We live in a world where there is a Wikpedia page, documentary, or ‘oral history’ article that will give you the 101 history on just about every subject.
Granted, these histories are not 100% comprehensive or accurate – see the phrase ‘history is told by the victors’ and the works of Howard Zinn and Oliver Stone – but at least there is something.
The history of fantasy sports, though, has been shrouded in mystery. I co-own a fantasy site and, as of a couple months ago, did not know much about the pre-Internet fantasy sports industry aside from the origin story about Daniel Okrent and friends starting a league and naming it after the NYC restaurant La Rotisserie Française that they often frequented. I only know that story because I bought one of those yearly Fantasy Baseball books back before I hit puberty when a story like that could stick in your forever brain.
My first introduction to the history of fantasy sports came this preseason courtesy of Ron Shandler’s ‘Fantasy Expert’ (my Twitter review is here). This is a first-person story of him building his Baseball Forecaster + BaseballHQ.com + First Pitch businesses but there was plenty of fantasy baseball industry origin story and history within its pages (especially in regards to LABR and Tout Wars – the two long-standing industry leagues in which Grey and I participate)
Before I had a chance to mentally emerge from that rabbit hole, I learned Larry Schechter (who wrote Winning Fantasy Baseball about a decade ago) had undertaken a book chronicling the history of fantasy sports. So much so that he actually named it the History of Fantasy Sports. Unlike Ron, Larry didn’t have a horse in the race. He is/was just a great multi-sports fantasy player and fan of the game. So this book provides more breadth on the history of fantasy sports – especially on the fantasy football side.
It is a fascinating, well-researched history and a rather breezy read (given Larry is not a professional writer). From both my content creator and fantasy player’s perspective, it really drills home to me how much easier everything is now compared to the days of print publishing, 1-900 numbers, and faxing. While Razzball started just a little too late to get covered by Larry’s (or Ron’s) history , I do not think Grey and I were built for the analog world. So maybe it’s fitting we aren’t in the printed books. (Perhaps add us to the e-books?)
Book Details
Description
Fantasy sports have become as ingrained in American culture as baseball and apple pie. And they have spread worldwide. There are versions of these games for football, baseball, basketball, hockey, soccer, cricket, bull riding, bass fishing, Iditarod and many more. It is one of the most popular forms of entertainment today.
But the millions who play mostly have no idea about the people and events that created this phenomenon. The History of Fantasy Sports provides the first complete telling of how we got from the spontaneous ideas for games years ago, to the multi-billion-dollar industry of today.
Larry Schechter spent 18 months researching and interviewing dozens of key players, pioneers, and entrepreneurs to uncover their stories. This reader-friendly book is ready to take its place alongside some of the best in sports history. You will be entertained and inspired by these stories of humble beginnings turned multi-million-dollar enterprises. Schechter does a great job of capturing the passion, obsession, and love of the game behind these businesses.
Editorial Reviews
“Exhaustively researched, this is the most detailed history of the fantasy sports industry. Despite spending my entire career in the industry, I was enlightened by all the interviews and countless stories throughout the book.” —PAUL CHARCHIAN, President of the Fantasy Sports Trade Association, 2009-2020
“What sets this book apart is its ability to bridge the gap between historical data and the human elements of the fantasy sports community. Schechter brings to life the pioneers, the landmark moments, and the underlying strategies that have defined the genre. This is a must-read that captures the essence of fantasy sports with the reverence and depth it deserves.” —MARK MARIANI, CBS Sports and Turner Sports
“Larry regales us with colorful accounts, many of them direct from the source. This is a must-read for any passionate fantasy sports fan.” —TRISTAN COCKCROFT, ESPN.com Senior Fantasy Sports Writer
“This is the definitive history of fantasy sports, capturing the personal stories and business trajectories of the many competing startups and eventual power players. Larry Schechter brings remarkable detail to the then-and-now dynamic of fantasy, from the bootstrapped early years to the multi-billion-dollar industry it is today.” —JOE LEMIRE, Sports Business Journal
