Here at the Times, some of our staff members participate in various fantasy football leagues outside of work. But if you take it seriously, like millions of Americans do, you might wish there was a way to protect your investement, should you place wagers on your fantasy football leagues in the form of an entry fee. (We at the Times do not advocate gambling.)
It might be a sign of the worlds current state of affairs, though perhaps realistic in a way, that there is now an insurance company trying to cash in on fantasy football.
CNN.com reported recently that the injury to New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady at the beginning of the 2008 season, helped spawn the idea.
A company called Fantasy Sports Insurance was born, and will reimburse the entry fee for your league if a star player gets hurt.
To those not familiar, fantasy football basically works like this: a person, or team owner, gets together with other team owners for a draft party prior to the season. The owners then draft or pick a number of players from each offensive skill position, a team defense and a kicker. Then, during each week of the NFL season, each owner earns points based on each of his players statistical production. Also, each week an owner matches up with another owner, the winner is whichever team has the best individual player production. In other words, a quarterback gets a point for throwing a touchdown, combine that with other stats from running backs and other players for your team total. If you get more points than your opponent, you win that week. At the end of the year, a playoff is held and the winner gets a portion of the pot of entry fees.
An insurance policy for your best players sound crazy? Perhaps, but before you roll your eyes again, the fantasy football industry generates $800 million a year, and about 22 million people play the game, according to CNN.com.
Also, the fantasy football stakes have skyrocketed for the die hard players. The World Championship of Football offers a $300,000 top prize. The Fantasy Football Open Championship's is $1 million. The Wall Street Journal reported last year that a group of well-heeled financiers has a 10-team league with a $100,000 entry fee, CNN.com said.
For a more practical example, what would you have done, in say, a city recreational softball league if your star player the only one who made your team competitive went down for the season you might want that $50 or $100 entry fee back, right? Or, would your rather show up each Sunday night to get pasted by just about every team in your league?
The cost of the insurance, according to CNN is about 10 to 15 percent of a leagues entry fee.
If this whole concept sounds outrageous, it probably is, but thats the world we live in.
Green County Farmhouse Project
Please continue to send farmhouse pictures so I can get this thing up and running. Dont forget, pictures must be simple snap shots of a farmhouse in Green County taken from directly in front of the home, no people or barns please. The only information I ask is for the name of the street, if you wish, but more importantly the name of the town or city the farm is located in. Please e-mail your photos to newseditor@themonroetimes.com.
Take care and watch out for bicycles.
It might be a sign of the worlds current state of affairs, though perhaps realistic in a way, that there is now an insurance company trying to cash in on fantasy football.
CNN.com reported recently that the injury to New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady at the beginning of the 2008 season, helped spawn the idea.
A company called Fantasy Sports Insurance was born, and will reimburse the entry fee for your league if a star player gets hurt.
To those not familiar, fantasy football basically works like this: a person, or team owner, gets together with other team owners for a draft party prior to the season. The owners then draft or pick a number of players from each offensive skill position, a team defense and a kicker. Then, during each week of the NFL season, each owner earns points based on each of his players statistical production. Also, each week an owner matches up with another owner, the winner is whichever team has the best individual player production. In other words, a quarterback gets a point for throwing a touchdown, combine that with other stats from running backs and other players for your team total. If you get more points than your opponent, you win that week. At the end of the year, a playoff is held and the winner gets a portion of the pot of entry fees.
An insurance policy for your best players sound crazy? Perhaps, but before you roll your eyes again, the fantasy football industry generates $800 million a year, and about 22 million people play the game, according to CNN.com.
Also, the fantasy football stakes have skyrocketed for the die hard players. The World Championship of Football offers a $300,000 top prize. The Fantasy Football Open Championship's is $1 million. The Wall Street Journal reported last year that a group of well-heeled financiers has a 10-team league with a $100,000 entry fee, CNN.com said.
For a more practical example, what would you have done, in say, a city recreational softball league if your star player the only one who made your team competitive went down for the season you might want that $50 or $100 entry fee back, right? Or, would your rather show up each Sunday night to get pasted by just about every team in your league?
The cost of the insurance, according to CNN is about 10 to 15 percent of a leagues entry fee.
If this whole concept sounds outrageous, it probably is, but thats the world we live in.
Green County Farmhouse Project
Please continue to send farmhouse pictures so I can get this thing up and running. Dont forget, pictures must be simple snap shots of a farmhouse in Green County taken from directly in front of the home, no people or barns please. The only information I ask is for the name of the street, if you wish, but more importantly the name of the town or city the farm is located in. Please e-mail your photos to newseditor@themonroetimes.com.
Take care and watch out for bicycles.
