A Fantasy-Football League Unafraid to Commit to the Bit

Each installment of The Friendship Files features a conversation between The Atlantic’s Julie Beck and two or more friends, exploring the history and significance of their relationship.

This week she talks with five representatives of a 12-person fantasy-football league called Raccoon Nation. Their commitment to the league has led to an elaborate infrastructure of regulations and statistics, a trophy for the winners, punishments for the losers, and even merch. They discuss the inner workings of Raccoon Nation, and how it’s ultimately more about the friendship than the football.

The Friends:

Spencer Carr, a 28-year-old environmental scientist who lives in Morrisville, North Carolina. He is the league secretary, and his team’s name this season is the Carr Football Team. “Like the Washington Football Team,” he says., a 28-year-old sales rep who lives in Charlotte, North Carolina. He is the league historian, and his team’s name is Beercules., a 27-year-old attorney who lives in Hampstead, North Carolina. He is league counsel, and his team’s name is Bush Did Spygate., a 28-year-old marketing manager who lives in Charlotte. He is the league “media manager” (he reached out to me nominating this friendship), and his team’s name is the Humongous Melonheads., a 28-year-old software consultant who lives in Atlanta, Georgia. He is the league statistician, and his team’s name is Tres Leches.