If you've ever been intrigued by the popularity of professional
wrestling, now is the time to give the oft-misunderstood performance art
the ol' college try. That's because this Sunday is the 32nd
annual WrestleMania, which is frequently referred to as the Super Bowl
of pro wrestling. The event is the culmination of a year's worth of
narrative build-up and is where the biggest showdowns of the year take
place. This WrestleMania is even more special than usual. With
around 100,000 fans expected to pack Dallas, Texas' AT&T Stadium,
it'll quite literally be the biggest wrestling event in America's
history. It'll be available in the US on pay-per-view for $60, but most
people will be watching it on the WWE Network,
the wrestling world's Netflix, which costs $9.99 per month. If you're
new to the Network, you'll get the first month -- WrestleMania included
-- for free. The main show starts on Sunday, April 3 at 4 p.m.
PT/7 p.m. ET (Sunday 12 a.m. UK and 9 a.m. AEST), with the pre-show,
packed with matches and interviews, starting on the Network two hours
earlier. Not only does the Network air monthly special events, but
it also has a backlog of every WWE pay-per-view ever, as well as a ton
of original programming. That's handy if you're new to wrestling, as you
can use the Network to get yourself better acclimated with Sunday's
stars (more on that below). A brief primer for the uninitiated:
Pro wrestling combines the storytelling of a weekly TV show, the athleticism of sports and the theatre of, well, theatre.
The endings of the matches are predetermined, but the action itself is largely improvised (and often dangerous).
It's
about heroes and antagonists, with fans getting behind different
characters and watching them (hopefully) rise through the ranks to
become a champion.
The headline bouts on Sunday are: Roman
Reigns vs. Triple H for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship; Dean
Ambrose vs. Brock Lesnar; and The Undertaker vs. Shane McMahon in a Hell
in a Cell-style cage match.
Here's a quick rundown of what you need to know about each of the biggest matches.
WrestleMania 32 match: Triple H vs. Roman Reigns, WWE World Heavyweight Championship
WWE
Story background:
Behind the scenes, Triple H (aka Paul Levesque, the actual Executive
Vice President of Talent, Live Events & Creative of WWE) is being
groomed to take over the company from current CEO and Chairman Vince
McMahon. This feeds into his onscreen persona of the company's "COO" and
the leader of the Authority, a villainous faction that does its best to
keep the little people down. Challenging Triple H for his WWE
Championship is Roman Reigns. Though the odds are often stacked against
him on TV, behind the scenes the company has been trying for two years
to establish him as its leading man. There's a problem
here though: He's cast as a top babyface (good guy) but a large section
of the fan base has been rejecting him by booing him out of arenas. Stakes:
The big question going into this match, then, is will the WWE have
Reigns topple Triple H on Sunday and become "The Man", as has been the
plan for a year, or will it finally throw the towel in on the Roman
Reigns experiment? What to watch on the WWE Network to prepare Roman Reigns vs. Brock Lesnar: WrestleMania 31, March 29 2015, Levi Stadium, California The
main event of last year's WrestleMania. A brutal, hard-hitting match
that saw Reigns play an underdog against then-champion Brock Lesnar, who
was written as an unbeatable monster of a fighter. Triple H vs. The Undertaker in a Hell in a Cell: WrestleMania 28, April 1 2012, Sun Life Stadium, Florida Taking
place in a Hell in a Cell-style cage and officiated by WWE icon Shawn
Michaels, this bout is a bona fide epic encounter with as many twists
and turns as a Gillian Flynn novel.
WrestleMania 32 match: Dean Ambrose vs. Brock Lesnar, No Holds Barred match
WWE
Story background:
Most bouts in WWE see a good guy take on a bad guy. This will be an
exception, as it'll feature two heroes duking it out to see who's
tougher. Brock Lesnar is a former UFC Heavyweight Champion and is
the company's best athlete and most believable fighter. He's famous for
taking his opponents to "Suplex City" -- that is, for tossing them
around the ring up to 16 times before dealing a fatal blow. Despite
being about 65 lbs (30 kg) smaller, Dean Ambrose is the perfect
opponent for the former mixed martial artist. He's fearless, written as
the only wrestler with enough moxie to slap "The Beast Incarnate" Brock
Lesnar across the face. Stakes: This is a No
Holds Barred match, meaning there are no rules and weapons are legal.
