Lacrosse’s Pinnacle is Memorial Day, not Pro

[livelovelax]

Love college lacrosse, followed by high school. The NLL is not watchable with the goofy goalie equipment and indoor rink fields. PLL is becoming more watchable and will be better with city, state, regional teams but hope for more concrete rosters to build chemistry and support from the community.

Final Four was a great event and the games were fantastic. Concerned with the crowd sizes not increasing from the early 2000s. Ticket prices are a little too high and it is not promoted enough.

[Farfromgeneva]

Box lacrosse in the mid Atlantic states goes back to the late 60s.

The original Wings packed them in, and had current hockey players playing lacrosse.

The second version of the Wings drew crowds of 10,000, 14,000,
the NLL brought in NCAA players locally, from Hopkins, Syracuse.

The Baltimore teams didn’t do nearly as well.

Wayne Gretsky bought a piece of a team.

I hate the constant 30 second song loop at ear splitting volumes. If you can’t pay the royalty don’t play songs the whole time and create ADD in the children attending .

[Farfromgeneva]

He has a dual citizenship and decided to take his chances with Team Canada ?

Too easy but I wonder how many dual citizenship folks there are from bachelors parties to Montreal?

[Matnum PI]

I just can’t get into professional lacrosse; not in person nor on television... I feel some remorse I’m not supporting these folks.

I know for me, and believe for many, many lacrosse fans, if the Pro teams were organized like NCAA alumni teams (similar to when there was no pro lacrosse and lacrosse tournaments were composed of (SU alumni, Hobart alumni, etc.), people would be more interested. I believe...

[youthathletics]

I just can’t get into professional lacrosse; not in person nor on television.

I’ve got friends who have played it, now I know parents with sons playing, but I simply don’t feel it. I’m happy for the leagues; am I the only lacrosse junkie who has zero feeling about the professional leagues?

Memorial Day championship weekend is it for me. I don’t really care about summer club ball for high school kids either. Crown the D1-2-3 champs, and I exhale for three to four months.

For me, the entire lacrosse schedule ends on Memorial Day. It begins again, tepidly, with Fall ball.

I’m interested in anyone’s thoughts. If you’ve found a way to get into professional lacrosse, let me know what I’m missing. There are good people playing and managing, and I feel some remorse I’m not supporting these folks.

PLL is ok.

I absolutely cannot get interested in the NLL. I know it’s big in Canada, but I cannot get my head around the goalies in the weird fat suits dragging the heads of their lacrosse sticks on the carpet … it’s a bizarre visual that makes the NLL look more like a gimmick rather than a real sport.

DocBarrister

Ha! Those “goalie fat suits” might be the weirdest/goofiest look in professional sports — I’ve wondered when the broader internet would “meme-ify” them. (Obviously I’m glad the goalies are well protected; they are just visually rather arresting.)

Re: the original point, de gustibus non est disputandum. I’m in your camp, finster — the pro game (NLL or PLL) just is not interesting to me at this point. But I think the increasing interest in the pro game is a good thing both in popularizing the sport and in giving a bigger spotlight to college lacrosse, which of course I do follow closely. I’m happy for those whose “lacrosse itch” can get scratched by the pro play but my existing pro sports allegiances are boringly old-school (MLB, NFL, NHL, NBA).

Points all well taken and agree fully with them. Finster says quite well. I will go to a game or two if in DC. I actually preferred going to Bayhawks games...it was an opportunity to tailgate with friends, go to a game, then hang out afterwards. My wife asked me are you having lacrosse withdrawals yesterday....and I said not all, I am actually accomplishing something this weekend and needed to come up for air.

Maybe it really boils down to lax season is Spring, always has been, and we are programmed to follow the slow build-up to Memorial Weekend as the crescendo....we tend to like process and structure. Maybe when the PLL settles on local teams and a few more years pass, it will gain traction.

I still argue it may be better served playing alongside college lacrosse, just like every other college/pro sport. But the risk is that the pro league would likely always play 2nd fiddle.

[Farfromgeneva]

I just can’t get into professional lacrosse; not in person nor on television... I feel some remorse I’m not supporting these folks.

I know for me, and believe for many, many lacrosse fans, if the Pro teams were organized like NCAA alumni teams (similar to when there was no pro lacrosse and lacrosse tournaments were composed of (SU alumni, Hobart alumni, etc.), people would be more interested. I believe...

Elder Statesmen in Placid!

[Typical Lax Dad]

I just can’t get into professional lacrosse; not in person nor on television.

I’ve got friends who have played it, now I know parents with sons playing, but I simply don’t feel it. I’m happy for the leagues; am I the only lacrosse junkie who has zero feeling about the professional leagues?

