Abstract

This is the first study examining the ethics and workplace practices of fantasy sports journalists in the emerging field of daily fantasy sports, known as DFS. Members of the Fantasy Sports Writers of America were surveyed regarding changes as a result of the rise of DFS. The quantitative portion of the FSWA survey compared DFS with traditional journalism and fantasy formats, and the open-ended, qualitative portion examined workplace satisfaction and concerns with the rise of daily. Results included the following: increased expectations by the consumer audience for sophisticated content and analysis, increased expectations by the content provider on meaningful data; and a lessened emphasis on season-long and head-to-head leagues. Respondents also noted the following: increased satisfaction with their job; increased submission of DFS entries; occasional betting of DFS entries at odds with their public announcements; and a sharp rise in concern about DFS’s comparison with gambling.