Larry Schechter has put together a book detailing the history of fantasy sports. He spent a year and a half interviewing most of the key figures in the growth of fantasy football over the last 60-plus years.
He sent out a copy, I’ve worked my through it, and it’s impressive.
He’s a thorough researcher and interviewer. He spoke with me (in a Zoom interview) and checked back a half dozen times to ensure he got everything right. (The book includes about five pages on the formation and development of Fantasy Football Index.)
The History of Fantasy Sports isn’t a traditional book. There isn’t a plot, with the story traveling from Point A to Point B. It’s more of a reference book, with a short recap of essentially everyone who’s played a notable role in the growth of the hobby.
There are 21 chapters in the 300 pages, covering all of the notable subsections of fantasy: books, magazines, commissioner services, major media companies, first commercial games, radio shows, high-stakes games, injury experts, experts league, origins of the game, daily fantasy sports, the development of a trade assocation and the notable CDM Sports lawsuit about 20 years ago.
I have met most of the key fantasy figures of the last 40 years, but I learned new things about almost all of them while reading this book – what caused them to get into the industry, and some of the key decisions they made along the way.
Recommended for those who want to learn more about how this game became a notable part of American culture.
