NFL drafts Google+ to power fantasy football Hangouts

Google and the NFL have teamed up to make fantasy football more real for pigskin fanatics everywhere.

Wednesday, in advance of the 2012 football season, the companies announced that they’re adding Google+ hangouts to fantasy football pages. The team-up will give people a one-click way to video conference with their fellow league compatriots.

Participants will be able to initiate Google+ Hangouts with league members and be alerted when anyone in their league is already “hanging out.” The functionality is designed to make for more dynamic fantasy draft sessions, spirited trading discussions, or interactive game-day viewing parties.

NFL commentators will also make appearances and host Hangouts each week for a rundown of each week’s fantasy football highlights.

“Because most fans select their fantasy rosters in real time, and many leagues consist of people from across the globe, we think you’ll find that hangouts are a natural extension of your (healthy) obsession,” Google+ product director Nikhyl Singhal said in a blog post.

The Google-NFL hook-up is an interesting one that will not only provide more web exposure for the (arguably) coolest feature of Google’s social network but will also introduce the video chatrooms to broadcast viewing audiences. The NFL Network plans to pluck the best soundbites from commentator Hangouts each week and broadcast them on air.

Photo credit: Danny E Hooks/Shutterstock