The Fantasy Sport Industry

Fantasy sport has become big business. Recent estimates suggest that there as many as 33 million fantasy sport participants in the US alone, spending $3bn annually, with many millions more around the world. This is the first in-depth study of fantasy sport as a cultural and social phenomenon and a significant and growing component of the contemporary sports economy. This book presents an overview of the history of fantasy sport and its close connection to innovations in sports media. Drawing on extensive empirical research, it offers an analysis of the demographics of fantasy sport, the motivations of fantasy sport players and their significance as heavy consumers of sport media and as ultra-fans. It also draws cross-cultural comparisons between fantasy sport players in the US, UK, Europe and beyond. The Fantasy Sport Industry examines the key commercial and media stakeholders in the production and development of fantasy sport, and points to new directions for the fantasy sport industry within modern sport business. It is therefore, fascinating reading for any student, scholar or professional with an interest in sports media, sports business, fandom, the relationship between sport and society, or cultural studies.

This edited collection examines how fantasy sports play has established a prominent and promising foothold in the larger sports ecology. Often considered an isolated activity for the hardcore sports fan, fantasy sports play have since been incorporated into sports broadcasting and editorial coverage, sports marketing and promotions, and even into the very sports themselves with athletes and teams using the activities to draw fans further into the sports experience. This edited collection invites leading scholars and sports professionals from several different fields to share historical and emerging perspectives on the importance of fantasy sports as an artifact of theoretical and empirical importance to larger issues of sport and society. \

Fantasy sport has become big business. Recent estimates suggest that there as many as 33 million fantasy sport participants in the US alone, spending $3bn annually, with many millions more around the world. This is the first in-depth study of fantasy sport as a cultural and social phenomenon and a significant and growing component of the contemporary sports economy. This book presents an overview of the history of fantasy sport and its close connection to innovations in sports media. Drawing on extensive empirical research, it offers an analysis of the demographics of fantasy sport, the motivations of fantasy sport players and their significance as heavy consumers of sport media and as ultra-fans. It also draws cross-cultural comparisons between fantasy sport players in the US, UK, Europe and beyond. The Fantasy Sport Industry examines the key commercial and media stakeholders in the production and development of fantasy sport, and points to new directions for the fantasy sport industry within modern sport business. It is therefore, fascinating reading for any student, scholar or professional with an interest in sports media, sports business, fandom, the relationship between sport and society, or cultural studies.

This edited collection examines how fantasy sports play has established a prominent and promising foothold in the larger sports ecology. The contributors include leading scholars and sports professionals who share historical and emerging perspectives on the importance of fantasy sports to larger issues of sport and society.

The businesses of the Fantasy Sports Trade Association have helped propel one of America's most beloved pastimes into a 26 billion dollar industry. The advent of daily fantasy sports has created thousands of jobs, raised millions in tax dollars, and has given consumers endless ways to play fantasy sports. Unfortunately, all that may be coming to an end if the government and special interest groups have their way. Daily Fantasy Sports, the book, explores the impact of fantasy sports in America today. Take a stroll in fantasyland and discover everything there is to know about daily fantasy sports. Learn about the legal challenges, how we got in this mess, and what choices the industry now faces in order to save fantasy sports. The author helps you connect the dots, all while keeping you entertained with thoughtful quotes, tips on how to play, and more.Chapters include:Chapter 1 - "It's a Game of Skill" - explore how daily fantasy games are truly are a game of skill.Chapter 2 - "Las Vegas & The Silver Bullet" - see how Vegas is responsible for the legal mess.Chapter 3 - "The Sharks & Players" - numbers, demographics, and the shark problem.Chapter 4 - "It's the Economy Stupid" - how the government can't get out of its own way.Chapter 5 - "The Technology Cat Mouse Game" - predictions about the future and how DFS will evolve.Chapter 6 - "The Types of Daily Fantasy Games" - learn about all the different gameplay styles.Chapter 7 - "How to be Good at Fantasy Sports" - tips, insight, and advice on how to up your game.Chapter 8 - "Behind the Scenes Magic" - explore the businesses that make fantasy sports what it is today.Chapter 9 - "Thoughts from the Industry" - see what industry insiders have to say about fantasy sports.Chapter 10 - "Freedom with Responsibility" - why free market principals are all we need.Chapter 11 - "Keep Fighting the Good Fight" - what we can do to combat the downfall of DFS.The author's collective knowledge of the fantasy sports industry is virtually unparalleled, giving readers an in depth look at daily fantasy sports they won't find anywhere else. His involvement with a variety of industry operators, attorneys, and FSTA businesses places him in a net neutral position that allows readers to see the industry for what it really is. Fantasy sports players and industry insiders alike have sang high praises about this one of a kind book on daily fantasy sports.

