Fantasy football is on the rise and NFL teams are losing valuable fans because of it. There was a time when the only important statistic to a fan was the final score and whether it resulted in a win or loss. Fans watched for the love of the game and all that mattered was the team that emerged victorious.

Now, as fantasy football has become increasingly popular, more people have begun watching to see how many yards their quarterback throws or how many touchdowns their running back scores.

Many fans care more about the accomplishments of an individual than the welfare of the team. Is this game changing football fans for the better?

Fantasy football is an online game where participants join a league with a group of 10 people, and then take turns selecting NFL players to be on their team. Throughout the season, participants earn points based on how their players perform. Whoever has the most points at the end of the season wins.

The competition is fierce and many fantasy football fans have had their team spirit overtaken by a powerful force – cash.

Many fantasy football participants put in a certain amount of money at the beginning of the season and the winner gets the jackpot at the end. Fantasy footballers become so obsessed with the possible cash prize that it cuts into the love for their favorite team.

Players begin rooting for individuals even if it means rooting against their favorite team.

Although many fantasy football fans have been sucked in by the prospect of cash, there are still nearly 150 million people every weekend who tune into a football game at some point in the day, compared to the 20 million who play fantasy football.

The reality is, fantasy football is simply a virtual game and its increase in popularity has distracted people from the game itself.

Fantasy football has changed fans, it has turned them from loyal team enthusiasts to fair-weathered supporters that focus on statistics and individuals.