7 Rules for Hosting a Fantasy Football Draft Party
August 31, 2011, By Jeff Pugh 0 comments
I look forward to this time of year more than any other. The level of excitement was almost squashed this year as the National Football League was in a lockout for most of the off-season—putting my fantasy season in jeopardy. Fantasy football is a huge stress relief for me, giving me something to take my mind off the day-to-day struggles. My favorite part of the season is the one night when all members of my league get together and pick our players. This article isn't going to tell you anything about drafting your team—you're on your own for that—but I can give you seven rules I've learned from hosting draft night for the past 10 years.
1. Pick the Proper Locale and Time
Before you can do anything, you and your fellow fantasy mates must have a place to hold your draft. You can either pick a restaurant or bar like Buffalo Wild Wings or go the home route. For the past 10 years, we've held the draft at my house for a couple of reasons. One, only members of the league are included, so you don't have to deal with other leagues or patrons. Two, it is a hell of lot cheaper. If your league is like mine, you have members spread all over the country. Setting up the time and day is crucial to starting the season off right. Give yourself and your league enough time to prepare.
2. Invest in the Proper Equipment
Fantasy draft boards, projectors, screens, wireless connections, webcams ... the list goes on and on. You are about to spend several hours invested in this one event, so you want to make sure everything is running smoothly. If you are hosting at your house, make sure you have all your equipment set up and tested so things run smoothly. Hang your draft board in a good spot so all players can be seen. In our draft, I have three guys who cannot make it in person. So we set up a Skype webchat and they can still participate. You want to make sure your wireless network can handle all the pressure as well.
3. Refreshments and Food
You want to make sure everyone enjoys themselves, and the best way to do that is provide the right refreshments and food. Stock up on beverages and order pizzas. Or kick it up a notch and fry some chicken wings or grill burgers, pork chops or steaks. Take into account the number of people attending so you can plan accordingly.
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