Imagine this match as David vs. Goliath, except instead of a slingshot,
David has a barbed wire baseball bat. Many expect this bout to steal the show. What to watch on the WWE Network to prepare Dean Ambrose vs. Brock Lesnar vs. Roman Reigns: Fastlane, February 21 2016, Quicken Loans Arena, Ohio This
wonderfully chaotic triple-threat contest from February set up both
Roman Reigns vs. Triple H and Dean Ambrose vs. Brock Lesnar. Dean Ambrose vs. Seth Rollins: Hell in a Cell, October 26 2014, American Airlines Centre, Texas Ambrose's
2014 rivalry with his arch nemesis Seth Rollins culminated with this
cage match. It perfectly shows off why Ambrose is a beloved,
larger-than-life character.
WrestleMania 32 match: The Undertaker vs. Shane McMahon, Hell in a Cell
WWE
Story background:
The Undertaker is WrestleMania's phenom. The WWE's most enigmatic
performer, he went undefeated at the event for over two decades before
having his winning streak broken at WrestleMania 30 by Brock Lesnar. His
current record is nothing to scoff at: 22-1.
Shane McMahon is known for taking lots of punishment in his matches.
WWE
Shane
is the son of WWE CEO Vince McMahon and recently returned to the
company after a seven-year absence. Now back on the scene, the onscreen
story is that he wants to wrestle the company off his father. He'll need
to beat 'Taker to do that. On the surface, this is a horrific
mismatch -- Shane is more average Joe than first-class athlete, while
The Undertaker has been written as a near unbeatable competitor for 20
years. However, as you can see to the right, Shane has a reputation for
being able to put his body through insane trauma. It begs the question:
How much is he willing to endure to defeat the undefeatable? Stakes: This
is another rare protagonist vs. protagonist match. It was put together
by the tyrannical Vince McMahon (the character, that is), who said he'll
give his son Shane control of the company if he can defeat The Undertaker in a Hell in a Cell match. However, if The Undertaker loses, he'll be made to retire. What to watch on the WWE Network to prepare Shane McMahon vs. Kurt Angle: King of the Ring, June 24 2001, Continental Airlines Arena, New JerseyIn
2001, McMahon took on Olympic gold medallist Kurt Angle in a match that
shows just how much punishment he's willing to go through for the
enjoyment of the fans. The Undertaker vs. Mankind: King of the Ring, June 28 1998, Civic Arena, Pennsylvania This match, which also took place in a Hell in a Cell cage, features one of the most (in)famous stunts in wrestling history. There's likely to be more where that came from on Sunday.
If you've ever been intrigued by the popularity of professional
wrestling, now is the time to give the oft-misunderstood performance art
the ol' college try. That's because this Sunday is the 32nd
annual WrestleMania, which is frequently referred to as the Super Bowl
of pro wrestling. The event is the culmination of a year's worth of
narrative build-up and is where the biggest showdowns of the year take
place. This WrestleMania is even more special than usual. With
around 100,000 fans expected to pack Dallas, Texas' AT&T Stadium,
it'll quite literally be the biggest wrestling event in America's
history. It'll be available in the US on pay-per-view for $60, but most
people will be watching it on the WWE Network,
the wrestling world's Netflix, which costs $9.99 per month. If you're
new to the Network, you'll get the first month -- WrestleMania included
-- for free. The main show starts on Sunday, April 3 at 4 p.m.
PT/7 p.m. ET (Sunday 12 a.m. UK and 9 a.m. AEST), with the pre-show,
packed with matches and interviews, starting on the Network two hours
earlier. Not only does the Network air monthly special events, but
it also has a backlog of every WWE pay-per-view ever, as well as a ton
of original programming. That's handy if you're new to wrestling, as you
can use the Network to get yourself better acclimated with Sunday's
stars (more on that below). A brief primer for the uninitiated:
Pro wrestling combines the storytelling of a weekly TV show, the athleticism of sports and the theatre of, well, theatre.
