It's the first week of the NFL Season so plenty of fans are excited, but not just for NFL, for Fantasy Football too. It's grown into over a billion dollar industry according to Fox Business.
Fans have been counting down the weeks until they can cheer on their favorite NFL teams again.
But they've also been waiting to cheer on their own teams, the teams they create in a Fantasy Football league. "It just adds to the excitement about it cause it's something else to get into," said Joseph Cataldo.
Millions participate in Fantasy Football each year. In fact the Fantasy Sports Trade Association says there are 2 million more Fantasy Football players just this year. And for all those who create their own teams...they experience the NFL season differently from those who don't. James Weissenberger said, " oh it changes everything." Cataldo said, "you'll root for people that you really don't want to root for sometimes."
But why would make people root for their rivals? Because in Fantasy Football you design your own teams from players across the league. So if you've got players on an opposing team in your fantasy league, you're going to want them to do well so you can do well. "If my team doesn't win, I still win," said Weissenberger. And that's part of the appeal. It's your team, not some millionaire's who you see on TV. "It is empowering," said Weissenberger.
And it also makes NFL even more exciting. Weissenberger said, "you're way more interested you're way more attentive. You watch play by play, get online and look at the statistics." Cataldo said, "you get to learn about more players and stay with other teams. It's not like you're interested in just like one team." And Collins said, "It's really fun it kinda brings an interesting dynamic to just a normal football situation."
