#FANTASYFOOTBALL by Rose de Fremery

assionate about football? Then you’re undoubt- accumulated, for a spot in the playoffs. Those who win their edly aware of its virtual counterpart, fantasy leagues get ultimate bragging rights in the community as well football, if you’re not already actively involved as the last laugh against opponents who have relentlessly P in it. Even if you don’t follow sports, by now trash talked them throughout the season. you’ve likely heard a friend moan about how they’re getting Fantasy football is its own complete universe: in addition crushed in their league or you may have caught a glimpse of to the owner who runs a team there are of course the a coworker feverishly logging fantasy leagues in which to in to make a last minute trade compete, fantasy commis- during a lunch break. sioners to oversee them, All of us who follow sports “Fantasy football is and even fantasy analysts have at one time or another to report on the latest pro wondered what on earth its own complete football developments im- the general manager of our universe.” pacting everyone’s fantasy favorite team was thinking teams. Although fantasy when he signed that guy – leagues modeled on the you know, the expensive, aging free agent with the bad attitude who promptly got are the most common, there are fantasy leagues for college injured at the start of the season – or the promising young football and even high school football. newcomer whose production never quite lived up to every- Although it first became nationally popular in the late 1980s, one’s expectations. Fantasy sports gives you the chance to fantasy football has since become a cherished pastime, make those calls yourself and find out whether or not you bordering on an obsession, for a great many football fans. could have done a better job. According to Mashable, over twenty seven million people As the name indicates, fantasy football is a simulated com- across the globe now compete online. Even NFL players petition in which football themselves have been known to compete in fantasy leagues fans manage their own and there is a World clubs. The season Championship of starts with a draft in “Even NFL players Fantasy Football held late summer as fantasy every year. owners assemble their themselves have been ESPN’s Senior Fantasy teams, poring through Analyst Matthew Berry, player statistics and known to compete in when interviewing for injury reports just as any positions on the way real-life general manager fantasy leagues” to joining ESPN, made would when trying to put it clear that fantasy together a Superbowl- sports aren’t a passing worthy lineup. As the fancy. In a blog post, season progresses, Berry recounts describ- teams compete against one another in the rankings, which ing the growing popularity of fantasy football to his potential are typically determined by win-loss records or by total points employers this way: “Fantasy sports are more than a fad. This

NOVEMBER 2011 / 33 space is going to explode. You have a real opportunity here. I tweets with #fantasyfootball to share advice on matchups think I can help”. Now he regularly appears in such venues as and host live chats as well. Updates on inactive players and SportsCenter and NFL Live. Berry is active on social media as injuries flow straight through the Twitter feed, instantly de- well. The tagline for his Twitter account @MatthewBerryTMR livering just the sort of information owners most need when reads: “I’m ESPN’s Senior Fantasy Analyst. I’m just as sur- tweaking their lineups. prised as you that it’s a real job”. Klout ranks Berry as a top The NFL itself is heavily involved in promoting fantasy football, social media influencer hosting its own fantasy on the topic of fantasy leagues on NFL.com. football. His colleague There, fantasy owners Adam Schefter, ESPN’s “The #fantasyfootball can check the status of NFL Insider, boasts over injured players like Tony a million followers on hashtag is active with Romo and Michael Vick Twitter. in addition to viewing So how can you plug questions from fantasy segments from NFL into the world of fantasy fans fretting about who Fantasy Live. The football? While you can NFL Fantasy Football join a league well into to start and who to sit.” 2011 app allows users the season and still find to manage their NFL a supportive community fantasy teams and of fellow fans to help you access rankings, pro- along the way, it’s gener- jections and trends. ally understood that thorough research and preparation prior Active Twitter accounts representing the NFL include Fantasy to the draft is key to winning your league. There are cheat sheet Editor Michael Fabiano and the official @NFLfantasy account. and draft kit apps available for this purpose including NFL Both are active tweeters, frequently responding to fans’ Fantasy Cheat Sheet 2011 and Rotowire’s Fantasy Football requests for advice on managing their rosters. Draft Kit 2011. Such Despite such engage- apps give you access to ment with the fantasy a wealth of information, “Fans took to Twitter community, the NFL including detailed player has run into some con- rankings and projected to voice their troversy as of late. The fantasy points, which league came under you can use to design outrage, calling fire in late September your ideal fantasy team. when it used a photo As the draft begins you the advertisement of Jamaal Charles, who can create customized had just suffered a sea- settings for your league, dehumanizing and son-ending injury, in an mark which players have advertisement for its already been claimed by exploitative.” fantasy football site. other teams, and also The offending adver- add players to a wish tisement said: “Injury list should they become ruined your fantasy available. season? Start again on NFL.com. It’s not too late”. Fans took Anyone interested in fielding a fantasy football team also has to Twitter to voice their outrage, calling the advertisement de- social media resources at their fingertips to help them get humanizing and exploitative. Players were no less irate. In started. The #fantasyfootball hashtag is active with questions response to the outcry, NFL Head of PR Greg Aiello quickly from fantasy fans fretting about who to start and who to sit tweeted: “It was a mistake by fantasy football marketing. leading into Sunday’s games. Columnists from CBS Sports, Taken down immediately”. ESPN, the New York Times and elsewhere regularly tag their Although loath to have images of their injuries used for NFL’s

