Stop playing tournament games in football stadiums

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jrn19
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Re: Stop playing tournament games in football stadiums

Post by jrn19 »

Everyone focusing on Ohio State, but Hofstra didn’t do much better, only a few more thousand and below 6k; first time both sites below 6k in 20 years. It might be time to re-think the entire process with the QFs, not just one location.
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Dip&Dunk
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Re: Stop playing tournament games in football stadiums

Post by Dip&Dunk »

Yep, it must of been the football stadium's fault.

Or select multiple other contributors:

(A) Ability to watch on TV
(B) Graduation weekend or Graduation already happened and the students are all gone
(C) A majority of teams with fan bases that do not travel well
(D) Still have impact from that COVID thing many forget about
(E) $5/gallon, 8.3% inflation, etc.
(F) It's lacrosse

Lots of factors to point at. Would of thought RU & UD fanbases would of represented better, maybe they did represent well given the above factors.

OSU had 60,0007 at the their spring football game. So if they want to come out, they will.
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MDlaxfan76
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Re: Stop playing tournament games in football stadiums

Post by MDlaxfan76 »

I quite agree that mostly empty mega football stadiums are a bad look for the sport, especially for the quarters.

I'm from Maryland, and I know I'm going to be accused of bias, but I agree that the "grow the game" objective should have nothing to do with where these particular games are played.

Play them where the largest fan bases will have the easiest travel.

Want to have games played in nascent fan base markets? Do so in early season in the warmer climate zone areas, put a bunch of teams together at a location for a long weekend; multiple such clusters...and if that's not enough, do the same at some other location perhaps for an early fall scrimmage session.

Do it when fans are starved for games and will come out...make it fun for both the players and the fans...free tickets for the youth leagues, etc.

I do think the big stadiums can be used for the Final Four, but only if the NCAA gets out of the way and lets this be about showcasing the sport rather than maximizing revenue to NCAA...

Frankly, dump the NCAA.
jhu06
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Re: Stop playing tournament games in football stadiums

Post by jhu06 »

if you're a fan in the mid atlantic region you can literally see high quality lacrosse every weekend and/or weekday from the hs to college level all spring long. The big ten region is absolutely loaded in young athletes who aren't all going to be able to spend fall saturdays in uniform on sidelines in ann arbor, columbus, madison, etc so having these games outside the traditional hotbeds helps elevate the game and it's on those schools and the ncaa to invest in building support. Yes the visuals aren't going to be homewood w/a womens national championship game, but if the sport is going to grow they need to push it out to other regions and I think it's also important to reward the denvers utahs jacksonvilles marquettes etc for going out and supporting the game.
Vermont25
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Re: Stop playing tournament games in football stadiums

Post by Vermont25 »

Game is changing boys and not for the better. Games are overcoached and the game is suffering.
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MDlaxfan76
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Re: Stop playing tournament games in football stadiums

Post by MDlaxfan76 »

jhu06 wrote: Mon May 23, 2022 11:17 am if you're a fan in the mid atlantic region you can literally see high quality lacrosse every weekend and/or weekday from the hs to college level all spring long. The big ten region is absolutely loaded in young athletes who aren't all going to be able to spend fall saturdays in uniform on sidelines in ann arbor, columbus, madison, etc so having these games outside the traditional hotbeds helps elevate the game and it's on those schools and the ncaa to invest in building support. Yes the visuals aren't going to be homewood w/a womens national championship game, but if the sport is going to grow they need to push it out to other regions and I think it's also important to reward the denvers utahs jacksonvilles marquettes etc for going out and supporting the game.
And yet, youth and HS kids aren't showing up in strength in these low fan base areas. Many have games to play in themselves.

The NCAA isn't going to ever "invest in building support"...just not in their DNA.

Again, I'm 100% in favor of getting games, clusters of teams, into these areas...just do it when the fans are hungriest to see a game or two or three...

But when you say "big ten region" I assume you mean midwest, because you must not mean Maryland (UMD, Hopkins) or NJ (Rutgers)...do you mean rural PA and west? Ohio, Michigan...and onward?