The endings of the matches are predetermined, but the action itself is largely improvised (and often dangerous).
It's
about heroes and antagonists, with fans getting behind different
characters and watching them (hopefully) rise through the ranks to
become a champion.
The headline bouts on Sunday are: Roman
Reigns vs. Triple H for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship; Dean
Ambrose vs. Brock Lesnar; and The Undertaker vs. Shane McMahon in a Hell
in a Cell-style cage match.
Here's a quick rundown of what you need to know about each of the biggest matches.
WrestleMania 32 match: Triple H vs. Roman Reigns, WWE World Heavyweight Championship
WWE
Story background:
Behind the scenes, Triple H (aka Paul Levesque, the actual Executive
Vice President of Talent, Live Events & Creative of WWE) is being
groomed to take over the company from current CEO and Chairman Vince
McMahon. This feeds into his onscreen persona of the company's "COO" and
the leader of the Authority, a villainous faction that does its best to
keep the little people down. Challenging Triple H for his WWE
Championship is Roman Reigns. Though the odds are often stacked against
him on TV, behind the scenes the company has been trying for two years
to establish him as its leading man. There's a problem
here though: He's cast as a top babyface (good guy) but a large section
of the fan base has been rejecting him by booing him out of arenas. Stakes:
The big question going into this match, then, is will the WWE have
Reigns topple Triple H on Sunday and become "The Man", as has been the
plan for a year, or will it finally throw the towel in on the Roman
Reigns experiment? What to watch on the WWE Network to prepare Roman Reigns vs. Brock Lesnar: WrestleMania 31, March 29 2015, Levi Stadium, California The
main event of last year's WrestleMania. A brutal, hard-hitting match
that saw Reigns play an underdog against then-champion Brock Lesnar, who
was written as an unbeatable monster of a fighter. Triple H vs. The Undertaker in a Hell in a Cell: WrestleMania 28, April 1 2012, Sun Life Stadium, Florida Taking
place in a Hell in a Cell-style cage and officiated by WWE icon Shawn
Michaels, this bout is a bona fide epic encounter with as many twists
and turns as a Gillian Flynn novel.
WrestleMania 32 match: Dean Ambrose vs. Brock Lesnar, No Holds Barred match
WWE
Story background:
Most bouts in WWE see a good guy take on a bad guy. This will be an
exception, as it'll feature two heroes duking it out to see who's
tougher. Brock Lesnar is a former UFC Heavyweight Champion and is
the company's best athlete and most believable fighter. He's famous for
taking his opponents to "Suplex City" -- that is, for tossing them
around the ring up to 16 times before dealing a fatal blow. Despite
being about 65 lbs (30 kg) smaller, Dean Ambrose is the perfect
opponent for the former mixed martial artist. He's fearless, written as
the only wrestler with enough moxie to slap "The Beast Incarnate" Brock
Lesnar across the face. Stakes: This is a No
Holds Barred match, meaning there are no rules and weapons are legal.
Imagine this match as David vs. Goliath, except instead of a slingshot,
David has a barbed wire baseball bat. Many expect this bout to steal the show. What to watch on the WWE Network to prepare Dean Ambrose vs. Brock Lesnar vs. Roman Reigns: Fastlane, February 21 2016, Quicken Loans Arena, Ohio This
wonderfully chaotic triple-threat contest from February set up both
Roman Reigns vs. Triple H and Dean Ambrose vs. Brock Lesnar. Dean Ambrose vs. Seth Rollins: Hell in a Cell, October 26 2014, American Airlines Centre, Texas Ambrose's
2014 rivalry with his arch nemesis Seth Rollins culminated with this
cage match. It perfectly shows off why Ambrose is a beloved,
larger-than-life character.
WrestleMania 32 match: The Undertaker vs. Shane McMahon, Hell in a Cell
WWE
Story background:
The Undertaker is WrestleMania's phenom. The WWE's most enigmatic
performer, he went undefeated at the event for over two decades before
having his winning streak broken at WrestleMania 30 by Brock Lesnar. His
current record is nothing to scoff at: 22-1.
