How does your fantasy football league reward its champion? Sure, cash prizes and “playing for pride” are popular incentives for many of us, but I want to know what it really means to “bring home the hardware” in your fantasy league.
I’m talking about fantasy championship trophies, belts, and rings. I’m talking about any tangible takeaway that tells the world that you are a fantasy guru. A fantasy genius. A fantasy champion!
Here at FantasyPros, we focus a lot on the nuts and bolts of fantasy football strategies: which players to draft, where you should draft them, and why all of that matters. As I often say, we do the research so you don’t have to. In other words, we know what it takes to win your fantasy league.
But do we know what it takes to make your league as fun, exciting, or rewarding as possible? You bet we do. Throughout July, I’ll be writing articles that help you do exactly that.
To get started, let’s take a look at the different types of championship trophies you can introduce to your fantasy football league in 2020.
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Customizable Trophies
If you’re into the idea of leveling up your smack talk and giving your league something truly special to strive for, check out these fantasy football trophies from Trophy Smack.
Highly coveted golden footballs. Weirdly hilarious fantasy football unicorns. Replica Lombardi Trophies. From the fairly standard to the quite spectacular, Trophy Smack’s trophy collection has more than 1,000 customizable options to choose from, so you can pick the perfect trophy for your league.
Here’s an interesting take on the whole trophy situation: Did you know you can get a different trophy topper for the same basic trophy every season? That means you can add a different symbol-a football, a picture frame, a certain American president, and so on-to the same perpetual trophy base for every new year you play. Pretty cool, right?
By keeping the same trophy in rotation but adding a new trophy topper each year, you can add a creative element to each year’s trophy without having to buy a whole-new piece of hardware. Then, when it’s time for fantasy champs to finally relinquish their trophies at the beginning of a new season, they can keep their trophy toppers to commemorate their championship seasons.
Ever want your name etched onto your very own fantasy football trophy? The first step is to win your league, which you can start to do on Draft Day with FantasyPros’ Draft Assistant tool. The second step is to go to Trophy Smack so they can carve your name into eternity with their very own laser engraver. Believe it or not, they’ll even do for free!
These days, it’s not enough to win your league. You need something to thrust in the air and rub in the face of all your league mates. You can make it happen with an epic fantasy football trophy from Trophy Smac.
Championship Belts
If you’re anything like me (a proud member of #BillsMafia or a general glutton for punishment), you’ve gone through a table or two from time to time. You’re no stranger to pain, and you’ll do anything to win. Yeah, warriors like us know how to celebrate victory one way and one way only: with the ultimate championship belt.
It’s time to immortalize your fantasy football legacy with a professional-grade championship belt. Also available from Trophy Smack, these championship belts come with gold or silver plating, are made with double-stitched synthetic leather for extra durability, fit up to 12 total laser-engraved nameplates, and weigh in at an earth-shattering six pounds.
I know what you’re thinking, and the answer is no. No, there’s no better way to make an entrance on Draft Day than with this championship belt draped over your shoulder, buckled round your waist, or hoisted with pride above your head.
If you’re in a hardcore fantasy football league that commands the most heavy-duty championship title, you’ve got to get your hands on the Fantasy Football Champion Belt from Trophy Smack.
Championship Rings
For those of you who appreciate the finer, more sophisticated things in life, check out this show-stopping collection of fantasy football championship rings from Trophy Smack.
With one of two incredible rings to choose from — The Bling Ring with replica Lombardi Trophy, or the FFL Stunna Ring with engraved FFL shield — you’ll have the perfect reminder that you’re not only a fantasy champion, but you’re also one stylish SOB to boot.
Made of solid metal and adorned with sparkling replica jewels, each ring is handcrafted and polished to perfection, it’s the best-looking ring for the most exceptional fantasy football players, period.
Let’s be real, though-you probably won’t be wearing either of these rings to your kid’s dance recital, your grandma’s birthday, or Thanksgiving dinner at your in-laws’. But if you’re getting together with your crew on gameday? Yeah, you better believe you’re slapping this ring on your finger and having some laughs with your friends.
For the more humble champion, you can keep your championship ring in a personalized jewel case and put it on full display in your home office, mancave, or she-shed.
Finally! One ring to rule them all. Get the ultimate showpiece and take your league’s championship status to the next level with these championship rings from Trophy Smack.
Hall of Fame Jackets
In my home league of unlovable drunks (of which I am the commissioner, of course), I bought an old checkered blazer from Goodwill, ordered a few football-related patches online, and slapped together one hell of a Fantasy Football Hall of Fame Jacket. It’s only three or four years in the making, but it’s the greatest fantasy football prize we’ve ever known.
Here’s how we make it special, though: each year at our live fantasy draft (12-person, PPR) we host a small jacket ceremony where the most recent fantasy football champion is announced, accepts his jacket from the previous champion, and then says a few words about what it means to have won the league. It’s the perfect platform for smack talk and just about anything else. Yes, it’s phenomenally stupid, but it’s also super funny. And isn’t that what you really want out of your fantasy league?
Of course, if you’re not into the whole DIY thing, you could check out this Fantasy Football Championship Green Blazer from ReadyGOLF, or this Fantasy Football Jacket from Fantasy Jocks. Both are relatively affordable options for your league, especially if you factor the cost into everyone’s league buy-in (which is recommended for any fantasy trophy you choose). With these jackets, though, you can celebrate a tradition unlike any other: winning your godforsaken fantasy football league.
Whether you’re a fantasy football commissioner like me, or you’re just a fantasy player who wants to help spice up your league, consider rewarding your league champion with one of these cool and creative prizes. Believe me, vying for a new and ridiculous trophy will make your league more fun, engaging, and exciting than ever.
Does your league already award a special prize for winning your league? Let us know on Twitter!
Until then, stay tuned for more suggestions and recommendations for how to make your league a little more fun and rewarding in 2020.
2020 Draft Kit: View printable cheat sheets, sleepers & mistakes to avoid
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Jim Colombo is a correspondent at FantasyPros. For more from Jim, check out his archive and follow him @WideRightNBlue.