The NFL Wants Fantasy Football Incorporated Into Math Curriculum

In an interview with the Wall Street Journal, the NFL's acting chief marketing officer says fantasy football could be good for math classes.

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School used to be a place where you were fed a lie about being able to become whatever you want. Now (if the NFL has its way) they could be utilizing concepts that are a little more realistic. For instance, instead of dreaming of being President of the United States you could, say, be the douche who tosses and turns over what to do with the first overall pick in your fantasy football league. That's because (according to acting chief marketing officer Mark Waller) the league would love to start pushing the booming pastime as early as grade school.

According to Waller:


We want to make sure that at the younger age, there’s a format for fantasy and a way to play that will allow you to engage. But also use it educationally. It’s a complex game, fantasy. You should be able to learn a lot, particularly around math. How many points do I need? How many points does this player get? We’re also trying to work with groups to get the concept of fantasy based into the curriculum of elementary schools. If you love football and you teach them math through football, the chances are you may teach them better math and more quickly.

We're torn on this. For one, math has used the same outdated variables (apples, trains leaving the station at [x] MPH, etc.) for decades and we always hear teachers whine about how hard it is to get through to kids. But on the other hand, how much NFL does the world need? Besides, do you really want your future kid to come home and critique your lineup? Just food for thought on a league that seems to be doing its best to jump the shark, daily.

[via Wall Street Journal]

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