From Fantasy to Reality: How have virtual leagues changed how we watch sport?

Fantasy sport has rapidly evolved from a niche hobby into a global phenomenon that has redefined how fans engage with their favourite sports. From football to newer leagues like fantasy cricket (which is being used in this year’s T20 World Cup to appeal to younger audiences), millions of participants worldwide are now able to immerse themselves within a fantasy universe that means they are no longer a passive spectator, but instead an active participant in their favourite sport. Fantasy sport has had a profound effect on fan engagement, and has contributed to broader cultural trends like the rise of sports betting. It’s extremely popular: within the United States and Canada alone, the size of the fantasy sport industry is above $7 billion. 

At its core, fantasy sport means fans are involved in a sport in a highly interactive and personalised way, as they are able to build their own teams, make decisions, and therefore directly influence the success of their fantasy team by watching the performances of athletes in real time. This has dramatically increased fan engagement; fans now have a reason to follow every game, keep up with every player’s stats, and dive deeper into the sport.

Fantasy football, for example, encourages fans to follow multiple teams and players across a league, rather than solely focusing on their favourite home team. Fans who play fantasy sports are more likely to watch games that they wouldn’t have previously, just because individual players from different teams may be part of their fantasy team. This all-encompassing interest in the sport increases overall viewership and creates new content consumption habits.

The rise of online platforms and mobile apps dedicated to fantasy sport has expanded the way fans interact with their favourite sports. Constant access to player data, real-time match updates, and advice forums has become an integral part of the fan experience, which has made fantasy leagues an all-year-round obsession, and not just a seasonal affair.

Fantasy sport has also reshaped how fans perceive loyalty. Traditionally, fans have been deeply loyal to a single team, often based on geographic or family ties. However, fantasy sport now blurs these lines. Fans who would never have considered supporting a player from a rival team now have a vested, personalised interest in their success, because it impacts their fantasy lineup. While this may dilute pure team loyalty, it expands the fan’s attachment to the broader league and translates to higher brand loyalty for the sport itself, as fans are more likely to continue consuming sports content, even outside of traditional game time.

Sports betting and fantasy sport have increasingly overlapped, creating a hybrid experience that blends competition with financial incentives. Daily fantasy sport (DFS) platforms like DraftKings and FanDuel allow fans to draft teams and win money based on player performance in real-time games. The immediate and competitive nature of DFS has turned fantasy sport into a form of legal gambling—an intersection that has dramatically increased interest in games that fans might not have followed otherwise. A midseason game between two underperforming teams might not attract much attention, but if a fantasy participant has a player from one of these teams, then it suddenly becomes an event worth watching. Betting has also heightened fantasy sport’s addictive qualities, as fans can continuously tweak lineups, place new bets, or join new fantasy contests, providing a never-ending form of entertainment and incentives. However, the gambling component of fantasy sport has raised ethical concerns as it fosters addictive behaviour, and fantasy sport is based more on skill than on chance, making them a strategic form of engagement, rather than just pure gambling.

Ultimately, fantasy sport is reshaping the very idea of what it means to be a fan, making sport not just something to watch, but something to live and actively engage in. By encouraging a more analytical approach to the sport, fantasy leagues have created a generation of fans that are more invested in every game, player, and statistic. As fantasy sport continues to grow, their intersection with betting and the development of new digital platforms will only further blur the line between spectator and participant, making sport even more thrilling and dynamic for everyone involved.