Throughout the football season, millions of fans tune in to watch their favorite teams. But with the rise of fantasy sports, many fans now find themselves more invested in their favorite fantasy players rather than the teams themselves.
Fantasy leagues have changed the way people experience football; it shifts attention from the actual game to the individual performances.
“Fantasy sports can take you away from supporting your teams because you want your fantasy players to do well even if they are going against a team that you support,” said junior Chance Voytilla.
When fans start to support players on opposing teams, rather than their own, it shows how fantasy sports have reshaped loyalty in football. The excitement of fantasy leagues can overshadow real fan support of their favorite team.
Since fantasy sports focuses on individual player stats, fantasy teams get points for how each individual player plays, not how the actual football team plays. Voytilla said that “Your players are rewarded many more points in fantasy football than any other stat,” showing how fantasy sports focus more on stats than the actual love of the game.
While fantasy leagues bring people together and create another level of competition, it can also make fans forget why they started watching sports in the first place.
“When the Patriots were playing the Dolphins and I had Waddle on my team, I had to root for [the Dolphins] so I didn’t lose in fantasy,” junior Jake Pekarek said. “But, I love seeing my guys catching passes, scoring touchdowns, and I love seeing them ball every Sunday. Fantasy makes football so much more enjoyable.”
Fantasy sports have undeniably made football more engaging for many fans, giving them a reason to follow every matchup, not just their favorite teams.
However, it’s easy to forget whether you’re cheering for your team or your fantasy players.
“When I watch football, I want my fantasy players to play well, but I also want my favorite team to win,” sophomore Brian Coulon said. “I started playing fantasy because my friends did, and it just makes watching football more fun.”
According to Coulon, fantasy brings people together, but also takes away true team support. When fans focus on how well their fantasy team is playing, they care less about their actual team winning.
Fantasy sports can be entertaining, but still changes the way fans support their favorite team. Fans rooting for opposing team’s players over their favorite team changes what being a real fan is.
A real fan loves the game, and roots for their team over anything else. With fantasy sports, that passion for the game starts to fade.
If you care more about your fantasy scores than the actual game in front of you, can you really call yourself a real fan?