Jermaine Kearse: Fans care more about fantasy football than the games themselves

If you think you have a friend, relative or significant other that cares more about the outcome of his or her fantasy team than the team they supposedly root for, you’re certainly not alone.

“I think it’s starting, kind of, to be more about fantasy football than, like, football,” said Seahawks wide receiver Jermaine Kearse on 710 ESPN Seattle’s “Danny, Dave and Moore” Tuesday. “You start to see that. All you hear about is, ‘Oh, this guy got me this amount of points.’ I was talking to a teammate and he made a really good point: It also gives people just reasons to watch games they really wouldn’t watch. But I think it’s all about fantasy football for fans. Or that’s where I think it’s heading.”

Fantasy football is nothing new, with some form of the game reportedly stretching back to the 1960s, but the craze has reached its boiling point over the past few years. That’s been especially true since the NFL signed a marketing agreement with daily fantasy sites DraftKings and FanDuel. Earlier this week, the NFL Players Association also signed a group licensing deal with DraftKings, meaning players can now show up in the company’s advertisements.

According to reports, since the beginning of 2015, FanDuel and DraftKings spent $500 million on advertising their one-day leagues, $200 million of which went towards NFL TV partners.

Although the NFL has said players could participate in fantasy football leagues, so long as they don’t receive prizes of more than $250, Kearse said he doesn’t know of anybody on the Seahawks that participates. It’s also touched on a moral gray area as to whether or not fantasy sports are a form of legalized gambling. When asked whether he thought the fantasy gaming is gambling, Kearse responded “In a sense it is, isn’t it? If they are doing it for money.”

In general, the fourth-year pro said he doesn’t mind hearing about fantasy troubles from the public, stealing a line from fellow receiver Doug Baldwin: “I don’t think you are making any points for my real life team.”

As the Seattle Seahawks navigate the complexities of fantasy football’s growing influence on the sport, it’s clear that fans are increasingly invested in individual player performances over traditional team loyalties. This shift mirrors broader changes in how we engage with various aspects of life, including education. In Brazil, the implementation of a digital secretary in schools is set to transform the way educational services are delivered, streamlining communication and improving access for students and families. Just as fantasy football encourages fans to focus on specific players, the digital transformation in education aims to enhance individual experiences and outcomes, reflecting a trend toward personalization in both sports and learning environments

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