keep track of and look up stats for professional athletes.

In a study conducted by The Fantasy Sports Trade Association, it is noted that some 29.9 million people, age 12 and up, both in the United States and in Canada, actively participated in a fantasy sport in the year of 2008.

This number is substantially higher than the number of people who participated in fantasy sports in the 1990's, (around 3 million people).

This growing phenomenon can be attributed to a few different things.

First of all, sports (including fantasy sports) are being marketed now more than ever.  Heck, a few nights ago while scrolling through channels, I counted a mere six channels that regularly showed sports shows, not counting all of the national network providers such as NBC or ABC, (who show select games, such as playoff games).

This included ESPN, ESPN2, Versus, and the relative "snoozer" Golf Channel, (which happened to be right before yet another ESPN provider, ESPNEWS).

The increased attention and marketing given to sports in general certainly opens the door to the world of fantasy sports, as it intrigues individuals to certain players and also introduces them to the oh-so important concept of building and managing their own squad of players.

Another factor is that fantasy sports are being directly related to normal sports.  Case in point:  When ESPN shows a box score of any random baseball game, not only do they show the stats, but they also show fantasy news, and how so and so's injury is progressing, or how Johnny Bee is on a hot streak. 

All of this also spawns interest into the land of fantasy.

A good friend of mine, when asked why he played fantasy sports, answered, "Because it's fun. I like the strategy aspect involved, and I enjoy sports in general." 

Certainly all of the exposure that sports get—be it on TV, radio, internet, or just in real life—has the ability to link interest in fantasy sports (as talked about above).

The fact is that fantasy sports give us another reason to follow sports. Athletes rostered on a fantasy team garners new interest into the players in real life.  Men, (or women), involved in your league become friends.

Parties are held pre-draft and also post-season. It is a socially-involved hobby, and thus helps to spread the "fantasy word," not only by electronic sources, (internet and TV), but also by one of the very first ways of human communication: By word of mouth.

The economic side of fantasy has not kept quiet either.  Fantasy owners want new news (and now, as we've discussed), and they will obtain it by any means necessary.  Newspapers have included fantasy columns in the last couple of years, and the internet serves as the home base for up-to-the-minute fantasy news and analysis. 

Sites including draft guides and in-season tips are now even charging for their services.  While I myself do not pay to read these articles and guides, I am familiar with some people who do, all who are helping generate revenue for the fantasy industry.

There is no denying that fantasy sports is a booming business and that it will continue to grow at a hefty rate still.

Fifty years ago, it wasn't even invented; now it is a $4 billion industry.

Will you become a part of it?

Stats obtained from http://www.emediawire.com/releases/2008/7/emw1084994.htm which uses stats from the Fantasy Sports Trade Association