In the decade of cyber space and internet host websites, there can leave no doubt that the passion for fanasty football is the biggest new sports business in america. With over 1 billion dollars in revenue, over 27 million participants in the US and Canada, from celebrities, former professional athletes and the regular joe or joyce that have the obsession for fanasty football are actively participating in the league today.
The humble beginning’s of fantasy football league was formed by Oakland Raiders limited partner, Wilfred Winkenbach, Raiders team managers and sports journalists in 1962. Over the years various leagues and team drafts have taken it’s own shape and form. By the late 1980’s the fantasy football league’s grew to more than 100 thousand participants meeting in local bars and resturants in america.
The platform of today’s fantasy football league was launched into orbit in 1997 when internet sites like SportsLine offered a 24/7 talk show of fantasy football. It allowed passionate participants to voice there opinion’s of drafts, trades and game plans from week to week. Now, with the purchase of SportsLine by CBS and the launch of competitors fantasy football website, their’s estimated more than 36 million people currently participating.
Fantasy football has become so popular that Las Vegas casinos have gotten into the action by hosting fantasy football annual drafts, offering the in-game betting and advertising a prize pool of $2 million, with the winner walking away with $300,000. Like the actual NFL games, Las Vegas have pre-game and halftime entertainment. Last year the Palms enlisted the performance of Snoop Dog Dog for “2700 VIP fantasy football owners attending special events surrounding their draft party weekend”.
The growth is so overwhelming that, Yahoo have set up a dedicated web platform that offers various game format, play calling and real time broadcasting with statistical analysis of the football coverage of players. Yahoo is the largest single-source provider and collects revenue form entry fees, advertising and technolgy upgrades.
Fantasy football is apporching 50 years old and only 10 years of cyber platform. The industry boost of annual revenue between, $1-2 billion dollars and growing. The league have incorporated rules set up by the “Fantasy Sports Trade Association”. An equilient of the NBA, NFL, NHL and Major league baseball commissors. It has the star power, the passion and a world wide audience, all equal to a formula for growing success.
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/fantasy-footballs-1-billion-a-221105
http://news.yahoo.com/fantasy-football-big-revenue-generator-las-vegas-225000945.html
http://www.informationweek.com/news/201804513
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