This edited collection examines how fantasy sports play has established a prominent and promising foothold in the larger sports ecology. Often considered an isolated activity for the hardcore sports fan, fantasy sports play have since been incorporated into sports broadcasting and editorial coverage, sports marketing and promotions, and even into the very sports themselves with athletes and teams using the activities to draw fans further into the sports experience. This edited collection invites leading scholars and sports professionals from several different fields to share historical and emerging perspectives on the importance of fantasy sports as an artifact of theoretical and empirical importance to larger issues of sport and society.
Industry Reviews
For those trying to understand why fan engagement with sports is increasingly dominated by the playing of fantasy sport and how new industries aim to monetize that engagement, Fantasy Sports and the Changing Sports Media Industry provides a vivid and comprehensive look at the 'realities' and dynamics of a new form of fanship set in an age of digital and social media. In this essential collection, the editors—all leaders in studying how mediated sport is played in a quickly changing media environment—have organized key scholars from across the globe in assessing how and why fantasy sports are played, not only for fans, but as a lucrative business enterprise. Here we see what underlies the roots of fantasy sports, the 'stimulations' and 'simulations' they provide, what drives the 'fanaticism' of fantasy sport fanship, how sports media are being changed by the rise of fantasy sports, and how new industries are 're-capitalizing' sports and challenging its legal terrain. For students of this 'new game,' those increasingly preoccupied by playing it, and those who are puzzled by its pull, this collection is essential reading.
