The Growth of Fantasy Sports

Why this Online Game is now one of the Most Popular on the Internet

Jan 16, 2009 Darek Truesdale

Over the last decade, fantasy sports have grown from a game played by the few to a game played by the millions, with its financial profits illustrating the growth.

In the mid 1990s, fantasy sports were a small, unknown form of entertainment frequented by the more “brainy” sports fans that enjoyed using sports statistics as a means of competition rather than an indication of knowledge.

Now, according to a study in 2005 by the Fantasy Sports Trade Association, between 15 and 18 million fans play fantasy sports, with a growth of 7 to 10 percent each year.

Not only has the number of players gone up in recent years, profits by fantasy sports outlets have skyrocketed. In an article published by Knowledge@Wharton, a site ran by the University of Pennsylvania, fantasy sports was a $4 billion industry in 2007.

What are Fantasy Sports?

According to encylopedian.com, a fantasy sport, by definition, “is a game where fantasy owners build a team that competes against other fantasy owners based on the statistics generated by individual players or teams of a professional sport."

For example, if someone were playing fantasy baseball, the statistics earned by the baseball players on a fantasy owner’s team would count as points toward that owner, which is how a winner is chosen in each fantasy sports league.

Several sites, from Yahoo.com to ESPN.com to even NLL.com (National Lacrosse League), offer fantasy sports free of charge to anyone desiring to play.

Why people play Fantasy Sports

“(Fantasy sports) gives people an opportunity and reason to follow the entire league and not just root for their independent team,” said Scott Neiss to Suite101.com, who runs the fantasy sports game offered by NLL.com. “It adds another dimension to watching the game and it's become big business as a result.”

Many fans of the popular Internet phenomenon agree with Neiss’ statement of fantasy sports adding another aspect to watching the game.

“It keeps me up to date with what’s going on around each league,” said Ravdeep Doel, talking to Suite101.com, who’s been playing fantasy sports, particularly fantasy football, since 2000.

“(Fantasy sports) brings (fans) more into the game because they follow who does good or who does bad religiously,” said Jagpal Singh, interviewed for Suite101.com, and another frequenter of fantasy sports, who's been a fantasy owner since 2002.

Fantasy sports and advertising

With it being an Internet based commodity, fantasy sports goes hand-in-hand with the growth of online advertising, which sheds light on why fantasy sports is now a $4 billion industry. Even sites with small fantasy sports participation - like NLL.com - hope to see their profits from the game grow.

“While we haven't profited from the game yet, we offer it free of charge in an effort to promote our players and build the game into a property that we may be able to profit from down the line,” said Neiss of his relatively small fantasy site of 5,000 participants.

As fantasy sports continue to grow - both in players and profits - the Internet vehicle that has become more mainstream over the last few years has given sports fans an opportunity to share a common passion with fans outside the stadiums and arenas.

The copyright of the article The Growth of Fantasy Sports in Video & Online Games is owned by Darek Truesdale. Permission to republish The Growth of Fantasy Sports in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

For many, fantasy sports are an addiction