Fantasy sports and “Ultimate team” video game modes
According to an article published in Sport Marketing Quarterly, fantasy sports is changing the way fans consume media. As of 2014, 41 million people play some form of fantasy sports. The participation of fantasy sports has a positive effect on sports media. As of 2010, the typical fantasy sports participant consumed three times as much sports media content as a non-participating fan, per ESPN Integrated Media Research.
Fantasy sports players go to any sports news source they can find to get the latest news on players injuries and whether or not that player is worth starting based on the strength of the players real life opponent. As the article points out, I’ve done so too, fantasy sports players look for a more immersive experience in regard to their sports fandom.
A similar immersion can be found in “Ultimate Team” style game modes in various sports video games Like Madden or FIFA. The NBA 2K series has a version called “MyTeam” and the MLB: The Show series has “Diamond Dynasty”. The mode seems to mix aspects of more traditional fantasy sports, daily fantasy sports, and card collecting.
Here is how these “Ultimate Team” game modes work. Players construct rosters with either current players or legendary players from years past. For instance in NBA 2k’s “MyTeam”, a player could build s lineup with Michael Jordan AND LeBron James on the same team. A player acquires ballplayers through completing single-player game modes, pulling out your credit card and paying for packs (like trading card packs with similar levels of disappointment), or bidding on players in an auction.
Like fantasy sports, “Ultimate Team” game modes bring in pretty good business. There are plenty of videos covering the subject and databases showing the players people can get.
Gamers who choose to play “Ultimate Team” modes are looking for something that other gamers are not. In a sense, it offers something that fantasy sports does not. Unlike fantasy sports, gamers who use the “Ultimate Team” mode still have the control that comes with playing a video game. While fantasy players pick the players and hope they perform well, “Ultimate Team” gamers can pick the players AND play with those players in games, albeit virtual ones. They get to be the GM’s and the players and the coach.
In the same vein as fantasy players, “Ultimate Team” gamers probably consume more sports game media than your average sports gamer, although it is not as cut and dry.
In Lila Ellen Gray’s Fado Resounding, she researches how the musical genre of Fado affects society and how listeners develop a “repertoire for emotional expression”. While not the same, “Ultimate Team” players certainly tie their emotions for their teams. They wouldn’t post videos if they didn’t. “Ultimate Team” game modes have certainly altered the focus for sports games and what gamers play within the games. Much like fantasy sports, it is another avenue for the sports fan or the gamer who wants more out of their experience. It is an avenue that companies and media have no problem cashing in on.
