There is no question NFL is the most watched sport in the US, the king of revenue when it comes to sports. No one questions the beauty of the game, the shrewd management of the commissioners, the TV deals, and so on. But in the recent years, it seems that a huge part of the revenue could be coming from a growing trend - an increasing number of people who follow the game because they love to play fantasy football. From the August drafts that have turned even preseason games into serious challengers in primetime ratings to the weekly battles that often make the fantasy players rooting against their own NFL teams for the sake of fantasy glory, fantasy football has become inceasingly important in adding to the popularity of the game.
What is your take?
2007-06-18 08:35:08 · 6 answers · asked by klodi75 2 in Sports ➔ Football (American)
It has obviously increased the number of games watched, merchandise sold, and so on...but I doubt that it has actually brought many more people into the game.
If you never liked the NFL and never had a real team you supported, chances are you wouldn't be interested in fantasy football in the first place.
I did it for two seasons, won my league the first one, and never did it again. I didn't like having to root for players to do well against my teams. Sometimes fantasy football put me in a compromising position as a fan. I found myself rooting for a player on my fantasy team that was playing against a team that I actually supported. I just didn't like that.
Maybe I'm one of a select few, but I don't think fantasy football has had a huge impact on the NFL as far as popularity. Sure, it may be the newest way for the NFL to make money, but it hasn't increased the overall popularity of the game that much.
2007-06-18 08:45:30 · answer #1 · answered by Richard F 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋
I think it's just a symptom of the fact that football has been getting more and more popular, and with only 16 regular season and 4 preseason games plus 2 playoff weeks, the SB, the Pro Bowl and the draft, that may not be enough NFL football to fill the entire year for most people. They're turning to things like Madden and fantasy to slake their football thirst a little better :)
2007-06-18 09:25:11 · answer #2 · answered by droid327 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think its reverse, that Fantasy Football feeds off of the NFL's popularity. I've felt for many years, before Fantasy Football, that football was the true "American Pastime". No one watches baseball. NONE of my friends or family really watch baseball, and the few that do would turn it off in a heartbeat for football. But we ALL like and watch football. This would also explain why Fantasy Baseball is a joke and no one ever talks about it. Footballs popularity had been riding under the radar, but has always been solid and growing. Fantasy football is feeding off of Footballs already existing popularity.
2007-06-18 08:42:06 · answer #3 · answered by Sam H 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
football is so popular becasue they play only 17 games in a season. Baseball plays 162 and basketball has 82, so its ok to miss a game here and there, loads of people watch baseball and basketball it just gets spread out. Football on the other hand has all of its viewers watching games packed into one day, so they blow up their ratings. Im not bashing football either i love it, but you cant compare their popularity.
2007-06-18 08:43:07 · answer #4 · answered by mike b 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No, it was wildly popular before fantasy football got so big. It certainly helps it grow more. But it's not the main reason.
2007-06-18 08:38:35 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
LOL ...... No, the NFL was overwhelming popular long long before fantasy football leagues.
2007-06-18 09:42:58 · answer #6 · answered by ndmagicman 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