Sure, lots of players, big area...but is there the density of interest if you don't have a particular team in the hunt?
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MDlaxfan76
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Re: Stop playing tournament games in football stadiums

Post by MDlaxfan76 »

Vermont25 wrote: Mon May 23, 2022 11:18 am Game is changing boys and not for the better. Games are overcoached and the game is suffering.
I don't think that's remotely an issue with where the games are played, the turnouts etc.

Arguable otherwise.

On that topic, we're actually seeing higher scoring, fast paced play...
Njlaxx11
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Re: Stop playing tournament games in football stadiums

Post by Njlaxx11 »

renault wrote: Mon May 23, 2022 8:44 am
Njlaxx11 wrote: Mon May 23, 2022 7:27 am watching on TV couldn't even tell.
You didn't see the completely empty OSU football stadium? Crowd shots of parents (and seemingly only parents) after every goal? Dead air/audio the whole game?

It was embarrassing.
Wasn’t really paying attention to that, nor do I really care
ardilla secreta
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Re: Stop playing tournament games in football stadiums

Post by ardilla secreta »

Lacrosse is sort of like Frolf. Few people play it and even fewer people watch it. I would expect one of the biggest stadiums in the world to look empty, Shuart looked empty too and it’s in a hotbed. I’ve traveled all over the country to see regular season, playoff and finals lacrosse since the 70’s. I’ve always liked the big stadiums for their ability to offer plenty of personal space and higher sight lines. The stadiums used for professional soccer make ideal facilities. The stadium for the Phila Union was a terrific site a few years back. So would have been the old Columbus Crew stadium that seats 20,000 and is currently being used the the Crew B team. Ohio is holding their state high school lacrosse championships there starting this year. I’d prefer no excessive lines on the field but these days there seems to be numerous lines and I’m used to it. I’m just grateful that lacrosse is even televised, I can bear through the rest.
SCLaxAttack
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Re: Stop playing tournament games in football stadiums

Post by SCLaxAttack »

ardilla secreta wrote: Mon May 23, 2022 12:10 pm Lacrosse is sort of like Frolf. Few people play it and even fewer people watch it. I would expect one of the biggest stadiums in the world to look empty, Shuart looked empty too and it’s in a hotbed. I’ve traveled all over the country to see regular season, playoff and finals lacrosse since the 70’s. I’ve always liked the big stadiums for their ability to offer plenty of personal space and higher sight lines. The stadiums used for professional soccer make ideal facilities. The stadium for the Phila Union was a terrific site a few years back. So would have been the old Columbus Crew stadium that seats 20,000 and is currently being used the the Crew B team. Ohio is holding their state high school lacrosse championships there starting this year. I’d prefer no excessive lines on the field but these days there seems to be numerous lines and I’m used to it. I’m just grateful that lacrosse is even televised, I can bear through the rest.
^^^^
This.
Lax3
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Re: Stop playing tournament games in football stadiums

Post by Lax3 »

Texted a buddy about this very topic yesterday. Thank goodness they only posted a few bench shots which included the massive number of empty seats. Awful look for lacrosse. We all know this is a second-tier sport in the American sports world and always will be, which is all the more reason to find reasonably sized stadiums for the quarterfinals where diehards can enjoy the games with other diehards. The Philadelphia Union stadium is an absolutely great example of that as is the general concept of soccer stadiums. Much, much better setting for this fun sport.
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CU77
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Re: Stop playing tournament games in football stadiums

Post by CU77 »

I don't see the QFs going to non-school facilities. Those facilities would have to bid, and it would have to be a money-making venture for them to bid, which it pretty clearly wouldn't be.
OCanada
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Re: Stop playing tournament games in football stadiums

Post by OCanada »

Early round games have generally not been profitable.

In the years following 2002 the tournament paid for itself gor a time. Most sports championships do not pay for themselves. Hoops foes. I believe hockey does now. In the event the NCAA priced itself out, saw ticket sales and attendance drop. Vost of stadiums dropped with downsizing.

