// THE VERGE — MOBILE & WEB
The women’s soccer league trying to fix fantasy sports
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The Women’s Super League’s first official fantasy app is rethinking the game from the ground up.
The Women’s Super League’s first official fantasy app is rethinking the game from the ground up.
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Most fantasy sports leagues suffer the same problem: retention. Leagues play out over monthslong seasons, require regular attention, and can punish players severely for missing even a single week. I’ve started Fantasy Premier League (FPL) multiple times, but never finished a season.
That’s a problem for any fantasy league, but especially so for a new game in a growing sport, hoping to attract new fans who might grow along with it. And so when Manchester United take on London City Lionesses on the opening day of the Women’s Super League (WSL) season next month, fans will have a chance to compete in a fantasy league that’s a little different, with six parts to the season, two leagues in one, and an Instagram-influenced design.
I got to play an early version of the game last week, which launches today online or inside the WSL app. The basics are still there. Users spend a fixed pool of money on a team of players drawn from across the league, with a maximum of three players from any individual club. Players score points based on their performances in real matches, with the option to substitute players or transfer them in or out of the team as the season progresses. The WSL will run its own league table, with prizes for the top spots, but fans can create private leagues too.