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Ranking the Best Live Fantasy Draft Locations
Rookie drafts have flooded the market, which means one thing: The #SFB12 is around the corner. In honor of the Scott Fish Bowl doing its first year of live drafts, we are doing a countdown to the top locations for a live fantasy football draft with your league mates! Let us know in the comments if we missed one!
Live Fantasy Football Draft Locations; Tier 1
NFL Stadium
Doing a live fantasy football draft at an NFL Stadium should be on every fan's bucket list. Getting a press box overlooking the entire field has to be one of the coolest experiences. However, it didn’t hit the top of the charts as there are plenty of horror stories of organizations that didn’t do it right.
Regardless, if you have some disposable income and the live fantasy draft locations at the stadiums are done right, the experience is priceless. Check out this review from a fan who did one at Arrowhead:
“I drafted at Arrowhead Stadium in KC Monday and had a great experience. Was $100 per person but included all you could eat wings, pizza and chips, as well as all you can drink soda and 2 beers. The GM Dorsey came by and visited as well as cheerleaders and ex players. Draft room was a suite overlooking the field as well. Hearing your story makes me lose some respect for that organization- if they are going to reach out to you they should have included more.”
Random on Reddit
Most people viewed the experience as underwhelming and not worth the money unless you were a fan of the team. Still, something you’ll remember and have stories to tell for years to come.
Hitting the Slots
What could go wrong with having a live fantasy draft in one of the most popular locations in the world: Las Vegas? We have all had those league-mates who get too drunk at the draft and mess up all their picks. Hell, most of us encourage it. So let’s make an event out of it and bring it to Vegas!
Bachelor and bachelorette parties, business trips, and birthdays all land in Vegas, so why not turn one of these occasions into a fantasy event. We can all watch Jerry get drunk and take Aaron Rodgers with the first pick. Unfortunately for Jerry, what happened in Vegas won’t stay in Vegas. This terrible draft will be following him till January.
It gets better, order another round, because this is about to go down.
Bring It Back to the 90s
Remember when we just mailed in our weekly starts to some random magazine because we didn't have the internet to run our leagues? You had to rely on fantasy advice that was a week (!) old at times to get your information. Well, pull out your notebooks and pens; print out those spreadsheets. Let’s go camping.
That is right; camping would be a blast. So pick up your Draft Boards and pull up your stumps. We are doing it by the fire while cooking some game over an open fire. Think about all the events you could do to determine draft order or the bets you could make to put a twist on the draft itself.
And the punishments…
Oh, the punishments would be beautiful as Jerry has to go streaking past the neighbor's cabin, down past the local pub, and back. Maybe after he has to take a certain number of shots and after he passes out, everyone puts him on a raft and sends him out of the lake—the ideas are endless.
Regardless, unplug for a few days to do something most people plug in for and spend some time finding locations in the wilderness for a live fantasy football draft.
Live Fantasy Football Draft Locations; Tier 2
The Distillery
One of the best experiences you could ever ask for is doing the Bourbon Trail and getting to sample all the best whiskeys Kentucky has to offer. Want to one-up it? Rent their tasting room and deck it out to the nines. Get the charcuterie boards and a bottle of their finest. Then, after you set up the draft board and throw down a shot, it's all fair game.
I did it with my league and decided to do beer pong with 48 cups to determine the draft order. Once you made a cup with a number on it, you could stop drinking. We also toyed around with guessing which tasting was which and approximating the proof. The possibilities for the pre-draft process were infinite.
The best part is, the pricing isn’t outrageous. Smaller distilleries or even breweries are ideal for live fantasy draft locations as they are always looking to host events. 2023 could be a fun year to make the live draft fancy; just don’t forget to take pictures when half of your league is passed out on the floor.
The Lakehouse
Do it like Kevin Murray in 2023. Grab the Custom Title Belt, some cases of beer, and a lakehouse. Spend a weekend with the crew hanging out, creating life-long memories. A lakehouse is the second tier for live football fantasy draft locations, especially if you go all out.
Don’t get cheap. You just rented an entire Lakehouse. Get the podium and a Draft Board. Make sure your Championship Trophy is polished and ready to rock and roll. Dress it up as the NFL Draft, so it feels real when your friends walk up on stage to make their pick. Some might think it’s corny but doing it up on Draft Day is one of those impressions leaving a mark on your life forever.
Start of the Season
Every season starts at one place and one place only: Canton, Ohio. The Fantasy Football Expo takes place one week after the Hall of Fame game where hundreds, if not thousands, of fans gather. The King's Classic is held at the Hall of Fame as well, as multiple other smaller drafts for different charities and organizations. If it's good enough for the best analysts in the business, it's good enough for your league.
However, it's not just about the draft.
There are panels of fantasy experts gifting people with knowledge, concepts being developed that you never dreamed of, and relationships built over beers. Let's also not forget about #DraftNightOut. The Fantasy Football Expo is one of the most beautiful things a fantasy football fan could ask for, so don't miss out on it in 2022.
Live Fantasy Football Draft Locations; Tier 1
TrophySmack Headquarters
Coming in just under 60 days, TrophySmack will be the biggest and best spectacle the fantasy world has ever seen. If you’ve been to the Fantasy Football Convention or the FSGA in Vegas, you know TrophySmack does it big. Everything from thrones to foosball; now imagine how insane it will be when you step into their house.
Bowling alleys, shuffleboard, pool, and even a secret game room—if you can find it. With 30-50 people expected to be at this event with multiple leagues for the SFB12, it will be the biggest draft party in the country.
Huge shout out to Scott Fish for allowing us to be a part of this years #SFB12! Be sure to sign up and contribute today!
In reality, good people and a great attitude are all it takes to have an amazing location. However, when you have the opportunity to do something special, please don’t waste it. Sometimes you don’t know who needs it. Good times with crazy friends mean unforgettable memories.
For more rankings on punishments, trophies, and more, follow Chase Vernon on Twitter!
