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

The History of Fantasy Sportsis the first and only comprehensive history of how a simple hobby evolved into a global multi-billion-dollar industry and cultural phenomenon. Based on 18 months of exclusive research and interviews with the pioneers who built the industry, the book reveals the surprising, inspiring, and often hilarious untold stories of how ordinary people accidentally created a phenomenon that changed how millions of fans experience sports. While rooted in sports, it is equally a story of entrepreneurship, media, technology, and American popular culture. It fills a gap in sports, business, technology, and popular culture collections. People love fantasy sports. That’s why there are games for everything from football to wakeboarding to the Iditarod. That’s why Barack Obama played fantasy football while running for president. More than a game, fantasy sports bring together families, friends, and coworkers. It’s a world where a plumber and the CEO of a major company can sit at the same draft table, talking like best buddies. But the full story of how this all occurred has never been told—until now. You’ll discover: • The real origin of fantasy baseball (no, it didn’t happen on an airplane!) • How a World War II hero helped spread fantasy football across the country • Five nuns in a Chicago convent co-managing a fantasy football team • A dedicated player with ALS finally winning his league after 39 years • The surprising role Monica Lewinsky played in saving fantasy sports • And dozens more stories of obsession, innovation, and underdog success. This isn’t a dry textbook, it’s an entertaining narrative for lifelong fantasy players and anyone fascinated by sports, business, technology, and pop culture. Praised as “simply fascinating from start to finish” by Midwest Book Review and lauded by industry leaders for its depth and storytelling. CRITICAL ACCLAIM: "Schechter condenses hundreds of years of history into an easy-to-read, entertaining narrative..." — BookLife (Publishers Weekly) "Impressively informative, exceptionally well organized... simply fascinating read from start to finish... especially recommended for library collections." — Midwest Book Review "Despite spending my entire career in the industry, I was enlightened by all the interviews and countless stories throughout the book." — Paul Charchian, Former President, Fantasy Sports Trade Association (2009–2020) “This is the definitive history of fantasy sports. 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 "A must-read for any passionate fantasy sports fan." — Tristan Cockcroft, ESPN Senior Fantasy Sports Writer "This 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 Analyst for Sports Illustrated “This book interested me because my husband, brother, father, and son have played and continue to play on fantasy sports teams…It's an amazing story about friendship, sports, business, and passion.” — Sharon Orlopp, Author and Former Global Chief Diversity Officer, Walmart “What sets this book apart is its ability to bridge the gap between historical data and the human elements of the fantasy sports community. This is a must-read." — Mark Mariani, CBS Sports and Turner Sports “Unlike most sports history books, this is fun to read.” — Mark Stevenson, Book Reviewer