Memorial Day championship weekend is it for me. I don’t really care about summer club ball for high school kids either. Crown the D1-2-3 champs, and I exhale for three to four months.

For me, the entire lacrosse schedule ends on Memorial Day. It begins again, tepidly, with Fall ball.

I’m interested in anyone’s thoughts. If you’ve found a way to get into professional lacrosse, let me know what I’m missing. There are good people playing and managing, and I feel some remorse I’m not supporting these folks.

PLL is ok.

I absolutely cannot get interested in the NLL. I know it’s big in Canada, but I cannot get my head around the goalies in the weird fat suits dragging the heads of their lacrosse sticks on the carpet … it’s a bizarre visual that makes the NLL look more like a gimmick rather than a real sport.

DocBarrister

Ha! Those “goalie fat suits” might be the weirdest/goofiest look in professional sports — I’ve wondered when the broader internet would “meme-ify” them. (Obviously I’m glad the goalies are well protected; they are just visually rather arresting.)

Re: the original point, de gustibus non est disputandum. I’m in your camp, finster — the pro game (NLL or PLL) just is not interesting to me at this point. But I think the increasing interest in the pro game is a good thing both in popularizing the sport and in giving a bigger spotlight to college lacrosse, which of course I do follow closely. I’m happy for those whose “lacrosse itch” can get scratched by the pro play but my existing pro sports allegiances are boringly old-school (MLB, NFL, NHL, NBA).

Points all well taken and agree fully with them. Finster says quite well. I will go to a game or two if in DC. I actually preferred going to Bayhawks games...it was an opportunity to tailgate with friends, go to a game, then hang out afterwards. My wife asked me are you having lacrosse withdrawals yesterday....and I said not all, I am actually accomplishing something this weekend and needed to come up for air.

Maybe it really boils down to lax season is Spring, always has been, and we are programmed to follow the slow build-up to Memorial Weekend as the crescendo....we tend to like process and structure. Maybe when the PLL settles on local teams and a few more years pass, it will gain traction.

I still argue it may be better served playing alongside college lacrosse, just like every other college/pro sport. But the risk is that the pro league would likely always play 2nd fiddle.

I have also been saying this for years.

[ny10458]

I just can’t get into professional lacrosse; not in person nor on television.

I’ve got friends who have played it, now I know parents with sons playing, but I simply don’t feel it. I’m happy for the leagues; am I the only lacrosse junkie who has zero feeling about the professional leagues?

Memorial Day championship weekend is it for me. I don’t really care about summer club ball for high school kids either. Crown the D1-2-3 champs, and I exhale for three to four months.

For me, the entire lacrosse schedule ends on Memorial Day. It begins again, tepidly, with Fall ball.

I’m interested in anyone’s thoughts. If you’ve found a way to get into professional lacrosse, let me know what I’m missing. There are good people playing and managing, and I feel some remorse I’m not supporting these folks.

Only thing I can agree with you on Finster

[Brownlax]

I just can’t get into professional lacrosse; not in person nor on television... I feel some remorse I’m not supporting these folks.

I know for me, and believe for many, many lacrosse fans, if the Pro teams were organized like NCAA alumni teams (similar to when there was no pro lacrosse and lacrosse tournaments were composed of (SU alumni, Hobart alumni, etc.), people would be more interested. I believe...

Elder Statesmen in Placid!

Brown State in Placid!!

[Farfromgeneva]

I just can’t get into professional lacrosse; not in person nor on television... I feel some remorse I’m not supporting these folks.

I know for me, and believe for many, many lacrosse fans, if the Pro teams were organized like NCAA alumni teams (similar to when there was no pro lacrosse and lacrosse tournaments were composed of (SU alumni, Hobart alumni, etc.), people would be more interested. I believe...

Elder Statesmen in Placid!

Brown State in Placid!!

It’s on like donkey Kong!

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ipsPgNEmAXI

[Matnum PI]

Elder Statesmen in Placid!

Exactly. Burnt Orange, etc.

[DocBarrister]

The problem I have with the PLL is that it is virtually impossible to develop a rooting interest. How do you find a team to root for? It's a traveling road show with rotating rosters. I can't watch any sport without a strong rooting interest. Are there lax fans who are diehard "Redwoods" fans? And if so, why? As a college lax fan, the players on the college team you root for are spread among various teams. It just doesn't work for me. I have no more than a passing interest in the PLL.

The NLL is a different sport.

I agree with much of this. The Rabils seem to understand this as well, as the PLL transitions to an odd “hybrid” model.

Still, I think the traveling road show may help spread the sport. PLL is set to visit Seattle, Salt Lake City, Dallas, Minneapolis, and Louisville this season. That can only help the sport.

