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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."

9 of 24 comments (clear)

  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?

  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 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. 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.
  5. 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.

  6. 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.