The History of Fantasy Sports: And the Stories of the People Who Made It Happen

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.

"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

“Impressively informative, exceptionally well organized and presented…simply fascinating read from start to finish.” MIDWEST BOOK REVIEW

“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

“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

“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

“The History of Fantasy Sports is a fun look back at how fantasy sports has grown from its infancy into the absolute monster that it is today.” MICHAEL FABIANO, Senior Fantasy Analystfor Sports Illustrated.

“Larry craftily guides readers through fantasy’s ascension in vivid detail. The History of Fantasy Sports is a comprehensive breakdown of the movers, shakers and deal makers in a hobby that’s transcended sports.” BRAD EVANS, Co-Founder of The Gaming Juice and long time Yahoo senior fantasy writer

Contents
Preface
1. In the Beginning
2. The Origins of Fantasy Baseball
3. The Origins of Fantasy Football
4. The First Commercial Games
5. Newspaper Games
6. CDM Sports and the Landmark Legal Case
7. First Fantasy Sports Publications
8. First Fantasy Sports Books
9. Advanced Metrics
10. Commissioner Services
11. Fantasy Radio and TV Shows
12. News Services
13. First Football Websites
14. High-Stakes Games
15. Major Media Companies
16. The Fantasy Sports Trade Association
17. Legal Battles and Legislation
18. Injury Experts
19. Innovative Entrepreneurs
20. Experts Leagues
21. Daily Fantasy Sports
22. Fantasy Sports Worldwide
Epilogue
Bibliography