Draft:Fantasy Monster

{{AFC submission|d|nn|u=ByteFable|ns=118|decliner=S0091|declinets=20250523160529|ts=20250518230033}}

{{AFC comment|1=Most of the sources are press releases/churnalism so and Art of the iPhone is a blog so not a reliable source. S0091 (talk) 16:05, 23 May 2025 (UTC)}}

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{{Short description|Mobile fantasy sports management application. Acquired by Yahoo in 2013}}

{{Infobox software

| name = Fantasy Monster

| logo =

| caption =

| developer = Jerry Shen

| released = {{Start date|2009|10|26}}

| discontinued = {{Start date|2013|07|01}}

| operating_system = iOS, Android

| platform = Mobile

| genre = Fantasy sports management

| license = Proprietary

| website =

}}

Fantasy Monster was a mobile application developed by Jerry Shen under his company, Bignoggins Productions. The app allowed users to manage multiple fantasy sports teams across providers such as Yahoo, ESPN, and NFL.com, and was notable for offering cross-platform support and mobile friendly features prior to major platforms developing robust apps of their own.

History

=Development and launch (2009–2011)=

Jerry Shen, a former software engineer at Lockheed Martin, created Fantasy Monster in 2009 as a side project while working in the defense industry.{{cite news |title=How 1-man band Jerry Shen makes most of buyout by Yahoo |url=https://www.sfchronicle.com/business/article/How-1-man-band-Jerry-Shen-makes-most-of-buyout-by-6082952.php |work=San Francisco Chronicle |date=February 20, 2015 |access-date=18 May 2025}} It was released for iOS on October 26, 2009, with an Android version following in 2011.{{cite web |last=Kumparak |first=Greg |title=Yahoo Acquires Bignoggins, A One‑Man Fantasy Sports App Maker |url=https://techcrunch.com/2013/07/01/yahoo-acquires-bignoggins-a-one-man-fantasy-sports-app-maker/ |website=TechCrunch |date=July 1, 2013 |access-date=18 May 2025}}

The app gained traction for allowing users to manage teams across multiple providers in one place, and became one of the top-paid sports apps in the App Store.{{cite web |last=Grant |first=Rebecca |title=Yahoo bets big on fantasy sports, acquires one‑man startup Bignoggins |url=https://venturebeat.com/entrepreneur/yahoo-bets-big-on-fantasy-sports-acquires-one-man-startup-bignoggins/ |website=VentureBeat |date=July 1, 2013 |access-date=18 May 2025}}

=Acquisition by Yahoo (2013)=

On July 1, 2013, Yahoo announced its acquisition of Bignoggins Productions, the parent company behind Fantasy Monster and its companion app Draft Monster. Yahoo integrated both apps’ functionality into its own fantasy platform and removed them from app stores shortly after the acquisition. Shen joined Yahoo’s mobile engineering team following the deal.{{cite web |last=Newton |first=Casey |title=Yahoo buys app maker Bignoggins to step up its fantasy sports game |url=https://www.theverge.com/2013/7/1/4484734/yahoo-buys-app-maker-bignoggins-to-step-up-its-fantasy-sports-game |website=The Verge |date=July 2, 2013 |access-date=18 May 2025}}

Features

Fantasy Monster was designed to unify fantasy team management across major platforms like Yahoo, ESPN, NFL.com, and CBS Sports. It supported multiple sports, including football, baseball, basketball, and hockey. Key features included:

Drag-and-drop roster editing, allowing users to move players into starting positions or to the bench with ease.{{cite web |title=Review: FantasyMonster (Best of iPhone Apps) |url=https://artoftheiphone.com/2010/06/10/review-fantasy-monster-best-of-iphone-apps/ |website=Art of the iPhone |date=June 10, 2010 |access-date=18 May 2025}}
Waiver wire pickups and the ability to scan and add free agents efficiently.
Trades and team transactions, enabling users to manage their teams comprehensively.{{cite web |last=Hall |first=Chris |title=Fantasy Monster Pro Review |url=https://www.148apps.com/fantasy-monster-pro/fantasy-monster-pro-review/ |website=148Apps |date=August 27, 2010 |access-date=18 May 2025}}
Real-time scoring updates to keep users informed of their teams' performances.
Aggregated player news and updates presented in a scannable list format, enhancing user experience.

Reception

The app received positive reviews from early users for its breadth of support and usability. Art of the iPhone called it “the first app that makes editing fantasy teams viable on the iPhone.”{{cite web |title=Review: FantasyMonster (Best of iPhone Apps) |url=https://artoftheiphone.com/2010/06/10/review-fantasy-monster-best-of-iphone-apps/ |website=Art of the iPhone |date=June 10, 2010 |access-date=18 May 2025}}