Crowning a winner at the end of a fantasy season is what keeps us all coming back, but shaming the last-place team is equally as important. That’s why I was especially excited asked to cover this topic, because I’m an expert in this field!

We will go through some of the history of last-place punishments and present some examples that you can use in your leagues! There are certainly some hardcore examples of shaming your league-mates, but we’re not trying to make you look like Cersei Lannister wandering through the streets of Westeros naked as a baby. With that in mind, let’s look at some of great options for last-place punishments.

My League’s Punishment

I have two home leagues that I’ve been doing for quite some time, and we only have a punishment in one of them. For context, this league is played among a group of guys I play basketball with regularly. We’ve been doing this for years, and if you know about basketball culture, there is always shaming for losing. That’s why we decided to punish the last-place player with direct embarrassment on the basketball court. Without further ado, here’s the last-place finisher in our fantasy league!

This is our friend Matt, but everyone calls him Joey. After a pathetic showing in our fantasy football league, Joey had to wear a dress to our Monday night pickup games at our local gym. Joey was a good sport, and wore his punishment from the second he got to the gym until it was time to head home.

However, Joey went the extra mile and even picked up a wig, which truly made the outfit. Whether you do something like our league’s punishment, or another goofy outfit, my rule of thumb is the more embarrassing the better.

Consider Your League

The context of your league is the most important factor when determining a proper punishment. Not every punishment fits every league.

Fantasy leagues are created in so many unique ways that it’s essential to factor that in when making a decision. If this is a work league, make sure that you punish the last-place team at the workplace! If it’s a family league, make sure Grandma Edna and Uncle Charlie see exactly what happens to the top loser.

Of course, remember that punishments can be a sensitive subject. Be sure to do something that’s playful and comfortable for all of your leaguemates.

Other Publicized Punishments

I was genuinely amazed to see the variety of last-place punishments out there, so let’s look at some of them!

Make defeat permanent

This feels drastic to me, but the most popular punishment out there appears to be tattoos! There are some wild tats out there, but something simple like the one below is the best way to go. Doing something that is permanent may feel a little crazy to some, it certainly does to me, but if everyone is open to it, why not?

Take the stage

I read about some punishments where the loser had to signup for karaoke or a stand-up routine. The embarrassment of doing a stand-up comedy routine is an incredible idea because I couldn’t think of anything I’d want to do less. Karaoke is equally as painful, but this is a great way to get the league together and watch the last-place finisher embarrass themselves in front of the whole league, and the public!

Wear your losses

This is one of the simplest ways to approach a last-place finisher. There are a million shirts and different outfits to publicly humiliate the last-place player in your league. Something as simple as wearing a dunce hat or last-place shirt to a draft is a great way to shame the biggest loser.

Walk of shame

There are some great pictures online of last-place finishers holding up signs in public places. The sign can say whatever you want, but it’s a great way for everyone in your city to know who finished last in your fantasy league. You can also pair the sign with an outfit to go all out, but the sign needs to tell the world exactly why they’re standing out there.

Put the loser through the ringer

This one’s a bit elaborate, but I love this idea. There are videos out there of the last-place finisher doing their own version of the NFL Combine. Of course, this has to be documented and spread to the masses via social media. Surely, everyone will want to tune in to see your friend embarrass themselves through a rigorous workout. Seeing your league’s loser run a 40-yard dash and run a cone drill is way more exciting than you may expect!

Date Night

It takes an open group of fantasy managers to agree to this one because this can be quite embarrassing. In some leagues, the last-place finisher has been subjected to a one-on-one date with a special individual. That special individual happens to be a stuffed animal, and the looks you’ll get from the waiting staff and customers are quite the sight to behold. You need to make sure to reserve a table for the rest of the league because everyone needs to see this date night in its glory. Hopefully, Brian doesn’t drink too much and make some decisions he’ll regret!

This is my friend Loomis at Red Robin with my childhood puppet, Clouds. Amazingly, this wasn’t a prank. Loomis decided to bring this puppet to dinner one night, and they had a blast. Hopefully, your last-place finisher will have just as much fun.

Hit ’em where it hurts most: the draft 

This is the most logical way to go about punishing someone in your league. The last-place finisher loses some value in next year’s draft. Whether it’s picking last or losing a draft pick, it’s a simple way to make the last-place finisher work harder than ever. One idea that I loved was making the last-place finisher take a kicker with a mid-round pick. It’s obviously detrimental, but making it a mid-round pick is a great way to make sure it doesn’t hurt their team too much.

Don’t Go Overboard

This is something that needs to be emphasized. The most important aspect of fantasy football is to have fun, and pushing one of these punishments could ruin your league forever. Whether it’s the magnitude of the punishment or the attitude of the fantasy managers, please never go overboard! The last thing you want to do is scare away your league mate from wanting to play and compete.

Have fun. Humiliate your league’s loser. But do so with discretion.

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