Attendance figures

D1 Mens Lacrosse
TheodoreTugboat
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Re: Attendance figures

Post by TheodoreTugboat »

xxxxxxx wrote: Thu May 30, 2019 11:32 am I know this is the D1 site but wondering what kind of attendance the PLL will get this weekend? It will be crucial for them to sell a lot of tickets.
I am curious, too. I have been getting A LOT of "special offer code" e-mails for Gillette tickets for this weekend and the last time I looked, there were a lot of good seats available.
Sativa Specialist
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Re: Attendance figures

Post by Sativa Specialist »

xxxxxxx wrote: Thu May 30, 2019 11:32 am I know this is the D1 site but wondering what kind of attendance the PLL will get this weekend? It will be crucial for them to sell a lot of tickets.
I just don't see it happening. But best of luck.
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youthathletics
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Re: Attendance figures

Post by youthathletics »

Sativa Specialist wrote: Fri May 31, 2019 4:46 pm
xxxxxxx wrote: Thu May 30, 2019 11:32 am I know this is the D1 site but wondering what kind of attendance the PLL will get this weekend? It will be crucial for them to sell a lot of tickets.
I just don't see it happening. But best of luck.
Their league starts this weekend? ;)
A fraudulent intent, however carefully concealed at the outset, will generally, in the end, betray itself.
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WOMBAT, Mod Emeritus
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Re: Attendance figures

Post by WOMBAT, Mod Emeritus »

TheodoreTugboat wrote: Fri May 31, 2019 4:28 pm
xxxxxxx wrote: Thu May 30, 2019 11:32 am I know this is the D1 site but wondering what kind of attendance the PLL will get this weekend? It will be crucial for them to sell a lot of tickets.
I am curious, too. I have been getting A LOT of "special offer code" e-mails for Gillette tickets for this weekend and the last time I looked, there were a lot of good seats available.
“Special offers”? From Robert Kraft?
pcowlax
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Re: Attendance figures

Post by pcowlax »

He knew nothing about the special offers before they were offered! He was just minding his own business in his office when an intern came in and propositioned him about it. Really, all he cares about is that the opening weekend have a happy ending.
xxxxxxx
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Re: Attendance figures

Post by xxxxxxx »

I feel like The PLL was misleading regarding game coverage. They originally said they had a contract to broadcast games on NBC which I guess is technically true but it sounded to me like games would be on network television like the major sports. Now a week before the season they say the games are on a pay to watch streaming version of NBC. Very different in my opinion. Lots of pressure to fill seats and sell subscriptions. Very curious how many people buy tickets today and tomorrow.
DocBarrister
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Re: Attendance figures

Post by DocBarrister »

Think three PLL games will be broadcast on NBC. The rest will be on the NBC Sports streaming service.

From the photos, I would guess 5,000 - 6,000 attended today’s games.

Not a catastrophe, but not great either.

DocBarrister 8-)
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AMC
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Re: Attendance figures

Post by AMC »

19 games are televised. 16 on NBC Sports Network (this is real TV, not streaming). NBCSN is the main network for the Stanley Cup Playoffs for reference. 3 are on the main NBC network, which is huge for the sport. The rest of the games are on NBC Sports Gold, which is their streaming service. The price for the streamed games is less than $40 for the whole season, which is about $1/game. If you caught any of them this weekend, the streamed games are the same production as the televised games, except with more f-bombs from the live team huddle mics.

The next two weeks have games on all three, so 2 streaming and 4 on TV.

The production is really good. A few glitches with the helmet microphones, but it's more professional and big-time feeling than any lacrosse TV production I've seen before, and it's creative without being too over the top. I'd guess other networks and leagues are taking notice of some of things NBC is doing with this.

TV is the key, not attendance. For now. Not saying attendance isn't important, but for the pro sport to grow it needs to reach fans who are not currently into lacrosse. That will happen through TV, social media and mainstream media and a product that interests potential new fans. It will be a slow build. It's not like the PLL is going to become the NHL overnight. If that is going to happen (not saying lacrosse can ever get there, just if) then I believe a disruptive, creative effort like this is the key to getting it moving in that direction.
Sativa Specialist
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Re: Attendance figures

Post by Sativa Specialist »

AMC wrote: Tue Jun 04, 2019 12:31 am 19 games are televised. 16 on NBC Sports Network (this is real TV, not streaming). NBCSN is the main network for the Stanley Cup Playoffs for reference. 3 are on the main NBC network, which is huge for the sport. The rest of the games are on NBC Sports Gold, which is their streaming service. The price for the streamed games is less than $40 for the whole season, which is about $1/game. If you caught any of them this weekend, the streamed games are the same production as the televised games, except with more f-bombs from the live team huddle mics.

