Fantasy Football Fueling Fights
BOSTON (CBS) - If you're one of the 27 million Americans who play Fantasy Football, then you know it can be serious stuff; sometimes too serious. The competition in some leagues is ending friendships and even leading to legal action.
"There's real competitiveness," said Ryan Van Cleave, who manages a fantasy team. "I've been really fortunate and lucky with my trades. I've got a pretty dynamite team," he bragged.
In some leagues, there is more than just bragging rights on the line. There is also money involved.
Paul Sharchian with the Fantasy Sports Trade Association says it's not uncommon for that competitive nature to lead to disputes and damaged relationships. "Friendships can get fractured over fantasy sports. It's emotional," he said.
WBZ-TV's Paula Ebben reports.
While some friendly competition is normal, sports psychologist Dr. Sharon Chirban says it can cross the line. "When someone doesn't seem to stop after their opponent or friend seems to have sort of taken things personally, people don't always respect the other viewpoint and stay in sort of a healthy space," she said.
Disagreements about rules often spark these rifts. Money can also cause problems. Most leagues have an entry fee and a payout to successful teams. When payments get delayed, tempers flare. "Either the commissioner doesn't pay right away or people are slow to pay into the league. One guy is bouncing a check another guy is paying with pennies," Sharchian said.
If money is the issue, try using an online finance tool. There are also special services to help you work through rule disputes.
Money Issues:
Wepay.com
Leaguesafe.com
Dispute Resolution Services:
Fantasydispute.com
Sportsjudge.com
Fantasyjudgement.com
"You can both make your case to a lawyer who will review your league's bylaws, review specifics of the case and make a binding determination as to who the winner is," Sharchian explained.
If all else fails, there is always retirement.
