BY RYAN SCARBOROUGH

While football players win or lose a game, Fantasy Football players win money or lose their dignity.

Fantasy Football is a game in which the participants manage virtual professional football teams. The competitors choose their team rosters by drafting NFL players and earn points based on the performances of the actual players.  

In 1976 several high schoolers held their first draft. Since then, Fantasy Football is still increasing in popularity. According to the Fantasy Sports Trade Association (FSTA), in 1988, 500,000 people were involved in fantasy sports. 30 years later, nearly 60 million people participate in the annual game.

The FSTA says that 55 percent of players are teenagers. Many high schoolers at Mariemont have participated in the 2018 fantasy football league. 

Over the years, Fantasy Football punishments for the loser of the league have become more elaborate. Typically, the winner of each league chooses the punishment for the loser.

Senior Aidan Shenton, who won his league and $80 chose the punishment for the loser, Corben Shoemaker. Shenton said, “He has to wear a dress to school for a few days. The other idea was to shave his eyebrows off but I think that was too mean.”

Shoemaker said, “I would say that I’m dreading it but Aidan was nice enough to choose one that wasn’t that bad. Some of the punishments were horrifying compared to wearing a dress to school. One was Aidan could give me any haircut he wanted or he could shave my head.”

Senior Jonah Dill, the loser of a different bracket, had three options for his Fantasy Football punishment. The winner of his bracket, Sean Reber said, “I didn’t choose the three punishments. We all came up with them as a group.”

Dill chose to do the Gallon Challenge rather than a day of silence.

“I have to drink a gallon of milk in an hour and I think it will be pretty easy,” Dill said. “I think the gallon challenge will be easier than the day of silence because I’m an extrovert and like to talk a lot.”

Other groups for Fantasy Football don’t have punishments. Sophomore Andrew Getgey lost his bracket. He said, “We didn’t have a punishment.”

Shenton summed up Fantasy Football when he said, “Fantasy is fun because you can compete with friends to see who is best at pressing buttons on a phone.”