/https://specials-images.forbesimg.com/imageserve/61241d407824749cec0e9ba6/0x0.jpg?cropX1=0&cropX2=3220&cropY1=0&cropY2=2259 "Los Angeles Chargers’ Austin Ekeler Joins Yahoo Fantasy Sports For 2021 NFL Season")
[ad_1]
Los Angeles Chargers dual-threat running back Austin Ekeler partners with Yahoo Sports … [+]
Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Austin Ekeler became a household name – especially among fantasy football enthusiasts – during the 2019 NFL season when the Los Angeles Chargers began to run backwards. Melvin Gordon continued his resistance in the hope of getting a new contract.
Even after Gordon made his season debut in Week 5 against the Denver Broncos, Ekeler continued his standout game, ending the campaign with 557 rushing yards and three touchdowns with 92 receptions for 993 yards and a team lead of eight receiving TDs.
After having led countless fantasy teams to championships this season and since, Ekeler connects with the fantasy football community on an even deeper level this season through a unique partnership with Yahoo Sports. The running back will be featured in weekly fantasy video segments entitled “Ekeler’s Edge” starting September 8th and will be broadcast every Wednesday throughout the season.
“I’m very passionate about connecting with my community, be it through Twitch streams, my foundation or the Gridiron Gaming Group,” said Ekeler. “I like to give back because it’s the community that made the platform so big – I’m talking about the NFL platform – that gives me the lifestyle I have today, and it’s like my way, ‘Thank you ‘ accept. I also owe a lot to the fantasy football people for this platform and its size, so I wanted to give love to the fantasy football people too.
“Through Yahoo Sports, we’ve been able to create some content where we can interact and answer people’s questions, and also give my insight into where you should include me on your team.”
“Ekeler’s Edge” will air every Wednesday during the NFL season starting September 8th.
Yahoo Sports
Ekeler will not publish his own “Love or Hate” list every week, but together with fantasy football analyst Liz Loza he will provide situation analysis and insights into players, teams and matches from his experience and first-hand knowledge Let the owners of fantasy teams choose their optimal lineups. The new program will be streamed on Yahoo Sports and its social platforms, as well as on Ekeler’s channels, including its popular Twitch channel.
In addition to its long-standing partnership with Ekeler, Yahoo Sports announced a number of new initiatives to promote the fantasy football experience, including the first-ever Yahoo Fantasy Football Championship, a competition that provides digital and physical experience at the MGM National Harbor Resort & Casino in Maryland. Yahoo Sports will also launch “Yahoo Sportsbook Live” on its Fantasy Football Live, designed to help football fans place bets in real time every Sunday at 2:30 pm ET during halftime.
“Yahoo Sports has pioneered fantasy sports innovation and brought something to all of our sports fans,” said Joanna Lambert, Verizon Media’s head of consumer. “With Austin’s passion for fantasy and his knowledge on the field as well as his huge fan base, we create exciting, entertaining experiences together and help our fans to bring the action closer.”
For Ekeler, partnering with Yahoo is a win-win, giving him the opportunity to develop a more direct relationship and connection with fans while also helping to spread awareness of the athletes under the helmets and pads, including himself as well as sport and NFL overall.
An estimated 60 million people across North America play fantasy sports and more than 40 million play fantasy football. The entire industry is valued at around $ 7.2 billion.
“(Fantasy Football) takes your helmet off,” he said. “The biggest problem with marketing ourselves as players is that we wear all this gear and people don’t know what we look like, unlike basketball where there are five people for each team on the court, so it’s easier to market these players. For us wearing all this gear and with 22 players on the field, you know (jersey) numbers, but Fantasy kind of takes that away. You see me smiling there on your fantasy team, I collect points for you and you watch me play the Chargers so that people become more aware of different teams and situations teams are in because you have to do research She.
“It allows people to have a more direct impact on what they are looking for in the NFL than if they were just a fan on TV because they immerse themselves in that player’s situation before calling him up.” It’s a healthy interaction that fantasy football creates. “
[ad_2]
