Starting a Fantasy Football League - The Complete Guide

This 10-part article series is a comprehensive guide for anyone with the desire to start a fantasy football league. Although the level of depth covered in this article would be most beneficial to novices, the majority of the proposed ideas could be applied to leagues already in existence. In this series we’ll discuss the major obstacles which are frequently encountered when creating a league, along with ideas and considerations for meeting those challenges.

To benefit from this article series you do not have to read it in its entirety, or even in sequential order. Each article was written to be an autonomous unit, so feel free to read only those topics of interest to you. If you have the time, we suggest that you read this series in its entirety as it includes many suggestions that could be used to improve even well-established leagues.

Starting a fantasy league is much different than being a passive member of an existing league. Drafting and managing a fantasy team for an entire season is difficult on its own. Before you make the decision to start a fantasy league, be aware that it will take some time away from managing your own team. However, once your league is up and running, maintaining the league will be much easier.

When you start a new fantasy league you are accepting a managerial role in that league and your fellow owners will be looking to you to keep the league running like a well-oiled machine. From organizing the fantasy draft, to choosing a league commissioner, to ultimately awarding league prizes, the tasks associated with starting a fantasy league are many and will require that you are well prepared.

A well-run, long-term fantasy league is a very rewarding experience for all owners involved. Starting a fantasy football league is a sizable endeavor, but if you do your homework and plan ahead your chance of success will be much higher than those who choose to learn on the fly. This article aims to prepare you by touching on each of the main challenges associated with starting a fantasy football league.

In Part 2 of this article series, we discuss how fantasy football has changed over the years and, for beginners, the importance of fantasy football research and preparation as you begin planning your new league.