As summer turns to autumn, everyone looks forward to some exclusive fall treats. For some, it’s the changing leaves, for others it’s Starbucks’ pumpkin spice lattes, but for many, it’s football season. With football season comes the prospect of fantasy football, where a group of friends will draft and manage their imaginary football teams in a competitive environment with prizes and punishments.
Luca Parlangeli ’25 is part of a 12-man league and said he is deeply invested in this season for fantasy football. For those who don’t know, participants draft real NFL players to your fantasy team, and based on their performance in their individual game, it will add to your total weekly points. Participants are then pitted against one of their friends to see who can score more points that week. Week after week, they are pitted against someone in their league until eventually those who have the best record make it to the playoffs, and from there, a winner is decided. Parlangeli said that tensions run high during any given season.
“Every once in a while, there will be an unfair trade that will cause fighting between (league members),” Parlangeli said. “We try to settle those conflicts as safely as possible, but oftentimes, tempers boil over.”
Fantasy football requires a lot of preparation, according to Parlangeli. It can take hours to days of preparation, looking at draft boards, analyzing player projections and coming up with a draft-day strategy. During the day of the draft, it’s usually an entire outing worth of food and football-themed activities. For Parlangeli, that meant a barbeque with a game of football with his league members.“Draft day is sort of like a holiday for ( league members),” Parlangeli said. “Everyone prepares for it and we look forward to it every summer.”
There are many leagues across South between different groups of football lovers. For some groups, there is an award for the winner of the league. For Parlangeli’s league, it is a cash payout from the wallets of the losers. However, for just as many leagues, there is an embarrassing punishment awaiting the loser. Parlangeli said that for his league, the player with the worst record has to wear whatever the other members of the league buy him from a thrift store to school.“No one wants to be the loser,” Parlangeli said. “Not only is the punishment fun, but it makes sure that everyone stays competing in the league.”
Fantasy football can seem mysterious to non-football enjoyers, but Parlangeli said he is sure that it can be fun for everybody. He added that it gives you a whole new perspective on the game.“It gives you something to watch besides just your favorite team,” Parlangeli said. “Now, you have the incentive to watch other players and teams play that you normally wouldn’t pay attention to.”
