Armchair specialists
Sport is so much more than just players on a pitch, a way to keep fit, or a pastime to expend one’s competitive energy. It is a form of entertainment like watching movies or listening to music that is so much greater than the sum of its parts. The global industry is reported to be worth around AUS$ 771 billion. The vast majority of that spend does not come from people taking part in active sports but derives from an armchair at home or a beer with mates in a bar while watching a game.
However, it is not only what is happening on the pitch, in the ring, or at a tournament that is pulling in the crowds. Alongside the real action, people are engaged in their fantasy leagues, and how their virtual team fares related directly to what is happening on the field of play. Fantasy teams are not bound by the restrictions of the physical game. Teams can be made up of players who, in reality, play on opposing teams. What matters in fantasy sports is how players perform, and that affects their stats in the game.
Sports app market
Sports apps are growing apace in Australia, and many of them have inbuilt fantasy features. The number of sports-related app downloads in 2022 is expected to be in the region of 10,000,000. Because athletes are attributed a points score based on their in-game performance, working out fantasy scores can be a little complicated. While it is possible to do it all manually, having an app that does it all for you is much simpler. The most sophisticated programs allow viewers to livestream and keep up to date with how their fantasy team is progressing at the same time. To make things even more exciting, points are not just on the final score. In Australian rules football, rugby, and soccer games, points are allocated for kicks and tackles and taken away for conceding free kicks.
Fantasy sport gives fans ‘agency’
Fantasy sports give sports fans a level of agency they do not have when watching their favorite team play. If things are going badly for their team, they have the opportunity to swap players in and out of play or even get rid of them altogether. One might not expect statistics to be quite so exciting, but the highest-scoring fantasy team wins. As with live sports, where there are winners and losers, there is an opportunity to have a wager, which is one reason fantasy sports are so popular.
In fact, a whole genre of apps and sites have sprung up to cater to the fantasy sports betting market. You can find a wide range of fantasy sports betting sites in Australia, with one like Draftstars having a great Aussie sports focus and massive potential prize pools. For people who like to watch and bet on the go, there are also impressive apps that are available for iOS and Android. With everything being so accessible, it is not surprising that so many people get a kick out of running their fantasy squad.
Part of a community
Fantasy games vary hugely in complexity, with some using basic arithmetic and others having all kinds of analytical concepts to consider. The Fantasy Sports and Gaming Association claims that there are more than sixty million players in the United States alone. People who play fantasy sports identify as a ‘family’, and the community aspect of it is believed to be one of the primary motivators for participation. There are websites and podcasts devoted to the fantasy sports community. The Australian Football League’s AFL Fantasy platform has over 150,000 registered players, and many in the industry believe there will be significantly more growth in the future. Looking at the popularity of fantasy sports in the well-established United States market, it is easy to understand why. By comparison, the Australian market is in its infancy.
Fantasy sports are far from the only popular armchair sports that have their roots in physical sports but have taken on a life of their own. You only have to think about the popularity of video gaming titles like EA’s FIFA to understand how embroiled players can become in a game. The partnership between EA and FIFA may have come to an end, but that does not stop millions of gaming fans from enjoying battling it out on the virtual soccer pitch.
Something to talk about
Millions of fantasy sports fans worldwide enjoy playing, strategizing, and being part of a community of like-minded people. While you could say it is only a game, some people take it incredibly seriously, and it is a common discussion topic amongst co-workers, students, and groups of friends. People post about fantasy sports on social media and are members of groups devoted to it. Unlike a computer simulation, fantasy sports results are based on the actions of real people, but there is still an element of control for the fantasy player.