Athletes Unlimited Summer ‘24

[intheknow247]

Many of these folks are lacrosse "lifers" and are sacrificing coaching/tutoring/recruiting time while playing for AU. A lot different from the Premier Lacrosse League, where the athletes are full-time with their teams.

Many AU/PLL players live same lifestyles of earning a living in lacrosse, not different. And by that, I mean the only living they make in full-time lacrosse is if they coach (club, ncaa, etc) and run camps/clinics along with their pro $. Because the pro $ is not that much at all and they all supplement. Or, they have full time jobs as well which applies for many PLL players.

[DMac]

Lot of names on here I'm excited to see play again.
https://www.espn.com/espnplus/schedule/ ... e/20240718

[Womenslaxxfan]

So many great players aren’t playing
Jamie Ortega
Megan Tyrell
Jackie wolack
Aurora cordingly
Emma trenchard
Etc etc

It’s for new grads who are willing to give it another year, and lacrosse lifers/coaches. But for most top players, jobs—and just a desire to move on—/ eventually get in the way…

[njbill]

The number of participating players is now up to 56.

https://auprosports.com/lacrosse/athletes/

[DMac]

So many great players aren’t playing
Jamie Ortega
Megan Tyrell
Jackie wolack
Aurora cordingly
Emma trenchard
Etc etc

It’s for new grads who are willing to give it another year, and lacrosse lifers/coaches. But for most top players, jobs—and just a desire to move on—/ eventually get in the way…

Yup, but there are still an awful lot of "top players" who are playing.
It'll be good as it always has been (IMO).

[DMac]

OPENING DAY!!!
Game day, first game of the season, we get to watch the girls play!!
Will there ever be another opening like there was in the first game of 
the first season when Halle Majorana scored an absolute beauty BTB
goal just seconds into the game? Can't remember who threw the pass
to the wide open Halle after the draw win, but it was a beauty and Halle
knew exactly what to do with it. Pretty.

[LaxDadMax]

So many great players aren’t playing
Jamie Ortega
Megan Tyrell
Jackie wolack
Aurora cordingly
Emma trenchard
Etc etc

It’s for new grads who are willing to give it another year, and lacrosse lifers/coaches. But for most top players, jobs—and just a desire to move on—/ eventually get in the way…

At least 2 of them are making $250k plus on wall st now. Jobs they probably don’t get if they didn’t play lax.

So lax is paying their rent in a manner of speaking

[Seacoaster(1)]

Watched and enjoyed the first game (Glynn v. Apuzzo).

[DMac]

Not enough "top players", lousy location, poor attendance, no money in it, all in all it's just not so good.
Well, 'cept for the fact that these girls are just fantastic, the quality of player(s) and the level of play is
just off the charts. The K9 hasn't lost a step or an ounce of competitive juices, that gal is just relentless.
McCool is still McCool, hasn't lost a step. The speedy Masera had no trouble adjusting to the pro game. So
much speed on the field! Was surprised on one play, think it was Douty leading a fast break with Kennedy
in the chase but she couldn't close the gap.
I wouldn't want to see this game brought to the collegiate level but I sure do like watching these gals play
this game at the pro level. There's no way these gals don't just absolutely love playing this game where the
rules are a little less restrictive and they can play a little more wide open game. I'm all in with AU wlax.

[LaxDadMax]

Not enough "top players", lousy location, poor attendance, no money in it, all in all it's just not so good.
Well, 'cept for the fact that these girls are just fantastic, the quality of player(s) and the level of play is
just off the charts. The K9 hasn't lost a step or an ounce of competitive juices, that gal is just relentless.
McCool is still McCool, hasn't lost a step. The speedy Masera had no trouble adjusting to the pro game. So
much speed on the field! Was surprised on one play, think it was Douty leading a fast break with Kennedy
in the chase but she couldn't close the gap.
I wouldn't want to see this game brought to the collegiate level but I sure do like watching these gals play
this game at the pro level. There's no way these gals don't just absolutely love playing this game where the
rules are a little less restrictive and they can play a little more wide open game. I'm all in with AU wlax.

I think the concept can work, but I'd make a few changes.

1) Eliminate the individual scoring part of it. Just reeks of me-isms.

2) Have permanent teams for the season and let rivalries develop. the reason the WNBA is doing well is that you have legit rivalries. Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese don't like each other. That sells tickets.