The next two weeks have games on all three, so 2 streaming and 4 on TV.

The production is really good. A few glitches with the helmet microphones, but it's more professional and big-time feeling than any lacrosse TV production I've seen before, and it's creative without being too over the top. I'd guess other networks and leagues are taking notice of some of things NBC is doing with this.

TV is the key, not attendance. For now. Not saying attendance isn't important, but for the pro sport to grow it needs to reach fans who are not currently into lacrosse. That will happen through TV, social media and mainstream media and a product that interests potential new fans. It will be a slow build. It's not like the PLL is going to become the NHL overnight. If that is going to happen (not saying lacrosse can ever get there, just if) then I believe a disruptive, creative effort like this is the key to getting it moving in that direction.
Can't see how the league will survive by playing in empty stadiums. The market just isn't their for pro lacrosse. Rabil should stay in sales though because he did one hell of a job selling this to investors.
palaxoff
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Re: Attendance figures

Post by palaxoff »

While I hope the PLL is a game changer, there are certain facts that make the climb hard.

Reason 1. While I love Lax, and think it is a great candidate for TV, but it is a niche sport with less then 1 million participants, there are 3xs as many pickle ball players, (They had the open championship of TV) and 10xs more girl softball players just turn on the TV.
Reason 2. Summer, name a Pro Sports league after the advent of TV that has succeed in the summer
Reason 3. Media Overload, with all the Media Option available now it harder to fight for eyeball time then when it was just a few TV networks.
Gorilla Fan
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Re: Attendance figures

Post by Gorilla Fan »

Probably not the best choice of venues to open their season... High school and youth still playing, the Cannons opened at their brand new venue on the South Shore, a cavernous 68k stadium, and Foxborough is an awful venue to go to unless you are planning to go WAY in advance.

I am sure though that Krafty Bob gave Rabil and crew an offer they couldn’t refuse...

Let’s see what the PLL numbers look like later in the summer... By all accounts the lacrosse was great
DocBarrister
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Re: Attendance figures

Post by DocBarrister »

Hard to fault PLL lacrosse when it came to the games, with several OT games.

I checked out ticket prices, and while they’re a bargain compared to the “core mainstream sports,” I think they’re still too high. At one venue, a weekend package (best seats) for a family of four would cost over $1,000, not including food, beverages, and souvenirs. Way too much.

Lacrosse should be priced competitively with a trip to the movies. For a weekend package for a family of four, that should be no more than $125 (two movies with sodas, popcorn, etc.).

I think it’s essential to get people in those seats if the PLL is to survive. No sports league can survive solely with a TV and streaming audience. They should cut those prices.

DocBarrister 8-)
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flyerfan17
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Re: Attendance figures

Post by flyerfan17 »

If you look at television ratings for major sports the out of market games do really poorly. Just don't see this as being sustainable without the home town team element to it. If you don't have that, you basically have a traveling circus and after the novelty wears off who is going ?
thetruth
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Re: Attendance figures

Post by thetruth »

DocBarrister wrote: Wed Jun 05, 2019 12:37 am At one venue, a weekend package (best seats) for a family of four would cost over $1,000, not including food, beverages, and souvenirs. Way too much.
Whoa. What venue is that and where are the seats?
DocBarrister
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Re: Attendance figures

Post by DocBarrister »

thetruth wrote: Wed Jun 05, 2019 7:08 am
DocBarrister wrote: Wed Jun 05, 2019 12:37 am At one venue, a weekend package (best seats) for a family of four would cost over $1,000, not including food, beverages, and souvenirs. Way too much.
Whoa. What venue is that and where are the seats?
Not sure where, but I saw a “VIP” weekend package going for $257 per seat. May have been Gillette. Still some weekend packages at lesser venues going for $104/seat. That’s over $400 for a family of four. Still way too much.

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thetruth
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Re: Attendance figures

Post by thetruth »

DocBarrister wrote: Wed Jun 05, 2019 9:46 am
thetruth wrote: Wed Jun 05, 2019 7:08 am
DocBarrister wrote: Wed Jun 05, 2019 12:37 am At one venue, a weekend package (best seats) for a family of four would cost over $1,000, not including food, beverages, and souvenirs. Way too much.
Whoa. What venue is that and where are the seats?
Not sure where, but I saw a “VIP” weekend package going for $257 per seat. May have been Gillette. Still some weekend packages at lesser venues going for $104/seat. That’s over $400 for a family of four. Still way too much.

DocBarrister 8-)
They should let you play in the game for $257 per seat.
Puck Swami
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Re: Attendance figures

Post by Puck Swami »

The market will let them know if the ticket prices are too high...They are counting on three unique factors that the average MLL pro lacrosse team cannot deliver, which (at least in the PLL mindset) justifies the higher prices.

