ABSTRACT
In Chapters 2 and 3, we described the fantasy sport participant in great detail. Note that we are not referring to the “typical” fantasy sport participant, who becomes harder to pin down as the activity becomes increasingly mainstream. Broad generalities—e.g. “male” or “sports uber fan”—may represent the majority of participants but fail to describe millions of other fantasy sport users. Nevertheless, we have pinpointed motivations for playing these games within games, and identified how these trends differ based on issues such as gender, race, age, and marital status. The next logical step involves the exploration of the people and companies involved in delivering these fantasy sport games (and numerous ancillary products) to the masses. This chapter offers some extended description from people who devote their careers to facilitating a multitude of fantasy sport games. Similar to the people who play them, the gatekeepers of this industry defy monolithic description. Are there “statheads?” Yes. Are there obsessed fans? Yes. Are there people who are forging new trends each and every year? Absolutely. There also are people who work 80 hours a week regularly competing among other professionals who produce content and fantasy products in their free time. There are people who have become celebrities from having their work showcased on mainstream broadcast and basic cable outlets. There are marketers, managers, web designers, writers, and specialists in many other areas. They are all highlighted in this chapter, which provides an in-depth look at members of the Fantasy Sport Trade Association (FSTA).
