Fantasy sports probably seem like an extraordinary waste of time to the outside observer- grown men hunching over their computers or television sets, managing make-believe teams in make-believe leagues to win... well, most of the time to win nothing but bragging rights. However, there is more to fantasy sports than meets the eye.
First of all, fantasy sports have allowed sports fans to expand their interaction with their favorite sports and players to a whole new level. Fans can now own their own teams, make important trade and draft day decisions, and get a taste of what they enjoy so much. Whether or not their home teams are competitive, their fantasy teams always have a chance to win (and, if they don't, they have no one to blame other than themselves).
Fantasy sports provide an arena for fans to test their own knowledge of the game and their opinion of players' values. Owners can try to best each other through the draft and waiver wire pickups or try and get the upper hand in a trade. This inter-fan rivalry is perhaps the most addicting aspect of fantasy sports.
Another value of fantasy sports is its ability to make usually non-descript games intensely interesting for the fantasy owner because of its impact on team. I don't care about non-Dallas area teams if they're not playing one of my favorite teams, but, because of fantasy sports, I actually pay attention to the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, if only because I have Carlos Pena on one of my fantasy teams.
This concept also applies to mid-season games in any sport, but specifically baseball, whose regular seasons are so long (162 games for Major League Baseball) that the outcome of a single game, especially in the summer months, is seemingly unimportant. Attach fantasy sports to these games, however, and they attain a new level of impact.
Fantasy sports have clearly made inroads in sports fandom. Games scroll live stats for fantasy owners, ESPN brings in fantasy analysts to breakdown potential trades, draft picks, etc., and millions of people own a fantasy team of one kind or another.
Thanks to fantasy sports, professional sports are as popular now as ever and won't be going anywhere soon. After all, how else would I waste my time if I didn't have 9 fantasy baseball teams to manage? I suggest giving it a shot. There are fantasy leagues available for just about any sport - hockey, football, baseball, basketball, golf, auto racing, you name it. Any of your fantasy-league friends would welcome you with open arms.
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