The sports industry had impressive global growth over the years, with factors from the introduction of e-sports and new streaming and viewing methods to sponsorships and digital media contributing to its rise. However, the COVID-19 pandemic brought upon a rapid change in this sector. Sports' seasons ended abruptly, people’s escape from reality suddenly vanished, their spending attitudes changed, live games and commercial flights were suspended, hotels were impossible to book, and consumers practically turned into prisoners within their own homes. No live sports matches were to follow on any media either, so specialized sports channels were forced to play old recordings rather than broadcasting new events. Even athletes themselves struggle to stay relevant and thus, try to utilize creative methods to enhance their brand value in these difficult times. With most of the sports leagues shut down during the pandemic, with a few exceptions which performed in empty venues, the restrictions diminished the sports experience compared to the pre-COVID-19 era and the impacts were widespread. Impacts and Implications for the Sports Industry in the Post-COVID-19 Era explores the changes that have been and will continue to be created by the unexpected disruptions that occurred as a result of the pandemic within the sports industry, fans consumption, and recreational habits. The chapters explore the status of sports after the pandemic, paths to recovery, and the future of sports, along with the many impacts and issues that have arisen due to changes in the industry necessitated by COVID-19. Covering important topics such as mental health, impacts on athletes and coaches, the market value for professional sports, consumer behavior during COVID-19, and the changes in marketing, tourism, and business, this book is ideally intended for sports managers, marketers, broadcasting agencies, media specialists, brand managers, fitness professionals, practitioners, stakeholders, researchers, academicians, and students interested in the impacts on the sports industry and the outlook for sports in the post-COVID-19 era.

The author reveals the story of the rise of daily fantasy sports and the brilliant entrepreneurs disrupting the way fans consume sports.

Sport is a universal feature of global popular culture. It shapes our identities, affects our relationships, and defines our communities. It also influences our consumption habits, represents our cultures, and dramatizes our politics. In other words, sport is among the most prominent vehicles for communication available in daily life. Nevertheless, only recently has it begun to receive robust attention in the discipline of communication studies. The handbook of Communication and Sport attends to the recent and rapid growth of scholarship in communication and media studies that features sport as a central site of inquiry. The book attempts to capture a full range of methods, theories, and topics that have come to define the subfield of "communication and sport" or "sports communication." It does so by emphasizing four primary features. First, it foregrounds "communication" as central to the study of sport. This emphasis helps to distinguish the book from collections in related disciplines such as sociology, and also points readers beyond media as the primary or only context for understanding the relationship between communication and sport. Thus, in addition to studies of media effects, mediatization, media framing, and more, readers will also engage with studies in interpersonal, intercultural, organizational, and rhetorical communication. Second, the handbook presents an array of methods, theories, and topics in the effort to chart a comprehensive landscape of communication and sport scholarship. Thus, readers will benefit from empirical, interpretive, and critical work, and they will also see studies drawing on varied texts and sites of inquiry. Third, the handbook of Communication and Sport includes a broad range of scholars from around the world. It is therefore neither European nor North American in its primary focus. In addition, the book includes contributors from commonly under-represented regions in Asia, Africa, and South America. Fourth, the handbook aims to account for both historical trajectories and contemporary areas of interest. In this way, it covers the central topics, debates, and perspectives from the past and also suggests continued and emerging pathways for the future. Collectively, the handbook of Communication and Sport aspires to provide scholars and students in communication and media studies with the most comprehensive assessment of the field available.