34 / THE SOCIAL MEDIA MONTHLY promotional purposes, pro football players are known to Taking the intersection of fantasy football and social media share minute details of their condition on Twitter. For example, a step further, CBS also launched the first ever Social Houston Texans running back Arian Foster recently tweeted Media Fantasy Football league this year. Eric Kay, Assistant an MRI photo of his injured hamstring. That sent fantasy Managing Editor for CBS Interactive Sports, explains how it football owners back to got started: “My social their rosters with consid- media editor, Jameson erable angst. Fleming, and I were “Houston Texans talking about ways to ESPN is a major try and develop rela- presence in the fantasy running back Arian tionships with other football arena. The well- social media people. regarded ESPN Fantasy Foster recently tweeted Despite it being called Football 2011 app social media we felt supports mobile man- an MRI photo of there were few actual agement of ESPN fantasy human connections league teams plus news his injured hamstring.” being made. And updates, videos and what better way than tweets from the net- over fantasy football? work’s fantasy analysts. There’s no better sports The sports network also bonding experience out uses social media to there aside from team fandom. The connect with fantasy owners. ESPN’s league is going well as we’re 1-1 Fantasy Sports page has 87,309 Likes en route to 2-1 after a win over Rob and regularly features polls with ques- Campbell of the Cleveland Indians. tions such as, “What was the craziest Mashable is hanging around the top trade in your league this week?” Fans of the leaderboard too, surprise, can now post video messages to a surprise”. site known as Tout asking questions of Robert Flores, Matthew Berry and While the gridiron might be virtual, other ESPN TV personalities. Selected the passions are real. The next time questions are answered live on ESPN. a friend pesters you to consider joining a league, you just might want CBS also actively engages fantasy to give it a try. A social community football fans through several social of dedicated fans, columnists and media channels. CBS Sports offers players awaits. a Fantasy Football Today Live appli- cation through which fans can watch live broadcasts of the show from Rose de Fremery is quickly becoming our go within Facebook. Questions submit- to social media sports writer. You can find her on Twitter at @RosedeFremery. ted via Twitter and Facebook are regularly featured on the show. CBSSports.com writer Dave Richard has a Facebook page on which he surveys the fantasy community about who to start in next week’s games and counsels owners about smart moves they can make to win their leagues. CBSSports. com columnist Jamey Eisenberg also dispenses advice on start/sit questions daily via Twitter, providing tips to fans with an insider’s seasoned perspective. The television network’s highly rated CBS Sports Pro Football app also allows users to manage their CBS fantasy teams from within the application.

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