Do You Contribute To The Multi Billion Fantasy Football Industry?

Labor Day? Nah

As summer winds down there is one more holiday remaining to be celebrated over an entire weekend with friends and enemies. Millions of people have begun, or soon will begin, drafting their 2022 fantasy football teams. The final weekend of August is now recognized as National Fantasy Football Draft Weekend. 

You didn't read that wrong. 70B

According to a recent report, the NFL Fantasy Football industry has grown to $70 BILLION dollars. Yes. 70 billion dollars. $70,000,000,000. Seventy-billion dollars. Some of the factors considered by the valuation were time spent on managing throughout the season, draft travel, supplies, and subscriptions. Why do I bring this up now? It's on my mind because the league I have belonged to for 15 years will be drafting this weekend.

"All of you chumps called me crazy for drafting 07' Randy Moss!" 

This group all came together through new connections at college, through old friends, siblings, and even someone's mother-in-law. That guy also gets beat regularly by his MIL when they matchup. Through the first handful of years, we were all able to get together at one location, and draft together. For a lot of us it was the only time of year we saw one another.

We worked around Covid 

As we have all gone on our paths in life, we have geographically spread out and our weekend time is spent with our families. Still, into 2019 we were still able to have 7-9 of us together in one location during the draft. Since the pandemic we have not been able to get together in person, except for the 4 of us last year outside.

See you losers later

There are times when it seems we have already had "the good old days” of our fantasy football days. The trash talk isn't nearly as intense or frequent, and the interaction has become difficult. However, we are all still able to look forward to our upcoming draft day. What are some of the traditions in your fantasy football league? How long have you been together? Let us know. Good luck this year. Except to the 11 other jerks in my league.