If you think that the fantasy game that PL fans spend hours on and get in endless debates and heated arguments and scenarios is worthless then you have another thing coming.
Fantasy Premier League, the famous virtual team-building game, has a simple premise.
A manager makes a squad of 15 players from various PL clubs, keeping some rules in mind and gets points based on certain parameters, like goals scored, assists, clean sheets and more.
And in the very likely case that their chosen players do not play well, there are point deductions as well, like in the case of cards.
There are various chips available, like Bench Boost and Triple Captain and managers can make transfers in their teams to optimise it as per their requirements.
With all this and more to do, players spend hours and hours analysing fixtures, current and future, and player forms, to make sure they do better than their peers and rank higher in global leagues.
And all this is not for nought, as FPL promises to reward good performers.
Below is a list of rewards that await the high finishers this season:
(Note: The list is not exhaustive)
1st Prize:
- 7-night break in the UK including VIP hospitality at two 2023/24 Premier League matches
- A week’s worth of experiences at popular tourist attractions courtesy of Visit Britain
- Includes travel and 7 nights’ accommodation
- Hublot connected watch
- Copy of FIFA 23
Runner Up:
- VIP hospitality at one 2023/24 Premier League match
- Includes travel and 2 nights’ accommodation
- Copy of FIFA 23
- Nike manager jacket
There are prizes promised for 3rd, 4th and 5th place as well.
Similar prizes await those who win the FPL Cup, and the best monthly and weekly performers.
So yes, there is a lot to be won.
But, note the usage of the word “promised” above.
All of this is promised but hasn’t been delivered, at least not completely.
Many podium finishers of seasons gone by have come forward to accuse the fantasy game of not delivering on the prize even though all requirements were met.
There are claims that FPL, who wish to reward the winner with VIP Hospitality for 2 PL games, have denied the winner the chance to avail of this opportunity at a top-six clash.
Top Six clashes are usually the ones with the highest demand and more often than not have high stakes riding on them. Inserting T&Cs where none existed screams of unprofessionalism.
It is also surprising, considering FPL is an official PL game, but are unable to get tickets to a PL match.
Even if we, for once, consider that sourcing PL game tickets is difficult, arranging copies of FIFA 23, a game sold in every major video game store in the world, should not be. But it seems, the organisers of FPL have been unable to do that either.
All this has called for some action for players who sweat it out in front of screens on a weekly basis.
While one thinks that legal action is in order, another suggests putting an entry fee in place so that the money can be put into the winners’ pot.
The latter is difficult, as an entry fee would deter many players from playing in the first place, and even shift to competitors who offer the game at no charge, hurting the game’s popularity.
But the game’s popularity is getting hurt even now, with them not being able to, or deciding not to, award the winners.
FPL needs to do better. We love the game. We analyse and over-analyse it. We write 100s of words and record 1000s of minutes every week for this. The least the organisers can do is reward the winners.
