Move over fantasy football, fantasy "Bachelor" is hot
Move over fantasy football - "The Bachelor" is bringing you some hot competition.
The hugely popular TV show has already led to thousands of blogs, podcasts, and tell-all tabloid articles.
The latest spin-off - 'Bachelor' fantasy leagues - is making reality TV more than just a spectator sport.
One group of women works together by day, but on Tuesday night, they're bonding over "The Bachelor."
And they're not just watching, they're playing along - using an online game site called Fantasy4Reality.
We are judging people's form, so how do they go into the game, what kind of strategy they have," said Carrie Weinrobe, "much like how we went into fantasy football."
Therese Buendia, a fantasy "Bachelor" player said: "I was secretly really excited to be a part of it."
Fantasy4Reality is one of several websites now offering "Bachelor" fantasy leagues modeled after fantasy sports.
Each player drafts a team of bachelorettes, then gets points based on how they behave - good or bad.
You get just 10 points for kissing or crying but lots more for juicier stuff such as sneaking over to the bachelor's suite or being sent home early.
Fantasy4Reality is run by a couple of guys in Chicago. First it was just for family and friends. Then about a year-and-a-half ago, the game caught fire.
"When I first started it was like five, ten people, and now we are in the tens of thousands," said Matt Gray, Fantasy4Reality founder.
The team also runs fantasy leagues for other reality shows, but "The Bachelor" is by far the most popular.
"I don't know where the limits are, but I think the next couple years we will see it grow dramatically, said Jack Siddall, of Fantasy4Reality.
At the end of each episode, Gray enters all the points and the site automatically updates each player's score.
And it's not just women choosing teams.
Jonathan Nightingale, who plays in a league, said "I think all of us can kind of connect to love and dating and relationships."
Each player has his own theory on drafting a team.
"I like to see who's got a good personality, some heart there," said Scott Norcross, a fantasy player.
For some - it's a guilty pleasure.
"I probably still haven't told my parents that I watch this," said Samantha Lupinetti, with a laugh.
The website is free, and you still have time to form a league before "The Bachelor" finale.
