Draft day in fantasy world

In Mike Cascio’s dining room, a dozen men are hunched over computer screens, pouring over charts, cursing a slow Internet connection as they munch barbecue chicken and down beers. What are these men so worked up about? Fantasy football. This scene, or something close to it, was repeated maybe a million times across the country in the days and weeks before the NFL season began in mid-September. All told, 22 million Americans (mostly men) gathered to choose real-world athletes for their fantasy dream teams. The figure is an estimate by the Fantasy Sports Trade Association, says its president, Paul Charchian. Yes, the industry is big enough to have its own trade association. It actually has two of them, Charchian says. Fantasy leagues are big business. Players spend $800 million a year on league fees, magazines and subscriptions to premium Web sites that scout and analyze players. Cascio has paid CBSSports.com $150 for the nifty wall chart, hosting the draft and—most importantly—tracking the real-life stats all season for the fantasy players. For more about the business of fantasy in BR, read this month’s 225 by clicking here.