Hear the radio version of this story.
Most nights and weekends, you can find Taylor Ezell of Nashville looking over spreadsheets of player stats, and placing his money on a fantasy lineup he’s picked.
“The same way that I would go out before buying a stock and research all these stocks that I think are going to perform well over a period of time, I’m going to do the same thing for daily fantasy,” he says.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_x5KGC2T-co
Ezell, who is an accountant and technology consultant, has won tens of thousands of dollars in his side gig. He also writes for Nashville-based RotoGrinders.com, which gives advice to daily fantasy sports players. And he admits fantasy sports can look like gambling, but he contends it's even more of a game of skill than poker.
“You approach someone that’s never played before and say, ‘hey, build a lineup.’ I’m going to beat them nine out of ten times,” he says. “Over a long period of time, players that do more research or that know the game better or know the players — basically the people that put in the time — are going to have better results.”
Big-time players like Ezell know the future of fantasy sports will include more regulation. That was already in motion in the Tennessee legislature before Tennessee's top lawyer, like a dozen other state attorneys general, labeled fantasy sports "illegal gambling" this week. It’s unclear whether the formal legal opinion will derail the measure, but the industry is now making its push more publicly.
Cal Spears, CEO of RotoGrinders, says fantasy sports aren't going away, even if they become illegal in some states.
“What I want it to do is grow and flourish, and the growth prospect is what’s really in question,” he says. “I just hope that through this process, reason wins out in the long-run."
Daily fantasy sites DraftKings and FanDuel issued separate statements, calling the state’s laws “antiquated” and characterizing fantasy sports as a growing industry that could be good for the economy.
From DraftKings:
"We have been and are in an active dialogue with elected officials to advance thoughtful and appropriate legislation that includes consumer protections to govern our skill-based contests and are encouraged by our progress to date in Tennessee. We call on all of our fans and Tennessee supporters to let their voices be heard in the coming days to show support for this legislation and protect their right to play the games they love.”
From FanDuel:
"While we respectfully disagree with the opinion, the Attorney General expressly noted the legislature can make needed updates to antiquated state laws and ensure nearly one million Tennesseans can continue to enjoy all forms of fantasy sports — from any season-long leagues to daily play. A bill to protect fantasy sports and install important industry-wide consumer protections has already passed the state senate and legislators will be hearing from constituents from all across the state with a clear message: do not take away a game we love. We hope members of the legislature will listen to them, and act quickly to modernize state law and bring full clarity to the issue. Additionally, Tennessee has benefited from the economic boom fantasy sports has spurred, with new sports analytics companies like Rotogrinders and Footballguys headquartered in Tennessee. The state should be a home for this growing industry, but the legislature has to act to take advantage of this growing economic opportunity."
Copyright 2016 WPLN News
