So, we get a break from fantasy football for a few weeks thanks to England's participation in the Euro 2008 qualifiers. By the way things have gone so far under Steve (I only finished 7th in the Premiership) McClaren I may have preferred to have watched Malta's Eurovision qualifiers come the 90th minute on Saturday. But, while everyone in the UK moans and groans about the death of football/cricket/cricket coaches, wait let's just say sport in general, I have decided to look across the pond to the good ol' US of A to see how fantasy sports is coming along stateside.Zodiac Stat Attack
Have you ever thought that fantasy sports could be attributed to a higher force? Well, they have in America. A radio station called Karma Air - Karma Ball recently launched a weekly radio show where it's resident spiritual, Reverend Halofan, will use zodiac charts and astrology to predict the injuries and form of baseball players selected in your fantasy team. Perhaps we could all give it a try; wait i'm picking something up yes, I feel it, Louis Saha will be injured for most of next year...
FHM Style Fantasy
Every smart business person knows that sex sells and some bright spark in America put the idea of sad, lonely, sex maniac fantasy players, like myself, together with semi-clad naked chicks - primo! Mensfantasysports.com has come with an FHM style site where the," ...objective is to deliver the best in fantasy sports insight, while at the same time providing the intimate feel of a private club". Sticky keyboards are never a good idea when picking a fantasy team is what I think. Imagine, you might be so distracting by boobs that you convince yourself that Man City's Georgios Samaras will finally score a goal. Tissue please, obviously to wipe away the tears of Samaras' lame efforts.
A Nation of Fantasy Gamblers
With legislation coming down hard on internet gambling in America, fantasy sports have found a loophole which allows them make revenue from, what is in every respect, gambling. Many different operators from Fanball.com to Rotohog.com are battling it out to get your fantasy buck with the offer of grand prizes of up to $100,000. Fantasy Sports in America has morphed into a monetarily driven skill gaming industry to fill the void left by the crippling anti-internet gambling laws. The UK fantasy market has not had the same scope to grow in the way that its American counterpart has because UK laws on gambling are still relatively relaxed. The UK fantasy scene should continue to grow but operators must look towards more dynamic ways of grabbing fantasy players attention. I think two separate forms of fantasy games should grow: a gambling orientated fantasy game, which doesn't hide its intentions, and the more recreational version. At the moment there are a few too many games on the market that merge the two elements together and it is diluting the effectiveness of fantasy sports products on its customers.
Well, that's enough of America for this week and now back to dreaming of England winning the World Cup at Wembley in 2018. The FA should have stopped paying Sven's wages by then...
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