TIME TO GET FOCUSED ON FANTASY SPORTS
Fantasy Focused was created fifteen years ago as a fantasy football blog by the original founder, Ryan Levy, and has ultimately evolved into a podcast network and fantasy sports brand. It now expands across several sports podcasts with content in video, live streams, articles, and has an influential presence on social media. Fantasy Focused, delivers free, high-quality content on a weekly basis that provides analysis, advice, educated opinions, and humor to maximize the entertainment and overall experience for its audience.
Helping listeners and viewers win fantasy championships fuels Fantasy Focused to continue its growth and expansion within the fantasy sports industry. The team eats, sleeps and breathes fantasy football all year-round as the preparation and work never stops for this dedicated and FOCUSED collection of content creators. When asked about the contributors and partners that have been assembled at Fantasy Focused, Ryan said, “The dream team at Fantasy Focused means the world to me, they are like family. We have a diverse team dispersed across the country with various team allegiances and it is continuing to grow on a yearly basis. We all contribute in our own ways and it’s cool to see the goal of providing high-quality, free content come together.” There is no doubt that this is an exceptional group of individuals which is reflected in the content that they produce.
Ryan’s vision for Fantasy Focused is the reason why Derek Tate decided to get on board with the company in 2016. Derek is a Sports Anchor and Play-by-Play Announcer that serves as a Lead Fantasy Football Analyst for Fantasy Focused. According to Derek, “Levy is one the brightest business minds I’ve ever come across and I’m lucky to call him a business partner, but more importantly a friend.” Derek told me that when he joined Fantasy Focused, the two discussed the idea of starting a fantasy football podcast and the rest was history. Fantasy Focused is now sponsored by The Original Hooters and works in partnership with one of the fastest-growing DFS (Daily Fantasy Sports) websites and platforms in the world, Monkey Knife Fight.
Today, Fantasy Focused has a network of podcasts which includes the original Fantasy Focused Podcast, Talking Tottenham, Playin’ Pepper, Taking Shots with Uncle Mike & Tater, The Go Route, Back of the Pack (NASCAR), Bet the Over, and The Fantasy Debate with Sam & Tate. These podcasts cover a wide range of sports beyond football including soccer, baseball, UFC, and NASCAR. When it comes to having a diversified podcast portfolio the model just makes sense for Fantasy Focused. Ryan explained, “With the fantasy football industry being so flooded with talented content creators and brands, it was a no-brainer to explore passions beyond traditional football and baseball, like NASCAR for example. There’s not a ton of people providing NASCAR DFS content. Even when it comes to football, we always try to do something unique, whether it’s a focus on live shows or a different platform like Monkey Knife Fight, were always looking for something uncommon.” Creating unique content and “zigging while others zag” is definitely one reason why this brand stands out to its loyal and dedicated fans. The dynamic personalities that co-host the network of podcasts are just another element that makes Fantasy Focused special.
The Fantasy Debate with Sam & Tate is a Fantasy Focused football podcast co-hosted by Derek Tate and Samantha Holt. Samantha (Sam) is an extremely talented graphic designer, illustrator, and artist that has an incredible passion for the game of football. If you are familiar with her at all you know that she certainly does not lack ambition, determination, and drive. According to Derek, “Sam has a personality that is contagious. She is engaging, positive, witty, fun, and hilarious. She is very talented and getting to work a show with her regularly is truly special”. As for Sam’s impact on the Fantasy community, it doesn’t surprise Derek one bit that she has made such a positive impact. He explained, “Sam is genuinely an awesome human being, who loves to interact, engage, and help others grow within the fantasy community. Any community on Twitter would love to have someone like Sam. The Fantasy community is just the lucky group she chose to become a part of because of her love for football.” The respect and appreciation for each other on this podcast is mutual. Sam described to me how she felt about her podcast co-host and the product that they have created. She said, “Working with Derek is such a joy. He has such a great passion for sports and growth as an analyst, you cannot help but be inspired and equally want to raise your game as he does. In many ways I feel like we are nerds that were separated at birth. I love the balance that we draw between our styles of commentary, it feels very organic and I think that’s what draws our viewers and listeners.” There is no doubt that these two podcasters compliment each other very well.
Sam is very thankful for the opportunities that she has been provided as a part of the Fantasy Focused team. Initially, she was a guest on the original Fantasy Focused Podcast on a few occasions and immediate chemistry was felt by all. According to Sam, “It was an instant bond, and when they asked me to become a part of the team, there was no hesitation. I found my squad.” She went on to say, “The platform Fantasy Focused has given me has been phenomenal. Getting to co-host with this crew has been such a blessing. I learn from each of them every time we record. It’s iron sharpening iron, and so awesome to be a part of. As a woman on the team, they’ve never treated me any different. They’re quick to ask my opinion and encouraging when I’m cautious or working through an idea. They motivate me to continue to work on my craft and have fun with this. Through this platform, I’ve been able to connect with a lot of other people in the industry, and formed so many amazing new friendships. I’m eternally grateful to the guys for giving me this opportunity and helping me on this journey.”
Sam Holt with ESPN’s Matthew Berry, Field Yates, Stephania Bell, and Daniel Dopp
Inspiration has indeed guided Sam’s journey towards the fantasy football industry. She credits the influence of ESPN’s Matthew Berry and his New York Times Best-Selling Book. Sam explained, “I read Matthew Berry’s book Fantasy Life and it motivated me to make a career shift, and pursue the things that brought me joy. Fantasy Football was big part of that. I didn’t have any expectations as for where it would go but I just figured why not try? I knew I would regret it if I didn’t and I’m so glad I did. I’ve been able to meet Matthew on a couple occasions and every time, he’s just so encouraging, it makes me feel like I’m on the right path.” Daniel Dopp, ESPN producer and Co-Host of The Fantasy Show with Matthew Berry, was another source of inspiration to Sam. “Daniel has given me so much great advice, I truly can’t thank him enough for his kindness. One thing Daniel told me was so simple but has helped a lot. I always get nervous before I record a podcast, and this one in particular I was interviewing him. He could tell I was nervous and said, you love football right? We’re just two friends talking about the game we love, it’s that simple. You’re passionate about fantasy football, that’s all that matters, so just have fun with it.” It does not surprise me at all that these two have had such an impact on Sam as their authenticity and compassion for others is quite evident in all that they do.
Just like Derek and Sam, Fantasy Focused and its network of podcasts features several other unique and engaging personalities on their shows. Alex Freeman is the NASCAR guru of the team and is in the driver’s seat for the Back of the Pack podcast. Danny Shakes focuses on the Talking Tottenham and Bet the Over podcasts. Matt Bucks (Bucky) and Mike Penu (Uncle Mike) contribute to several of the Fantasy Focused podcasts as well covering a variety of sports. Jason Phifer keeps most of his attention on football content on The Go Route podcast. I highly encourage that you subscribe, download, and follow the entire Fantasy Focused team on all social media platforms and make sure to visit FantasyFocused.com to learn more about this ascending fantasy sports brand!
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