Tips For Throwing A Great Fantasy Draft Party
One of the most important dates on the fantasy football calendar is draft day.
For those who are the most ardent players, they have been participating in mock drafts for months, for casual players, it is the culmination of all the research they have done and now it is time to put their talent evaluation skills to the test. While many leagues perform their drafts through whatever online site they chose to host their leagues, there are still many that treat draft day like it is a holiday. And what do many people do on holidays? They get together with friends and family and have a party. Organizing a live draft party can be just as difficult as organizing any other party. What makes a live draft party different, however, is the purpose behind it, most parties are fun and relaxing; a live draft party is meant to be fun, but there is also work that needs to be accomplished. Therefore, here are some tips on ways to make your live draft party, both fun and meaningful.
Draft day accessories:
It is not enough to make sure everyone keeps track of their own draft, they must be able to see who is currently drafting, what players have already been drafted who is coming up. So a draft board, with either the ability to write the players’ names in or one that comes with stickers with the player’s names pre-printed, should be an essential tool for all live drafts.
Player Rankings:
Unless you have the mind of Rain Man, trying to memorize all available players and their stats is an impossible task, so bring your research with you.
Strong and fast internet service. There are several reasons why this is of utmost importance:
- Not everyone will be able to attend your live draft in person, so they will have to be patched in somehow; if you are going to use something like Skype, you need a consistent internet connection so that those who are not there are still present in real-time in order to make their pics and see who everyone else has picked.
- A web camera is also of utmost importance. It’s not enough for those checking in remotely for the draft to hear what is going on, they should be able to see it as well. Whether it is to see the running draft board or the other people in the room or even the copious amounts of food and drink that have been brought to the party, they should be afforded a greater presence at the draft.
- For those who want to be green and not print out all those players stats, coming to the draft with a computer or some kind of tablet that is loaded with this information is a good alternative, however, they will need to be online to pull up any other information that is necessary as the draft goes along.
Draft Day Fashion:
It is probably a fair statement to say that most people who play fantasy football are fans of the game, so it is a strong possibility that they have some sort of team paraphernalia. When you plan to attend your live draft, it is recommended that you wear your favorite team’s colors. Unless you are one of the more industrious leagues and you can create your own fantasy team logo, at which time getting a shirt with your team’s logo will make you stand out to an even greater degree at your draft.
Draft Day Attitude
- When coming to your live draft, you should always take your draft seriously, but remember this is supposed to be a fun experience, from draft day and all throughout the season. So have fun, enjoy the company you keep, and pick a winning team.
- Bring the trash talk. A quiet draft is a boring draft. While it is harder to trash talk when everyone is online when you are involved in a live draft, the trash-talking should not only be acceptable, it should be a requirement. Poking fun at one team because they obsessively pick guys from their favorite team is always encouraged. Getting on the one player who can never keep track of all the picks that have happened and keeps picking guys that have already been drafted is mandatory. Just remember to keep it funny, don’t make it personal, and if you are the one getting the ribbing, come with a thick skin and hopefully an ability to strike back when the time comes.
Food and Drink:
Ok, let’s be honest, for many people, this is almost as (if not more) important than drafting your actual fantasy football team. If you go to a party in any situation and the food and drink that is served is not good, it puts a major damper on everything that happens at that party. Sorry, that is just a fact of life, and if you don’t believe that, then I just say that you are lying to yourself. Providing food and drink is a must. However, it is not and should not be thought of as a “party foul” to make your draft a pot luck. I do not believe it should be incumbent upon the people hosting the party to provide all the food and drink. They definitely should provide some of it, but as they are already providing their home, Wi-Fi, oven, refrigerator, bathroom, etc., it is only fair to ask all those who are coming to provide some form of refreshment. So what should be the requirements when it comes to what is served at a live draft party?
Let’s go over the basics!
Chips
Whether it is potato chips, tortilla chips, corn chips, or any other type of chip, multiple bowls of a variety of chips are always a good starter.
Dips
This is immensely important because not everything you plan on serving can and should be eaten “dry”. Providing various forms of dips should be both welcomed and in many ways, mandatory. Also, dips can come in many different forms, including the classic French onion dip, salsa, 7-layer, buffalo chicken, vegetable, etc. So providing a dip with the accompanying chip is a great addition.
Sandwiches
You can go with pre-made sandwiches (I am oddly addicted to Costco deli rolls), meat and cheese platters with accompanying pieces of bread, or specially made sandwiches (i.e. steak, sausage). Although sometimes it pays to get a little creative!
This may be a little controversial, just because I have placed it under this heading, but hot dogs and hamburgers are always strong choices for eats at parties.
Finger foods
If you ask me, my personal favorite is, and always will be pigs in a blanket, past that there are always the favorites such as mozzarella sticks, chicken tenders, and pizza rolls. I will also stress that much like what was discussed previously about dips when serving finger foods, the proper accompanying sauce is also essential.
Drinks
Contrary to popular opinions having a bevy of alcoholic beverages on draft day might not be in the best interest of your upcoming fantasy team as many bonehead decisions have been made while drafting under the influence. Stick to the non-alcoholic drinks during the draft then celebrate properly with your favorite brew afterward.