Think watching World Cup soccer or March Madness college basketball at work drains the economy? Well, Fantasy Football pounds them into the turf when it comes to lost productivity. An estimated 31 million Americans participate in drafting, managing and coaching their teams in a make-believe NFL, and much of that is during work hours. Outplacement consultancy Challenger, Gray & Christmas estimates $14 billion in lost productivity from Fantasy Football for wages paid to unproductive workers. The NCAA's March college basketball tournament is estimated to cost $1.2 billion in lost productivity, the 2010 World Cup hit the U.S. economy for a measly $121.7 million.
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- NBCNews.com