Shane McMahon is known for taking lots of punishment in his matches.
WWE
Shane
is the son of WWE CEO Vince McMahon and recently returned to the
company after a seven-year absence. Now back on the scene, the onscreen
story is that he wants to wrestle the company off his father. He'll need
to beat 'Taker to do that. On the surface, this is a horrific
mismatch -- Shane is more average Joe than first-class athlete, while
The Undertaker has been written as a near unbeatable competitor for 20
years. However, as you can see to the right, Shane has a reputation for
being able to put his body through insane trauma. It begs the question:
How much is he willing to endure to defeat the undefeatable? Stakes: This
is another rare protagonist vs. protagonist match. It was put together
by the tyrannical Vince McMahon (the character, that is), who said he'll
give his son Shane control of the company if he can defeat The Undertaker in a Hell in a Cell match. However, if The Undertaker loses, he'll be made to retire. What to watch on the WWE Network to prepare Shane McMahon vs. Kurt Angle: King of the Ring, June 24 2001, Continental Airlines Arena, New JerseyIn
2001, McMahon took on Olympic gold medallist Kurt Angle in a match that
shows just how much punishment he's willing to go through for the
enjoyment of the fans. The Undertaker vs. Mankind: King of the Ring, June 28 1998, Civic Arena, Pennsylvania This match, which also took place in a Hell in a Cell cage, features one of the most (in)famous stunts in wrestling history. There's likely to be more where that came from on Sunday.
Microsoft's HoloLens is one of the most magical pieces of technology
I've ever seen. It could change the world. But if you bought one today,
for your own personal use, I guarantee you'd hate it. For over a year, journalists have written breathless descriptions
of the amazing things they've seen inside the HoloLens headset, but
they've never been able to give you the full picture. Microsoft planned
it that way. The first time I tried HoloLens,
I actually had to surrender my camera and phone, only to walk through a
set of scripted experiences in a secret bunker underneath Microsoft's
Redmond campus. It was exciting stuff. And still is, honestly. Have you seen our video yet? But this week, Microsoft let us see what it's actually like to use HoloLens for real. I spent 90 minutes with an actual $3,000 Microsoft HoloLens Development Edition
on my head, watching as computer-generated objects popped into
existence in my real world. I walked around an ordinary hotel suite,
with no Microsoft supervision, and saw what these holograms were capable
of. It made my mind swirl with the possibilities. It also made
me very, very glad that Microsoft has no intention of ever releasing the
current developer kit to regular, non-developer people. It's not even
close to ready.
The HoloLens developer kit already looks
like a consumer product, sure -- a futuristic one, anyhow. The headset
is composed of a pair of concentric circles that unfold like two rings
of a 3D solar system. The inner circle goes around your head, with a
bicycle-helmet-style ratcheting dial to tighten it down. The front is
supposed to stick to your forehead, while the back rests underneath the
back of your skull. Beneath a visor worthy of "Star Trek"
engineer Geordi La Forge are a pair of lenses that glint with rainbow
light. When you look through them, you can see additional objects appear
around you that don't exist at all. Things only you can see. Things as
small as a little CG bird perched on top of your television, or as big
as the surface of Mars suddenly appearing underneath your feet. You can
select apps from a Windows-like menu, but you can also just place them
in your real world.
They'll be there, waiting for you wherever you left them, whenever you put the headset on.
But you don't see these holograms all around you. They're
only in the center of your view. They only exist within a box, roughly
the size of a smartphone, held a few inches away from your head. Look
away, even a little bit, and they're gone (though, thanks to built-in 3D
speakers, you may still be able to hear them as you turn.) If
they're large, like a virtual person, maybe you only see the top of
them. Until you look down, their bottom half is invisible. Which means
there's no point in blowing up a virtual Web browser or virtual TV
screen to cover a wall, because you'd only be able to see a small chunk
of it at a time. It feels nothing like the Oculus Rift or HTC Vive
virtual reality headsets, which completely surround you with worlds
that don't exist. HoloLens is more than that, but right now, it's also
much less. Then there's the matter of controlling the experience.
