80% Checkers, 20% Chess

Football is back.

And for 29 million Americans, that means fantasy football is too.

I play in a league with nine of my closest college friends.

We’re scattered across six states, but we’ve kept the same league going for 10 years now. Fantasy football quite literally ties us together – our annual trip revolves around it.

Have you ever seen a 6’3” baby walking around wearing nothing but a diaper and bib?

That could be the price you pay for finishing last in our league. (That also may or may not have been me).

But that’s not the point.

The point is this – what keeps us firing up the league year after year?

It’s because fantasy football hits the sweet spot:

It’s 80% checkers, 20% chess.

Just easy enough to start. Just challenging enough to keep going. Just social enough to keep us connected.

Some of us do mock drafts, religiously devour fantasy football advice, keep Adam Schefter Twitter notifications on throughout the year – and know way too much about the Titans backup tight end.

Others (me) show up to draft, spend a few minutes each week setting their lineup, ignore the waiver wire – and consider picking up Julio Jones before realizing he’s retired.

But that’s part of the magic. It works for everyone.

We can see it with pickleball now too.

Let me explain.

***

Pickleball has exploded — up 311% in the past three years, with over 36 million players in the U.S.

The rules are simple. The learning curve is short. The games are quick.

You can pick up a paddle and get the hang of it in minutes.

Checkers.

But there’s enough strategy and nuance — drop shots, spin, positioning — to keep competitive players engaged.

Chess.

And just like fantasy football, the social side can be just as important.

They both have the same three components:

• Simple enough that anyone can play

• Strategic enough to feel rewarding

• Social enough to become a ritual

This sweet spot is key.

***

Some games are too easy.

Take checkers, Uno or cornhole. If it’s too simple, people get bored. These types of activities rarely become the thing that bond people for decades.

Other games are too hard.

Chess, gymnastics, piano. Only some people have the time, money or patience to master them. Most people check out before they ever get hooked.

The magic happens in the middle.

Easy to learn, but just tricky enough to get you to keep coming back.

***

Let’s run our 80/20 theory through a few popular activities.

Golf: Sure, golf trips are popular. But it’s expensive to play. There’s also typically a wider skill gap between friends. To make it work, you often have to bend the rules – scrambles, mulligans, etc.

Skiing: It’s pricey, seasonal and has a large learning curve. If you’re on a 10-person ski trip, it’s doubtful you’ll all ever head down the same run.

Soccer: This was the first counterargument I thought of. It’s easy to play – all you need is a ball. But…you also need a lot of space and a lot of people.

And it’s not as culturally ingrained in the U.S., so it never quite stuck as a mainstream adult recreational activity.

Pickleball? It doesn’t have these downsides. All you need is one to three people, a few paddles, a ball and a court – which is easy to find and becoming increasingly easier.

Unlike golf, you don’t have to bend the rules to make it fun for all skill levels. Unlike skiing, you don’t need expensive equipment. And unlike soccer, you can still play the “real” game even if you’re not very good.

Fantasy football and pickleball perfectly balance the social, the easy and the strategic – whether you are 25 or 75.

They are better built to stick.

Ps. Run clubs, anyone? They are wildly popular right now. But I don’t think they pass the test either. They lean too heavily on the social side.

People who get really into running will move on to marathons or more structured training. People who join just for social reasons will likely soon hop over to the next trendy way to meet people.

***

I believe that if you dive deep enough into anything, you’ll find it interesting.

But what captures everyone?

What fuels mass popularity?

It’s the balance.

Just easy enough to start.

Just challenging enough to grow.

Just social enough to keep you coming back.

Sociologist Stanley Lieberson once said people gravitate toward things that are “familiar but not too familiar.”

Fantasy football and pickleball hit that sweet spot.

They’re familiar enough that anyone can join.

Surprising enough to stay interesting.

It doesn’t explain everything about their rise in popularity — but I think it’s an underrated piece of the puzzle.

And maybe, just maybe, that’s why 10 friends scattered across the country keep showing up for the same fantasy league every single year.

We could change it. Or stop doing it altogether. But it hits the perfect mix of fun and strategy – and it brings us together.

Even if it sometimes means spending a January weekend wearing whatever crazy costume the group decides.

Diaper and all.