Fantasy Sports Has Me Lost

They say that sports is PVR-proof because it’s the truest form of reality television. I’m beginning to question that.

On the surface the analogy is simplistic. The outcome of sports events isn’t scripted, tested, edited, and manipulated. Writers and directors don’t decide the hero’s fate. It’s decided in the arena. You can speculate all you want, but the final buzzer is judge and jury. As a fan you want to know the outcome in real time. Not on your week off in a fit of binge watching. Save that for Game of Thrones.

Advertisers love it. Consumers follow their teams, their heroes, their home side in real time because the moment is so special in sports. It’s incomparable. Sport is real.

It’s grounded in the passion you developed as a kid. Cheering for your grandfather’s team. Worshiping that athlete who came to visit your childhood sports camp. Or a book signing. Or a chance meeting at a restaurant.

No matter how you fell in love with that team, that athlete, you had a team. You lived with them. You died with them. You prayed for their playoff chances. You cringed over their injuries. You screamed at the coach after losses. You lionized the captain after wins. They are your team.

Reality. Meet TV. It’s called sports.

I love sports because it’s simple. My team. My guy. My gal. Head to head. Face to face. 1:1. Me versus you.

It doesn’t matter who wears my colours. You’re my hero. Maybe for the night. Maybe for the season. Maybe just for one inning.

However I’m worried. Recently you have some new admirers and I’m not sure you even realize this.

They don’t cheer for your teammates. They aren’t a fan of our club. They don’t know about our playoff drought. They aren’t clamouring for the coaches’ heads. They aren’t already fantasizing about next year.

I’m struggling to describe these new admirers as sports fans. They claim they are. But when I gently prod them, they spill much evidence to the contrary. These people aren’t fans.

A fan loves her team.
A fan worships her starters.
A fan makes excuses for their coach.
A fan watches the game.
A fan argues.
A fan cheers.
A fan cries.
A fan what ifs themselves for days on end.
A fan brainwashes their children.
A fan argues with friends.
A fan ignores family members.
A fan dreams of next season. Before this year is over.
A fan can’t be bought. Sold. Persuaded. Discouraged. Hoodwinked. Influenced. Tempted. Convicted. Convinced. Flattered. Intimated. Educated. Denied.

In short. There is no way possible to understand a fan.

That’s why I love sports.
It’s also why I don’t love fantasy sports.
I don’t get it.

Here is the value proposition of fantasy sports.
Pick players from any team you want.
Base your love solely on their past statistics.
Disregard all measures of character.
Cheer for them to achieve individual success.
Disregard their teams efforts.
Express zero allegiance to the past.

Clearly I don’t get, can’t get into, am bothered by, see it as a perpetual nuisance, haven’t had any success with fantasy sports.

Candidly fantasy sports is something I don’t understand.

On the radio I don’t hear game forecasts anymore. I hear advice for draft picks.

When I’m away from the TV I can’t get scores online. I get fantasy stat updates.

My son’s groans from the TV room are based solely on the defence he’s drafted for the weekend.

I don’t know how to play fantasy if it requires me cheering for the enemy. There is only one quarterback I love. There is only one goalie I pantomime. There is only one small forward’s spot up shots I cross my fingers for. There is only one reliever I will hold off heading to the bathroom for. They all play for the same team. My team. It’s a real team. Not a fantasy team.

I’m not trying to win a pool. I don’t need in-office, online, Facebook/Snapchat/ Instagram bragging rights. There is no reason for me to aspire to win back what I bet (why bet!).

Being number one among buddies doesn’t matter. I just want my teams to win.

Fantasy isn’t fanatic. But tell that to the accountants. They are loving the advertising money that is literally altering the way sports, sports news, online reporting, videos, and highlights are packaged and presented.

Fantasy is ruining reality. Hard to believe. But I see it. If sport becomes nothing more than a glorified game of trading cards, then why bother playing the games. Why not just turn sport over to Hollywood. That may be more than a fantasy.