To activate, grab and resize virtual objects, you need to reach out and
bend your index finger in a very specific way to "airtap" them. Often as
not, I missed tapping what I meant to, or failed to tap it at all. You
can also just speak to the headset, issuing voice commands, but
Microsoft's Cortana personal assistant often had a tough time
recognizing me. I got pretty frustrated very quickly, and I'm generally fairly patient with technology.
Fitting the Microsoft HoloLens Development Edition to my head.
James Martin/CNET
Another
problem I had was keeping the damn thing on my head with its amazing
holographic images centered in my field of view. I had to constantly
adjust it, cinch it ever tighter until it had my skull in a vice-like
grip before it would stay put. I later found out that it comes with a
pair of optional straps that go over the top of the head like a baseball
cap. I wish I'd used those from the beginning. While we're
talking caveats, you should also probably know that the HoloLens has a
meager 2 to 3 hours of battery life, and it won't work nearly as well
outdoors. In dim rooms, the holograms feel like they've got some
substance, but in bright light they'd appear ghostly.
But it's still amazing
Have you watched our video yet, the one at the top of this post? Regardless
of the technology's current limitations, it blows my mind that a
completely wireless headset can do what this one does. Microsoft's not trying to hide the HoloLens's current flaws. The company knows the technology isn't ready,
and it sounds like Microsoft won't set a price or release date for a
consumer version until it's a product that people will actually want to
use. The just-released Oculus Rift virtual-reality headset had two developer kits
before it became a real product. I spent plenty of time with each, and
they had lots of flaws as well. It was hard to wear the first one for
long without feeling sick. Both the software and the hardware needed
years to mature -- but the potential was there from day one. The HoloLens feels like it could have the same potential. I can't wait to see if it pans out.
Microsoft's HoloLens is one of the most magical pieces of technology
I've ever seen. It could change the world. But if you bought one today,
for your own personal use, I guarantee you'd hate it. For over a year, journalists have written breathless descriptions
of the amazing things they've seen inside the HoloLens headset, but
they've never been able to give you the full picture. Microsoft planned
it that way. The first time I tried HoloLens,
I actually had to surrender my camera and phone, only to walk through a
set of scripted experiences in a secret bunker underneath Microsoft's
Redmond campus. It was exciting stuff. And still is, honestly. Have you seen our video yet? But this week, Microsoft let us see what it's actually like to use HoloLens for real. I spent 90 minutes with an actual $3,000 Microsoft HoloLens Development Edition
on my head, watching as computer-generated objects popped into
existence in my real world. I walked around an ordinary hotel suite,
with no Microsoft supervision, and saw what these holograms were capable
of. It made my mind swirl with the possibilities. It also made
me very, very glad that Microsoft has no intention of ever releasing the
current developer kit to regular, non-developer people. It's not even
close to ready.
The HoloLens developer kit already looks
like a consumer product, sure -- a futuristic one, anyhow. The headset
is composed of a pair of concentric circles that unfold like two rings
of a 3D solar system. The inner circle goes around your head, with a
bicycle-helmet-style ratcheting dial to tighten it down. The front is
supposed to stick to your forehead, while the back rests underneath the
back of your skull. Beneath a visor worthy of "Star Trek"
engineer Geordi La Forge are a pair of lenses that glint with rainbow
light. When you look through them, you can see additional objects appear
around you that don't exist at all. Things only you can see. Things as
small as a little CG bird perched on top of your television, or as big
as the surface of Mars suddenly appearing underneath your feet. You can
select apps from a Windows-like menu, but you can also just place them
in your real world.
They'll be there, waiting for you wherever you left them, whenever you put the headset on.