Locations have to apply. Some years ago the NCAA upped its % of the gate.

In the late 1990s finding a site for the finals became a problem. MD was not interested in continuing to host. The Committee was trying to convince someone to host snd was on the verge of putting 2003 in Cville with Dom’s stepping into the void but Baltimore stepped up snd put in a bid moving the site to Raven ‘s stadium
Homer
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Re: Stop playing tournament games in football stadiums

Post by Homer »

jhu06 wrote: Mon May 23, 2022 10:39 am That's on the ncaa and ohio state which have infinity resources to build attendance. The big ten area is one of the richest in raw athletic talent on the planet and is the only of the big 4 revenue sport talent producing regions (the south, california, texas) where lacrosse has a footprint, so it's very important for the game to have regular may events there. Western/central pa, indiana, ohio, michigan, they grow very big very tough young sons there.
Taking this argument to its logical conclusion, we need to hold the quarterfinals in American Samoa every year going forward.
keno in reno
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Re: Stop playing tournament games in football stadiums

Post by keno in reno »

Delaware and Navy are great. Even Maryland 25 years ago was great when there were 20,000 people. The Horseshoe is double Maryland though, and that was too big. The ideal venues are MLS stadims. Philly and DC are awesome.
ICGrad
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Re: Stop playing tournament games in football stadiums

Post by ICGrad »

Word.

I haven't seen such a sparse crowd in such a huge space since Trump's inauguration. Though I hear Fox News is reporting the UVA/MD game was a sellout...
livelovelax
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Re: Stop playing tournament games in football stadiums

Post by livelovelax »

University of Delaware would be a great stadium to host the regionals, 18,000. Philadelphia (the Linc) would be the most optimal pro stadium for the final four but Rutgers football Stadium would be ideal for many reasons, location, parking, hotels, restaurants, etc, access and size, 53,000.

To ICGrad,

I went to a womens curling event in Minnesota last week and the crowd of 8 people in attendance easily surpassed the "excitment" of a Biden/Harris rally. All 8 people were still wearing their masks and holding up signs that read that everyone was a racist.
fordmaddoxford
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Re: Stop playing tournament games in football stadiums

Post by fordmaddoxford »

ICGrad wrote: Mon May 23, 2022 2:33 pm Word.

I haven't seen such a sparse crowd in such a huge space since Trump's inauguration. Though I hear Fox News is reporting the UVA/MD game was a sellout...
Many people believe it was the largest crowd in history. Nobody else could have done it, that I can tell you.
laxpert
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Re: Stop playing tournament games in football stadiums

Post by laxpert »

OCanada wrote: Mon May 23, 2022 1:44 pm Early round games have generally not been profitable.

In the years following 2002 the tournament paid for itself gor a time. Most sports championships do not pay for themselves. Hoops foes. I believe hockey does now. In the event the NCAA priced itself out, saw ticket sales and attendance drop. Vost of stadiums dropped with downsizing.

Locations have to apply. Some years ago the NCAA upped its % of the gate.

In the late 1990s finding a site for the finals became a problem. MD was not interested in continuing to host. The Committee was trying to convince someone to host snd was on the verge of putting 2003 in Cville with Dom’s stepping into the void but Baltimore stepped up snd put in a bid moving the site to Raven ‘s stadium
The NCAA administers 90 Championships in 24 sports, five run in the black. Men's Basketball, Baseball, Hockey, Lacrosse and Wrestling. Football BCS is outside the NCAA. Every other Men's sport and every Womens sport runs in the red. The price of attending the Lacrosse weekend has escalated over the years. A quick look showed tickets from $60 to $160. I wonder if lower prices would result in increased sales to maintain profit. Is that Price Elasticity?, long time since Econ 101.
livelovelax
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Re: Stop playing tournament games in football stadiums

Post by livelovelax »

The prices this weekend are insane, way too high. The common fan is not coming.
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