Not a fantasy: Teams to show stats

So you're in the stands at an NFL stadium, you left your handheld device in the car and you have no idea how your fantasy football team is doing.

If only they'd show out-of-town fantasy football statistics on the scoreboard.

Fantasy? Not anymore.

Starting with Thursday's New Orleans Saints-Green Bay Packers season opener at Lambeau Field, all NFL teams have been directed to show real-time fantasy football statistics on their scoreboards, league spokesman Brian McCarthy said, USA Today reported.

Previously, it was at the discretion of the league's 32 teams whether to display out-of-town individual statistics on stadium video boards.

While many fans do follow their fantasy teams on their phone or handheld device, the league -- aware that fans can choose their living room, high-definition television and the Internet over paying for tickets, parking, food and drinks at the stadium -- wants fans to feel connected to the fantasy football experience in the stands.

"We know we have to continue to do more to keep fans coming to our games," McCarthy said, according to the report. "We're looking at ways to further replicate the at-home experience in the stadium."