Millions of people build their own American football teams every season, cheer for real NFL stars and compete with friends, colleagues or strangers from all over the world. But what makes this digital manager game so fascinating?
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Sunday 7 p.m. Four Basel American football fans are ready for several hours of NFL. They celebrate Sunday like millions of American sports fans. In addition to the NFL games, there is a second game. “Fantasy Football” – an online strategy game in which participants put together a fictional team consisting of real players from different teams.
Many Swiss NFL fans celebrate Sunday like millions of Americans.
SRF
“You take on the role of team manager, put the team together and add new players during the season,” explains NFL fan Damiano Lombardi. “You’re actively involved – it’s really fun.”
With Fantasy Football, you are no longer just interested in your favorite team, but also in games between random teams like the Atlanta Falcons and the Tennessee Titans – because you have your own fantasy player in action. Every touchdown, every field goal becomes a triumph or a drama.
Draft day
Fantasy Draft Day is a highlight in fantasy football. On this day, participants put together their teams by selecting players in a set order. Typically the draft takes place in late August or early September.
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Image 1 of 6. Fantasy Football is an online strategy game in which participants put together a fictional team consisting of real players from different teams.
Image source: SRF.
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Image 2 of 6. Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen is one of the most popular players on the fantasy football app.
Bildquelle: Keystone / Jeffrey T. Barnes.
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Image 3 of 6. On fantasy football draft day, participating players select for their fictional teams, with each professional only being available once.
Image source: Keystone / Al Behrman.
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Image 4 of 6. Elaborate TV programs are produced in which fantasy football is philosophized for hours.
Image source: ESPN.
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Image 5 of 6. New York Giants running back Cam Skattebo is out injured. Fantasy players then complain that their team is no longer performing.
Image source: Keystone / Chris Szagola.
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Image 6 of 6. “JD” is one of the leading German-speaking football YouTubers.
Image source: Youtube/JDsOvertime.
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The game is free. For the providers of fantasy football, it is still a million-dollar business that is financed through advertising. In the USA alone, around 30 million people play fantasy football every year – and the number is rising, including in Europe. It even goes so far that elaborate TV shows are produced in which fantasy football is discussed and philosophized for hours.
I think the special aspect is that the sport can be experienced in a playful way.
Jonas Pumpkin, better known as “JD”, one of the leading German-speaking football YouTubers, explains why fantasy football is so successful and inspires more and more fans: “I think the special aspect is that it allows the sport to be experienced in a playful way. Normally you have little influence: you watch your favorite team but can’t decide anything. In fantasy football, however, you are the manager yourself and make the decisions about which players you field.”
Effect on real players
The real players are represented in the squads of millions of fictional teams. If they play poorly, they don’t bring points to fantasy teams. This has already led to strange scenes – such as when San Francisco 49ers pass receiver George Kittle apologized to fantasy fans after a game because he didn’t score many points even though his team had won.
San Francisco 49ers pass receiver George Kittle apologizes to fantasy football players for his poor performance in the virtual game.
Keystone / Godofredo A. Vásquez
The main goal in fantasy football is to achieve the highest score in the league at the end of the season and win the championship of your own league. In many leagues, small trophies, medals or other symbolic awards are awarded for this. There are funny punishments for the worst player, such as wearing a costume or winning a “shit trophy” that must be kept until the next season.
After 17 weeks of fantasy football hype, the season is over. The entire football season ends with the Super Bowl at the beginning of February, the final game of the NFL. For fantasy players, that means they’ll have to wait until September for the next real and virtual football spectacle to begin.
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