But you don't see these holograms all around you. They're
only in the center of your view. They only exist within a box, roughly
the size of a smartphone, held a few inches away from your head. Look
away, even a little bit, and they're gone (though, thanks to built-in 3D
speakers, you may still be able to hear them as you turn.) If
they're large, like a virtual person, maybe you only see the top of
them. Until you look down, their bottom half is invisible. Which means
there's no point in blowing up a virtual Web browser or virtual TV
screen to cover a wall, because you'd only be able to see a small chunk
of it at a time. It feels nothing like the Oculus Rift or HTC Vive
virtual reality headsets, which completely surround you with worlds
that don't exist. HoloLens is more than that, but right now, it's also
much less. Then there's the matter of controlling the experience.
To activate, grab and resize virtual objects, you need to reach out and
bend your index finger in a very specific way to "airtap" them. Often as
not, I missed tapping what I meant to, or failed to tap it at all. You
can also just speak to the headset, issuing voice commands, but
Microsoft's Cortana personal assistant often had a tough time
recognizing me. I got pretty frustrated very quickly, and I'm generally fairly patient with technology.
Fitting the Microsoft HoloLens Development Edition to my head.
James Martin/CNET
Another
problem I had was keeping the damn thing on my head with its amazing
holographic images centered in my field of view. I had to constantly
adjust it, cinch it ever tighter until it had my skull in a vice-like
grip before it would stay put. I later found out that it comes with a
pair of optional straps that go over the top of the head like a baseball
cap. I wish I'd used those from the beginning. While we're
talking caveats, you should also probably know that the HoloLens has a
meager 2 to 3 hours of battery life, and it won't work nearly as well
outdoors. In dim rooms, the holograms feel like they've got some
substance, but in bright light they'd appear ghostly.
But it's still amazing
Have you watched our video yet, the one at the top of this post? Regardless
of the technology's current limitations, it blows my mind that a
completely wireless headset can do what this one does. Microsoft's not trying to hide the HoloLens's current flaws. The company knows the technology isn't ready,
and it sounds like Microsoft won't set a price or release date for a
consumer version until it's a product that people will actually want to
use. The just-released Oculus Rift virtual-reality headset had two developer kits
before it became a real product. I spent plenty of time with each, and
they had lots of flaws as well. It was hard to wear the first one for
long without feeling sick. Both the software and the hardware needed
years to mature -- but the potential was there from day one. The HoloLens feels like it could have the same potential. I can't wait to see if it pans out.
If we've learned anything from the launch of the Oculus Rift
this week, it's that people are excited about virtual reality -- and
the potential of VR in general. Will it change lives? Is it just for
gaming? Is it just the biggest ViewMaster the world's ever seen? Or is
it just one big nerdgasm? That's still TBD. But at CNET we serve
the community's needs by helping you figure out how technology fits into
your current -- and future -- lives, and we have been for more than 20
years. And since VR is one of those things you really have to experience
firsthand, we had an idea. Let's open our doors, gather up all of the
VR gear we can find, and let you, our community, come try it out! From
10 a.m. to 4 p.m. PT, next Wednesday, April 6, at CNET's San Francisco
headquarters we're having a VR Day. Anyone is welcome to attend (it's
free!), but you must sign-up to get an e-ticket in advance (tickets are very limited). Don't
miss out on this opportunity to go hands on (eyes on?) with the Oculus
Rift, Samsung Gear VR and HTC Vive. We'll have some games and other VR
experiences ready for you. Plus you'll get to meet CNET staff and
editors and ask your most burning tech questions in person. We'll also
have some fun giveaways at the event. So sign up now! If you are NOT in the Bay Area, you can fill out this form
to let us know you'd like an event like this in your area. If there's
enough interest and excitement, we'll try to rinse and repeat as much as
we can. Can't wait to meet you!
