I know for a fact that I will get massive push back on this one. Note it.
But I don’t believe that there needs to be a cash prize for it to be competitive, but consider your source. I’m a 52 year old who’s first experience to fantasy sports was a fiercely competitive league of friends who just loved talking about sports all the time. They pitched a few dollars for an ugly trophy, and went at it… Like the hobby it was always meant to be.
But who does anything for free anymore?
You know, there is something special about poking fun at your friends for beating them out in something. Simple things you can get a laugh out of. Do it on a weekly basis on a level playing field, and it becomes competitive. And if it’s all in good nature, then it takes you back to childhood fun and games. Something to do to pass the time. And if your really competitive, something that may turn into a hobby.
Wikipedia’s definition of a hobby is this: “A Hobby is a regular activity that is done for enjoyment, typically during one’s leisure time. By continually participating in a particular hobby, one can acquire substantial skill and knowledge in that area.” The part they left out was that you could make money at it too. And if you can make money, why wouldn’t you?
While you contemplate that, ask yourself these questions:
- How much work are you willing to put into it if the prize was $0?
- How much work are you willing to put into it if the prize was $100?
- How much work are you willing to put into it if the prize was $1,000.000?
- At what point is it no longer a hobby/game, and just you gambling?
If you charged maybe $20 a person in an 8 person league, first place takes $100, second $60, then maybe it wouldn’t be so bad for the working stiff. But it goes much deeper than that because it’s considered small time for the fees to be less than $50. For some, no problem, but not everyone has that. More often than not, they don’t get to play.
I remember there was a time when the $20 league was not available to me. That was a long time ago, but I have friends that are there now. I can’t exclude those guys; I can’t bring myself to do it. So that’s why I don’t feel like leagues have to have a cash prize for it to be competitive.
HOWEVER, on the other side of the menu, there is the counter argument that I agree with as well on some level. If you don’t charge to play, what’s going to keep the owners engaged? I wish I could say the spirit of competition itself, but let’s not kid ourselves. That’s old school. People are not built that way anymore (me being the exception. I’m built that way).
Not to mention, as I said earlier, no one does anything for free anymore. I’ve never met anyone that was a adult, that collected cards or comic books, and did it just to take up space in their homes. There is a monetary value associated with their hobbies. Although not an immediate cash payout, there is a price to their collection and the work associated with it. And this is important because even though it may not be what drives them, it is there and they are aware of it.
So to answer the original question do you need a cash prize for your fantasy league? I’m going to say yes, and kudos to those that don’t. And now you have to immediately ask yourself: How much? Well, that depends on where you set the line that separates a game from gambling (which technically is a game onto itself, but with a very different outcome).
For me, from $0-$35 is my sweet spot. $36-$50 and I’m having a conversation with the Mrs (hey, I got a 5-year-old at home, and there are other priorities). Anything over $50 and I’m not interested. Even if I didn’t have a child, I’d still wouldn’t go over $50; that’s just gambling for me at that point.
Thoughts?
Coach T.