When I started this column 25 years ago (!), one of my first themes was about playing for money. Unless you play in a national, high-stakes game, we don't really play for money at all. When you calculate the hours we spend on fantasy football compared to the potential winnings, it's not a lucrative side hustle. It's a hobby we love, and if there's some extra cash at the end, great. But money isn't really a factor in how or why we play. I still feel that way today.
With that in mind, and with your leagues holding drafts and auctions in the coming weeks, it's important to make sure the money side of this commitment matches up with your resources.
For many people, money is tighter than it was a few years ago. Whether it be inflation, job changes, or life changes, your financial situation might be different than it was a few years ago. And while it's easy to say yes to another league or two, and a $200 entry fee doesn't look like a huge deal by itself, it adds up. Before long, you could be looking at spending four figures without any guarantees of getting any money back. If that's not a problem, great. But don't be afraid (or ashamed) to sit down and calculate the costs of playing this season. If you need to cut back, now is the time to do it.
And when I say "calculate the costs," I mean all the costs. Your league entry fees. Money to pay for the website if it isn't free. Transaction fees throughout the season. Your daily fantasy games account, which can add up quickly. Assuming you didn't win anything, would it be all too much for you?
If the answer is yes, there's nothing wrong with dropping out of some leagues well before the draft starts. It's better than not making the transactions you want because the costs are adding up. It's better than getting frustrated because you're not winning enough to cover the money you've already spent. And it's much, much better than being a manager who doesn't pay on time, and makes the commissioner chase you down for the money.
Most of all, it's better than your mood souring as the losses pile up. It's one thing to be disappointed that your draft strategy didn't work out very well, but it's another to get upset because it's costing you money that would have been better used elsewhere. You'll suffer, your family will suffer, and everybody around you will suffer. That's not why you started playing in the first place. When the game makes you feel worse, not better, it's time to re-evaluate what you're doing.
Now, I'm not saying to stop spending money on something you love. Everybody deserves some relaxation time, and a little outlay to enhance the NFL season is actually an inexpensive way to get months of fun out of it. But it makes sense to pay attention to what you're spending, especially with the rise of high-stakes online games and daily fantasy contests that are happy to take your money whenever they can. Spending a lot of money on too many fantasy games can actually detract from the overall experience, especially when you should use the money for other things.
You might be wondering why some of my columns seem to discourage you from playing more fantasy football: Don't be in too many leagues, don't just say yes automatically if invited into a new league, consider cutting back if the commitment gets too expensive. And while it might look that way, it's not really to get you to play less. The goal is to make the time you spend on fantasy football more fun and less stressful. Many factors go into how much we enjoy the game that have nothing to do with winning or losing. You should try to play with people you truly like, for example. You should have enough time to give each league the necessary attention. You need to be able to afford all the games you're playing. That kind of stuff.
And the time to consider all of that is not in September, when the commissioner is emailing you again for the entry fee. It's not in November when you realize that your strategy was flawed, and you've sunk too much money into the hobby that you won't be getting back. It's now, in August, when you can respectfully drop out of leagues and games that aren't worth the cost and move forward with the ones you like with a clear conscience, knowing you're playing that amount that's right for you and your budget. And if you can handle what you're spending, excellent. Keep it going, and play as much as you'd like. Just be aware of your bottom line before the season starts, not after.
Have you cut back on your fantasy expenses at all? Do you have a set fantasy budget, or do you just wing it? How have your fantasy outlays changed over the years? Share your thoughts below, but please don't make it political. If you absolutely need to blame somebody, blame Jerry Jones. He's probably responsible somehow.
