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Fantasy Sports Turn to ... Politics?

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the best-team-would-be-the-1923-congress dept.

Xiaoxiaofreak2 writes "Via Joystiq, Reuters is reporting on a new fantasy sports title that draws on a new source — politics." From the article: "Fantasy Congress plays a lot like any other online Fantasy sports game. The game, officially launched on Monday, is a new spin on the popular online fantasy sports games where players chose a team of real-life players and tally points based on their statistical performance. In Fantasy Congress, found at http://www.fantasycongress.us/fc/, a player drafts a team of actual U.S. lawmakers and then competes against other teams. Andrew Lee, a senior at Claremont McKenna College in the greater Los Angeles area and one of the game's creators, said lawmakers were ranked based on the progress of their proposed legislation, picking up points on its journey to possibly getting passed into law."

24 comments

  1. Once again... by r_jensen11 · · Score: 2, Insightful

    ...this just goes to show how out of touch politicians are from reality. On a side-note: Can we have something go on like for March Madness and have an actual prize, or is that now illegal because of the online gambling law passed by Bush & Co?

    1. Re:Once again... by ack154 · · Score: 3, Interesting

      It could be November Madness (or a suitable word that starts with N)... and you could win points in a pool for picking people that win their elections.

    2. Re:Once again... by mossmann · · Score: 3, Funny

      November Nightmare?

    3. Re:Once again... by rolfwind · · Score: 1

      And it would have the benefit of actually motivating people going and voting (to help win their bet).

    4. Re:Once again... by Overzeetop · · Score: 1

      Oh, there are lots of options:

      - over/under on the control of either house and senate
      - number of incumbents losing
      - number of incumbents winning
      - net seats picked up by (R/D)
      - State Wars: how many states will have more repubs than dems (+ or -)
      - pick the state with the lowest (or highest) % voter turnout
      - Pick the Lock contest: choose ten guaranteed winners and losers, tie breakers based on percentages for the winners/losers

      There's just so many options. It's a shame I only have three people in my office, I think this needs massive participation to be really fun.

      --
      Is it just my observation, or are there way too many stupid people in the world?
    5. Re:Once again... by ack154 · · Score: 1

      Ya, it may actually make me more interested in voting if there were something almost fun about it. At least, more interested than I am now... which is not at all. Sorry.

  2. Knowledge is a dangerous thing by EMeta · · Score: 2, Interesting
    The problem is, knowing much at all about how politics plays out can have a very demoralizing effect. Once you get down to the nitty-gritty, most politicians compromise here and there (which is good, it does make stuff happen), and so without a lot of information about the big picture of compromises, investigations into politics is quite likely to get people turned off to it.

    Of course, that hypothetical big picture might not help either, but that's a different problem.

    1. Re:Knowledge is a dangerous thing by Jonny+do+good · · Score: 1

      This does sound like it could turn most people off.

      On the other hand it could be interesting if they added a few touches to it. Make pork act be a detractor. Blocking a bill could be like defense. Getting involved in a scandal could be another detractor. It might work out that the highest scorer ing legislators were the people that never showed up.

    2. Re:Knowledge is a dangerous thing by Marko+DeBeeste · · Score: 4, Funny
      "The less the public knows about how law and sausages are made, the happier they'll be."

      Otto Von Bismark

      --
      Faith: n. -- That human impulse that drives them to steal appliances when the power goes out
    3. Re:Knowledge is a dangerous thing by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      most politicians compromise here and there

      Is that like how Gwen Moore is a Senator who supports the Constitutionally violating census form? The form that features at $1000 per question fine if you opt not to answer?

      So much for the swearing to uphold The Constitution.

  3. All-Repub team by Captain+Splendid · · Score: 2, Funny
    lawmakers were ranked based on the progress of their proposed legislation, picking up points on its journey to possibly getting passed into law

    So...I guess to win you'll pretty much need an all-Republican team, then?

