5 Planning Tips for Successful Fantasy Football Draft Party

It’s never too early to start planning your fantasy football draft party. Below are 5 essential tips and tricks to ensure a successful event:

1. Establish a draft date You don’t need to hold your draft the weekend before the NFL kickoff. If you want to maximize the fun of a draft party, do it during a date and time that the vast majority of owners can attend. Set up an online poll for your owners, and find a weekend day or evening that works best for everyone.

2. Select an ideal venue If everyone lives in the same area, see if the owner with the biggest home is willing to host. I’ve always been a bigger fan of outdoor (backyard) drafts than inside. It’s a lot roomier and less stuffy. Not to mention, spills and messes are easier to contain. If you go this route though, make sure to have plenty of extension cords and power strips. If your owners are spread out around the country, consider getting an Airbnb in a fun location, and make a whole weekend of the event.

3. Accommodate remote owners There are always going to be one or two owners that just can’t make your in-person draft. Do your best to accommodate these owners. We’d be remiss not to recommend FanDraft, as it allows these owners to participate in your live draft remotely. If these owners can’t do that, then decide whether they want to be set up for auto-draft, or have a fellow owner make picks on their behalf.

4. Party Décor It may sound frivolous, but you are throwing a theme party after all, and one should never throw a theme party without decorations. So buck up and make a $20 buck investment into some properly themed football decorations. The basics include a tablecloth, streamers or pennants, and disposable plates.

5. Decide the “Draft Rules” How much time will each owner have to make a selection? Will owners get any “extensions”? What happens if the clock hits zero and an owner hasn’t made a pick? Can owners trade picks and/or players during the draft? Make sure everyone understands these rules before the draft begins to avoid confusion.