Live Fantasy Draft Parties

Written by: Tyler Moore  

Year after year we spend 8 months waiting for the most exciting event of the year, Fantasy Football Draft Day! Most fantasy drafts take place online, with league members in separate physical locations. Online drafts reduce the amount of chat, trash talk, etc. that can make draft day so much more fun. The most exciting way to enjoy draft day is with a live fantasy draft! There are several things to consider when hosting a live draft party.

Every party has drinks. Drinks are a must. For true beer fans, a keg is a great idea to reduce cost and mess. However, most people will opt for the BYOB type party, in which case it is very useful to get a large cooler for everyone to put their drinks in. This will keep everyone from having to make several trips to the refrigerator, which can cause a lot of interruption in the draft.

Food is another necessity for the party. Finger foods such as sandwiches, pizza, cheese and crackers, pretzels, chips and salsa, etc. are great for several reasons. First, there is hardly any preparation time. Secondly, these foods allow league members to snack at their convenience, which can also reduce interruptions in the draft. If you are ordering sandwiches or pizza, it is a good idea to call ahead of time and schedule a delivery time.

Seating is very important and is often overlooked. Drafts can last several hours, so it’s best to have comfortable seating such as couches or recliners. Most importantly though, make sure that the seating is set up in a way in which everyone in the league can see and communicate with each other. Also, most people will come with print out’s and possibly even laptops, so it is useful to have a table or similar surface where they can write or place their computer.

Some members of your league may not be available in person. While it is relatively easy to set up a conference call to include them, utilizing Skype with a webcam is a great way to make them feel as if they are at the party, and will allow them to communicate with everyone as if they were.

Finally, no draft party is complete without a draft board. Draft boards allow the league commissioner to easily organize and manage the draft. By purchasing a draft board and player labels, you no longer have to worry about your friend’s sloppy handwriting or double picking a player. It also allows everyone in the league to easily see what players are taken or available, while also scouting the competitions teams. While there are many sites to purchase a draft board, most of them are very plain and boring. To really get everyone excited about the draft board, try a Bad Ass Draft Board from www.BadAssDraftBoards.com .