Not too long ago, finding people who played fantasy sports was few and far between. When you did find someone, they were generally playing against anonymous users around the globe and rarely challenged real-life friends.
However, fantasy sports’ fashionableness has exploded in recent years and even rivals eSports’ popularity. These days, people everywhere are “geared up” for one sport or another, and friend vs. friend is commonplace because they can create leagues, trash talk, and place wagers for the season with a fun and creative punishment for the overall loser.
And you don’t have to be a superfan to play. The best fantasy sports apps walk you through the draft, and with stats updated regularly, picking players to try to draft is a cinch. So, whether you’re a novice or a seasoned pro, you can compete on a level playing field.
Additionally, a lot of people are enhancing their competition with weekly watch parties that can rival the excitement of the “big game,” and with streaming services like Twitch and YouTube Gaming, you can watch all the action live and even have a real-time chat with other viewers from all over. Turning your game night into a worldwide event.
Here’s how you can have a fantasy sports party that everyone can enjoy:
Creating the ultimate fantasy sports party
First things first, if you’re going to host these types of parties, you have to have a great infrastructure. No, not your actual home. Your internet. While you don’t need to know what packet loss meaning or what your upload/download speed is, you do need a good router/monitor. Many times, the equipment you receive from your provider is basic and not always reliable. Go to your local electronics store and speak with a professional about your needs.
Now, you’ll need to gather your friends and decide on which sport you want to play fantasy with. Football? Basketball? Hockey? The possibilities are endless.
Next, choose a platform or app to manage your fantasy league. There are plenty of options out there, so do some research and pick the one that works best for you and your group.
To keep things transparent and easily accessible, consider getting a draft board or even creating a website that everyone can access at any given time. Dot-coms these days are affordable, and with things like WordPress, it’s a snap to learn and manage.
Now that the basics are out of the way, it’s time to focus on those parties.
Throwing the Perfect Watch Party
The key to a great watch party is creating an engaging and interactive atmosphere. Aside from streaming the game on a big screen, add other elements, like food and drinks themed after your chosen sport or team. You can also create some friendly competition among guests by incorporating mini-fantasy games during commercial breaks.
Don’t forget to decorate with team colours and gear to create a festive environment. And if you really want to take it up a notch, consider hiring a professional bartender or catering company to handle the food and drinks so you can fully enjoy the game with your guests.
Party!
With fantasy sports, our favourite games are taken to a whole new level. It’s always been fun to give your friends a hard time when their team loses, but throwing a party with everyone in the same league displayed on your ultra-wide monitor gives you even more bragging rights. From the draft to the final touchdown of the Super Bowl, when your handpicked players do great across the board, it’s hard to argue about the winner of the week and season.
It doesn’t matter which sport is your favourite; now you can throw a themed party that you can enjoy any time of year. Have fun and good luck.