First is the scarcity factor of an entire league of players that only visit a city once a year - so the PLL weekend becomes appointment in-person viewing in your city or destination, rather than spectators picking from the many low-cost summer home games of the MLL at their convenience. This makes that one circus weekend more valuable and more expensive, at least in their line of thinking.

Secondly is quality of talent, as the PLL is stacking that appointment viewing weekend with most of the best players in one stadium, which is something the MLL cannot do (outside of its all-star game) but PLL can do this everywhere they play. They are counting on the quality level overload being worth the extra money they are charging.

Finally, there is the festival/event factor, where the lacrosse games are merely part of a larger gameday events - as the PLL wants a more immersive and interactive game day in the "PLL Fan Zone" -- featuring mini-games, PLL & sponsor giveaways, lounge areas, live DJ, athlete appearances, etc. The PLL wants to make the atmosphere around game day worth the extra money they are charging. Of course, this part is somewhat more copy-able by MLL teams, so will see if the extra game day experiential value of the circus adds up over time.

I admire their spirit in starting this new adventure, but they are counting on the players being more popular than home team allegiance. And that is certainly a gamble. Barnstorming sports teams have been around for years, but it's relatively new idea for an entirely barnstorming league...The market has a very effective way of validating (or invalidating) the plans of many bright people...
DocBarrister
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Re: Attendance figures

Post by DocBarrister »

Puck Swami wrote: Thu Jun 06, 2019 7:41 pm The market will let them know if the ticket prices are too high...They are counting on three unique factors that the average MLL pro lacrosse team cannot deliver, which (at least in the PLL mindset) justifies the higher prices.

First is the scarcity factor of an entire league of players that only visit a city once a year - so the PLL weekend becomes appointment in-person viewing in your city or destination, rather than spectators picking from the many low-cost summer home games of the MLL at their convenience. This makes that one circus weekend more valuable and more expensive, at least in their line of thinking.

Secondly is quality of talent, as the PLL is stacking that appointment viewing weekend with most of the best players in one stadium, which is something the MLL cannot do (outside of its all-star game) but PLL can do this everywhere they play. They are counting on the quality level overload being worth the extra money they are charging.

Finally, there is the festival/event factor, where the lacrosse games are merely part of a larger gameday events - as the PLL wants a more immersive and interactive game day in the "PLL Fan Zone" -- featuring mini-games, PLL & sponsor giveaways, lounge areas, live DJ, athlete appearances, etc. The PLL wants to make the atmosphere around game day worth the extra money they are charging. Of course, this part is somewhat more copy-able by MLL teams, so will see if the extra game day experiential value of the circus adds up over time.

I admire their spirit in starting this new adventure, but they are counting on the players being more popular than home team allegiance. And that is certainly a gamble. Barnstorming sports teams have been around for years, but it's relatively new idea for an entirely barnstorming league...The market has a very effective way of validating (or invalidating) the plans of many bright people...
Very good observations.

Another thought ... it’s well-known that Paul Rabil is a huge fan of WWE Wrestling, which is a leader of the “sports entertainment” concept and the traveling roadshow model (e.g., the various Wrestlemanias). With the PLL, Rabil and his brother have basically broken free of the geography-based model of the MLL, analogous to the way the WWE broke out of the territorial/geographic model that had been the basis for professional wrestling for many decades.

Wondering how much of the inspiration for the PLL came from the WWE?

Is Paul Rabil seeking to become the Vince McMahon of professional lacrosse?

If so, is Rabil willing to lend me an interest-free loan so that I can buy a new Jaguar? These are important questions, people.

DocBarrister 8-)
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AMC
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Re: Attendance figures

Post by AMC »

thetruth wrote: Wed Jun 05, 2019 10:49 am
DocBarrister wrote: Wed Jun 05, 2019 9:46 am
thetruth wrote: Wed Jun 05, 2019 7:08 am
DocBarrister wrote: Wed Jun 05, 2019 12:37 am At one venue, a weekend package (best seats) for a family of four would cost over $1,000, not including food, beverages, and souvenirs. Way too much.
Whoa. What venue is that and where are the seats?
Not sure where, but I saw a “VIP” weekend package going for $257 per seat. May have been Gillette. Still some weekend packages at lesser venues going for $104/seat. That’s over $400 for a family of four. Still way too much.

DocBarrister 8-)
They should let you play in the game for $257 per seat.
Where are you guys getting this info? I just looked at tickets in NJ this weekend and Chicago next weekend, and I see seats in the first 10 rows for $20 and $15 each.
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