Fantasy is about who you're playing with.
I'm in a highly competitive (ton of trades) $200 league with 11 other friends and it's an experience we look forward to every year. We even use it as an excuse to get together and have a cookout or something during the draft. We can rarely see each other with everyone having crazy work schedules and living in different cities. A lot of my friends are former D-1 football players......I can't imagine playing in any other league to be honest.
This is true. It's all about the players. When it's people you know and the shyt talking lasts throughout the year.

The live draft either at someone's house or a bar/restaurant.

The competition.

. nikkas in my one league are fukking ruthless.
I don't know what people are talking about in terms of the commitment. You hang out with your boys for a few hours, drinking, eating, talking shyt for the draft. Then each week you check the waiver wire and make sure your roster is set before Sunday (Thursday now). We are talking what...maybe 15 minutes-20 minutes a week per league? Only issues I ever have with fantasy are people being on that bullshyt (not paying, not keeping up with their roster) and once again that comes back to who you are playing with.