Case study · UX design · Video production · Web design
NFL Fantasy
The media and engagement system for an exclusive fantasy football league, grown from static graphics into an AI broadcast pipeline.
Section 1
A whole season, zero misses
The audience called it the most innovative content they'd seen for a fantasy league, and ESPN and the NFL borrowed from it, adding an OP position and a playoff structure.
- missed deadlines across a multi-month season
- 0
- hours or less from final whistle to published episode
- <12
- consecutive seasons retained by the commissioner
- 9
- growth in the league's fan base
- 3×
- faster production on the AI pipeline
- 3×
- end-to-end pipeline, from live league data to a published broadcast
- 1
Section 2
A fantasy league built like an e-Sport
From September to February, about 46 million fans play fantasy football. This league is a sandbox for testing new formats, media models and ways to engage an audience.
Since 2017 I've designed and evolved its complete media and engagement system, with live reporting of standings and scores so spectators can take part.
- Pushes fantasy football toward an e-Sports experience
- Grew from static graphics to an AI broadcast pipeline
- The league runs on ESPN Fantasy
Section 3
Passion with nothing to watch
Fantasy football is transactional, isolated and hard to follow if you're not playing.
- No spectator layer. Fans without a team have nothing to watch, follow or bet on.
- Flat coverage. The majors give play-by-play stats, not a broadcast-quality story for one league.
- No e-Sports feel. None of the live drama and community that make e-Sports worth watching.
- Uninspiring prizes. Modest cash that doesn't create excitement or wider participation.
Section 4
Three customers, one game
Spectators are the largest group and the key to the e-Sports model: they can sponsor a team and win real prizes.
- The General Manager. 30 active managers who run rosters weekly and want real-time stats and standings.
- The Industry Insider. 15 retired players, agents and producers invested in gamifying beyond the games.
- The Fan in the Stands. 200 spectators who want in without managing a team, through trivia, predictions and sponsorship.
Section 5
Every season is a research cycle
No two seasons are the same. I treat each one as a real-world usability test and refine the format on engagement signals.
- Animation era. Motion graphics and animated highlights brought scores to life.
- Live broadcaster. An on-camera anchor delivered weekly standings like a real sports desk.
- AI-driven production. Scripting, voiceover and editing on an AI pipeline, the fastest turnaround yet.
Section 6
Engaged all week, playing for real stakes
The league isn't just game day. Trivia and prediction games run all week to pull spectators off the sidelines between broadcasts.
- Vacations. Curated travel and experience packages.
- Cars. Marquee rewards that raise the stakes.
- Houses. Grand prizes that drive serious participation.
Section 7
Weekly broadcasts, out by Tuesday
I've produced weekly league-news broadcasts since 2017, measuring entertainment value and engagement each season. Views climbed every year as quality improved.
- Monday night is the last game, so branched scripting got broadcasts out first thing Tuesday
- The AI pipeline cut the crew to a writer and me as editor: 3× faster, no hand-off delays
- 2025: a Best of NFL Fantasy weekly recap
Section 8
The portal
Added in 2021 as the league's engagement hub, with real-time standings and stats beyond what the ESPN app shows.
- A Discord community built into the site
- In-league currency to trade players, a strategic meta-game
- Home of the trivia and prediction games, rules, schedules and a merch store
- Beta tested with league members, then updated weekly through the season