    --
    Linux, you magnificent bastard, I read the fucking manual!
  4. Full-Contact Politics by jazman_777 · · Score: 2, Funny

    People would pay more attention to politics if we had canings and duels, like in the old days.

    --
    Slashdot: Failed Car Analogies. Amateur Lawyering. Anecdote Battles.
    1. Re:Full-Contact Politics by WilliamSChips · · Score: 1

      We'd have a lot less incumbents if it were legal for politicians to duel...

      --
      Please, for the good of Humanity, vote Obama.
    2. Re:Full-Contact Politics by frosty_tsm · · Score: 1

      Can we make an amendment out of this even if the incumbents oppose it?

    3. Re:Full-Contact Politics by TranscendentalAnarch · · Score: 1

      Bush would be out of office. Not because the Democratic challenger shot him in the duel, but because Cheney did.

  5. And remember kids... by narftrek · · Score: 0, Funny

    Fantasy sports is like Dungeons and Dragons for those kids who used to beat up the kids that played Dungeons and Dragons!

  6. This is fantastic by mossmann · · Score: 3, Funny

    Points are awarded for getting legislation passed with no regard whatsoever for the quality of the legislation. No points are awarded for voting against bad legislation. No points are awarded for repealing bad legislation.

    It's just like the real thing.

    1. Re:This is fantastic by rotor · · Score: 1

      Yeah, but who decides what the good or bad legislation is? Legislation is always good for *someone*...

      --
      Addlepated - punk & metal
    2. Re:This is fantastic by Reziac · · Score: 1

      Exactly... and given that, I'm wondering what could be done to tie an online SIM game to this Fantasy Congress, where life in the SIM reacted to legislation the way we all WISH we could/dared react.

      Would probably be enlightening, from a French Revolution point of view ;)

      --
      ~REZ~ #43301. Who'd fake being me anyway?
  7. This could be fun by ErikTheRed · · Score: 1

    Although most of my political fantasies involve lynch mobs...

    --

    Help save the critically endangered Blue Iguana
  8. It was coming... by Flailmonkey · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Oh. My. God.
    I knew that this idea was something that was needed to bring all the real details about today's politics to peoples attention.
    I did not expect to see it posted on Slashdot a week after thinking of it...
    The elements are all there, with a huge amount of statistical data to use and a variety of levels allowing localities to each have their own "home players," while at the same time there's the bigger National picture going on as well.
    As "cynical" as it may seem, packaging politics as we already package sports may be the only way to really involve the people of today.

    1. Re:It was coming... by Firefly1 · · Score: 1
      I knew that this idea was something that was needed to bring all the real details about today's politics to peoples attention.
      I am reminded of an argument Michael Moore makes in one of his books ('Stupid White Men', I think): basically, he looks at the amazing retention and attention to detail that is associated with sports and concludes that it would be a good thing for civic involvement if politics could be as interesting and engaging.
      --
      - White Knight of the Order of Mihoshi Enthusiasts
  9. Cool concept but buggy by Mr.Dippy · · Score: 1

    I just made an account and the website definitly needs some more work. I'll probably come back to this after it comes out of beta. The form registartion is confusing to say the least. It clears out all form data if you submit it without filling a required field. There is no confirmation page for registering. When I went in a setup my "fantasy team", my team, 50% of the time didn't show up on screen. I tried to join a league but my team name, once I got it setup never showed up. Great concept for a website but it still needs work

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    -Dipster
  10. This won't help... by KnarfO · · Score: 1

    No big surprise, too many citizens already treat civics like a big game. Partisan politics helps turn every election or vote into a contest of "them vs. us", instead of what it really should be: what's best for everyone.

    It's just one more indication of how broken our political system is, and how too many people treat it as a spectator sport, rooting for their "team" to win at any cost, instead of participating to achieve a common goal.

    --


    "Creativity is allowing ones self to make mistakes. Art is knowing which ones to keep" - Scott Adams