Can’t Come in Last

What Are Fantasy Football Punishments?

Photo by Evan Starr/Maclay Andalusian

Every fall, millions of people both young and old download various apps and play in a fantasy football league. Every person who plays has a common goal: win the league. But what happens when you come in last?

In most leagues there ends up being fantasy football punishments. Fantasy football punishments were unknown when the game first began, but they really started to reach popularity in the 2010s when smartphones became more popular. The punishments have seen  immense growth  because of social media apps, especially the likes of TikTok and Instagram. Students at Maclay shared some of the punishments personal to their league.

“I think they’re funny,” senior Rollins Miller said. “The loser has to make a TikTok account and post everyday until they get 5,000 followers.”

This is one of the many punishments in the various leagues created by Maclay students. It is also one of the less physically strenuous punishments. However, going viral on an app like TikTok takes a lot of luck and can be a bit embarrasing. This is not the only punishment that Maclay students have in their respective leagues.

“They’re fun, and make the league more exciting,” freshman Johnny Papuchis said. “[His fantasy punishment] is a milk mile. It’s basically when you run a mile; after every lap you drink milk.”

 Punishments come in a wide variety, with some being physical and others being socially awkward or embarrassing. For physical, it is considered as more of a test of your endurance, like the milk mile, rather than a non-physical punishment which is usually something more like a challenge that must be completed. For example, the Waffle House punishment is well known by many where the loser has to stay at the Waffle House for 24 hours, and every waffle they eat is an hour sooner they can leave. The differences in punishments are evident but neither are harmful or illegal. There are many leagues that also have physical punishments while having fun.

“I think they are a good way to have a little laugh with your friends,” sophomore Peter Fernandez said. “My league's punishment is that the loser has to run a half marathon.”

Both physical and non-physical punishments are prevalent in the fantasy football scene, but neither are truly dangerous–just a way to make the league a little more exciting. These are just a few of the many punishments that are thought of throughout the country and at Maclay. Rather than being disappointed in your favorite team’s loss, fantasy punishments are thought of as a funny way to enjoy watching football with friends.