If we've learned anything from the launch of the Oculus Rift
this week, it's that people are excited about virtual reality -- and
the potential of VR in general. Will it change lives? Is it just for
gaming? Is it just the biggest ViewMaster the world's ever seen? Or is
it just one big nerdgasm? That's still TBD. But at CNET we serve
the community's needs by helping you figure out how technology fits into
your current -- and future -- lives, and we have been for more than 20
years. And since VR is one of those things you really have to experience
firsthand, we had an idea. Let's open our doors, gather up all of the
VR gear we can find, and let you, our community, come try it out! From
10 a.m. to 4 p.m. PT, next Wednesday, April 6, at CNET's San Francisco
headquarters we're having a VR Day. Anyone is welcome to attend (it's
free!), but you must sign-up to get an e-ticket in advance (tickets are very limited). Don't
miss out on this opportunity to go hands on (eyes on?) with the Oculus
Rift, Samsung Gear VR and HTC Vive. We'll have some games and other VR
experiences ready for you. Plus you'll get to meet CNET staff and
editors and ask your most burning tech questions in person. We'll also
have some fun giveaways at the event. So sign up now! If you are NOT in the Bay Area, you can fill out this form
to let us know you'd like an event like this in your area. If there's
enough interest and excitement, we'll try to rinse and repeat as much as
we can. Can't wait to meet you!
vendredi 1 avril 2016
The bets are off for fantasy college sports.
A deal between the National Collegiate Athletic Association and two
online fantasy-sports giants, DraftKings and FanDuel, suspends betting
on fantasy college sports indefinitely. All college contests will cease
after the college basketball games played this week, ESPN reported Thursday.
The agreement resolves months of discussion that involved not only the
NCAA and betting companies but also member schools and state
legislatures. Fantasy sports are a popular online
activity, letting people create their own teams that succeed or fail
based on the real-world performance of players in college or
professional leagues. But many states still haven't ruled whether it's
legal to wager money on college fantasy sports. That
makes fantasy gaming just the latest Internet-era idea that doesn't
quite fit into the older system of laws and conventions. We've also had
to wrangle with muddy areas like online bullying, how search engines
affect your reputation, teenagers sending nude selfies to one another,
taxes on e-commerce and privacy for consumers visiting websites.
The central point of contention in this case: Are fantasy sports
contests actually gambling? Daily fantasy sports sites argue that their
contests are a game of skill. The NCAA, opposed to all forms of sports
betting, disagrees. The fantasy sites point to progress
with laws that provide a framework for the activity. "We continue to see
tremendous support for fantasy sports in legislatures across the
country, with nearly 30 states advancing thoughtful and appropriate
regulations for fantasy play," DraftKings said in a statement.
For its part, the NCAA "appreciates and commends DraftKings and
FanDuel's action" to put a halt to their contests, President Mark Emmert
said in a statement Thursday. "This action culminates months of hard
work between all parties to reach a place that is good for amateur
sports and most importantly, the young people who participate."
The bets are off for fantasy college sports.
A deal between the National Collegiate Athletic Association and two
online fantasy-sports giants, DraftKings and FanDuel, suspends betting
on fantasy college sports indefinitely. All college contests will cease
after the college basketball games played this week, ESPN reported Thursday.
The agreement resolves months of discussion that involved not only the
NCAA and betting companies but also member schools and state
legislatures. Fantasy sports are a popular online
activity, letting people create their own teams that succeed or fail
based on the real-world performance of players in college or
professional leagues. But many states still haven't ruled whether it's
legal to wager money on college fantasy sports. That
makes fantasy gaming just the latest Internet-era idea that doesn't
quite fit into the older system of laws and conventions. We've also had
to wrangle with muddy areas like online bullying, how search engines
affect your reputation, teenagers sending nude selfies to one another,
taxes on e-commerce and privacy for consumers visiting websites.
The central point of contention in this case: Are fantasy sports
contests actually gambling? Daily fantasy sports sites argue that their
contests are a game of skill. The NCAA, opposed to all forms of sports
betting, disagrees. The fantasy sites point to progress
with laws that provide a framework for the activity. "We continue to see
tremendous support for fantasy sports in legislatures across the
country, with nearly 30 states advancing thoughtful and appropriate
regulations for fantasy play," DraftKings said in a statement.
For its part, the NCAA "appreciates and commends DraftKings and
FanDuel's action" to put a halt to their contests, President Mark Emmert
said in a statement Thursday. "This action culminates months of hard
work between all parties to reach a place that is good for amateur
sports and most importantly, the young people who participate."
