Will fantasy wagering on golf events light a fire under golf in North America?
Fans spent over 11 Billion dollars on fantasy sports in 2014 and the Fantasy Sports Trade Association estimates that 56.8 million people will participate in fantasy sports in 2015. The NFL of course takes the major share of these fantasy dollars but there is an increased golf presence in daily fantasy sports, especially with the major tournaments.
Who is playing fantasy sports (again statistics from the FSTA):
- 66% Male // 34% Female
- Average Age: 37
- College Degree or More: 57%
- Have a household income of $75k+: 47%
- Have full-time employment: 66%
- Average Annual Spending Per Fantasy Player: $465
- Favorite Fantasy Sport: Football (73%)
The effect of these fantasy sports is to increase the participating fans interaction with their sport of choice, but does this help golf overall? Will the increasing number of fantasy sports participants be a key for increasing golf’s popularity to previous levels?
The decline in the popularity of golf has been well documented as our instant gratification society looks for quicker and quicker sources of entertainment. Across the board golf retailers, suppliers and facilities have reported declining sales On top of that, more courses close each year than open. Fantasy golf; however, has increased over tenfold from 2014 to 2015 and it is hoped that the increased interest in the sport, tied to fantasy enthusiast’s pocketbooks will increase not only their viewing of events but their participation in the game.
Only time will tell!