DocBarrister

[Farfromgeneva]

Elder Statesmen in Placid!

Exactly. Burnt Orange, etc.

Evermore thy sons shall be
Hip Hobart, my Hip Hobart,
Champions bold of liberty
Hip Hobart, my Hip Hobart;
Ever shall thy champions prove
Filled with brave unchanging love,
Lifting souls to heights above
Hip Hobart, my Hip Hobart.

Evermore thy fame shall last
Hip Hobart, my Hip Hobart,
Glorious still as in the past
Hip Hobart, my Hip Hobart;
With a faith and courage strong
Battling ever ‘gainst the wrong,
Honors great to thee belong,
Hip Hobart, my Hip Hobart.

Chorus

Raise the orange and purple high,
Let us shame them never,
Shout the triumph to the sky,
“Hip Hobart, forever!”

[DoubleD]

I actually enjoy the PLL the talent level is ridiculous. I'm a fan of the Redwoods due to I like the players the most on there. U watch em in college then see there skill level keep getting better. If you watched any games this wknd the skill was very high level. Next yr when they move teams to locations it will be better for fans. If you enjoy the game tho then watching a PLL game is exciting.

[Essexfenwick]

Watched today Chaos / Waterdogs. The skill level is better than college. I’m assuming the league hasn’t been able to pay the players enough to reside and practice in a city the team is assigned to so they probably have limited practices and do the traveling road show on weekends.

[NattyBohChamps04]

This thread is a fantastic reminder of why Canada keeps it close most times. And has won 2 of the last 4 world champs.

Box is a fantastic way to grow your skills. I never gave it a second glance till I played a few years. Literally game changing.

[masondixonlax]

Watched today Chaos / Waterdogs. The skill level is better than college. I’m assuming the league hasn’t been able to pay the players enough to reside and practice in a city the team is assigned to so they probably have limited practices and do the traveling road show on weekends.

Agreed with the skill level. PLL has actually grown on me. If you like to watch beautiful lacrosse then PLL is where it's at. But i agree with other posters. It has hard to develop a rooting interest in one team and I find myself more so just rooting for individuals. Not sure how they will change that. Would be interesting if they made it so that if you played highschool ball say in ohio or west you would only be elligible for a couple teams representing and Northeast (NY/ NH/ CN), Canada and so on and so forth. Would make rooting interest based on where players are from and i think lax community takes a lot of pride in stuff like that

[Olderbarndog]

This thread is a fantastic reminder of why Canada keeps it close most times. And has won 2 of the last 4 world champs.

Box is a fantastic way to grow your skills. I never gave it a second glance till I played a few years. Literally game changing.

Try to watch as much box lacrosse as I can. Mann & Minto Cups are unreal and the big stage for the Nation's & Canada. My playing days are long over but I incorporate as much as I can at all levels, especially youth, as a coach. If I could go back in time would have liked to have spent my summers up North.

[Farfromgeneva]

This thread is a fantastic reminder of why Canada keeps it close most times. And has won 2 of the last 4 world champs.

Box is a fantastic way to grow your skills. I never gave it a second glance till I played a few years. Literally game changing.

Try to watch as much box lacrosse as I can. Mann & Minto Cups are unreal and the big stage for the Nation's & Canada. My playing days are long over but I incorporate as much as I can at all levels, especially youth, as a coach. If I could go back in time would have liked to have spent my summers up North.

Live that MacKenzie Brother Strange Brew life!

[DQKing]

Not a box fan really so won't comment on the NLL, although most cities do draw well it seems and makes it more viable I think. Not a fan of the PLL. No city teams, low shot clock, small field, players not wearing pads etc. doesn't do it for me. What they do have going for them though seems to be the media presence which is something the MLL struggled with. That being said, I would be curious as to what the average PLL player is making now versus what the MLL was paying previously: Adjusted for inflation of course. Also, the PLL certainly has it's media together but how is that translating to attendance? It seems every thing I can find about attendance only has stats on media touches and nothing on actual attendance or if it does it says an increase in percentage. That doesn't mean a lot to me if the numbers are low and is actually concerning if no real numbers are put forth. The last actual info I can find that has some figures where attendance seemed to have ranged from about 10,000 to 15,000 for a three game weekend: So about 3500-5000 per game. Questions there though would be how many of those were actually paid for and is there double dipping if the same person showed up on Saturday and Sunday? From what I recall these numbers aren't that much better (if they are better?) than what the MLL drew overall. Additionally, if and when, if ever, they settle on cities how does that drop since it's much harder to go to continuous games rather than a single weekend. I glanced by one of the games this weekend and the stands didn't look very full. Certainly more fans at our state high school championship than what I saw this weekend.