3) Use the PLL model and go to a different city every week. 6 teams. 2 games per team (Friday, Sunday). 6 weeks plus playoffs. (July - Aug) This could enable some athletes to maintain real jobs and grow the brand

[DMac]

The individual scoring is what it is, am not a big fan of it (GKs have really had an advantage) but it does add a little different twist. I really don't see a lot of "me-ism" play on the field, the more phases of the game you can excel at, the more points you get. Very much pays to be a complete and unselfish player.
I actually think this league is better off with re-drafting weekly given the number of teams. With just four I think a couple of them would dominate, just be better teams. I don't really see rivalries developing, just one or two teams dominating and others struggling to compete. Switching the teams up has made it interesting and seems to me to have kept all the teams pretty much equally competitive.
It's very doubtful that this league has enough money to be transporting these teams to different cities/venues. The league would have to get much bigger (number of teams and money) before that could ever be a consideration, to say nothing of the number of people who are interested in watching pro wlax. You'll have a hard time finding a bigger lacrosse nut than I am but I don't watch the PLL...haven't seen one game, don't care about it (college is where it's at for lacrosse, IMO, big changes happening there too...and not for the better).
Yup, WNBA is riding a wave....but I'm bettin' for not too long.

[Relax77]

Not enough "top players", lousy location, poor attendance, no money in it, all in all it's just not so good.
Well, 'cept for the fact that these girls are just fantastic, the quality of player(s) and the level of play is
just off the charts. The K9 hasn't lost a step or an ounce of competitive juices, that gal is just relentless.
McCool is still McCool, hasn't lost a step. The speedy Masera had no trouble adjusting to the pro game. So
much speed on the field! Was surprised on one play, think it was Douty leading a fast break with Kennedy
in the chase but she couldn't close the gap.
I wouldn't want to see this game brought to the collegiate level but I sure do like watching these gals play
this game at the pro level. There's no way these gals don't just absolutely love playing this game where the
rules are a little less restrictive and they can play a little more wide open game. I'm all in with AU wlax.

I think the concept can work, but I'd make a few changes.

1) Eliminate the individual scoring part of it. Just reeks of me-isms.

2) Have permanent teams for the season and let rivalries develop. the reason the WNBA is doing well is that you have legit rivalries. Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese don't like each other. That sells tickets.

3) Use the PLL model and go to a different city every week. 6 teams. 2 games per team (Friday, Sunday). 6 weeks plus playoffs. (July - Aug) This could enable some athletes to maintain real jobs and grow the brand

I’m with you 100%. Unfortunately the AU model is about just that. Having a champion. But they can change the team aspect. I like that. Let them have a draft.

[LaxDadMax]

The individual scoring is what it is, am not a big fan of it (GKs have really had an advantage) but it does add a little different twist. I really don't see a lot of "me-ism" play on the field, the more phases of the game you can excel at, the more points you get. Very much pays to be a complete and unselfish player.
I actually think this league is better off with re-drafting weekly given the number of teams. With just four I think a couple of them would dominate, just be better teams. I don't really see rivalries developing, just one or two teams dominating and others struggling to compete. Switching the teams up has made it interesting and seems to me to have kept all the teams pretty much equally competitive.
It's very doubtful that this league has enough money to be transporting these teams to different cities/venues. The league would have to get much bigger (number of teams and money) before that could ever be a consideration, to say nothing of the number of people who are interested in watching pro wlax. You'll have a hard time finding a bigger lacrosse nut than I am but I don't watch the PLL...haven't seen one game, don't care about it (college is where it's at for lacrosse, IMO, big changes happening there too...and not for the better).
Yup, WNBA is riding a wave....but I'm bettin' for not too long.

I'm not sure the model I am proposed would cost more at the end of the day. Remember right now, AU is paying for lodging for everyone for 5 weeks. With my model, everyone flies home every week and they pay for 2 or 3 hotel nights per week.

But the real difference would be at the gate. If Women's lacrosse was just in town for a weekend, think about what attendance would look like. Each of these probably gets you 4-5k per game, more than 2-3x what they are getting now. Plus selling more merch due to being a new market.

One weekend in Long Island
One weekend in Philly
One weekend in DC/NoVA
One weekend in Socal
One weekend in Boston
One weekend in Chicago or Atlanta
Finals at Homewood Field

[DMac]

Okay.
I think that's pretty optimistic thinking re attendance.
Cuse is a pretty good place for attendance, better than most.
NU-Cuse at NU, attendance 933.
Md @ Cuse (big game), attendance 2097.
Loyola @ Cuse (always a good game), attendance 1238.
Cuse @ BC, attendance 4,300.
Stony Brook @ Cuse (lot of interest in this one), attendance 1052.
I'd be surprised if the pros drew more than college games.
It's all good, hope it works.

[DMac]

The individual scoring is what it is, am not a big fan of it (GKs have really had an advantage) but it does add a little different twist. I really don't see a lot of "me-ism" play on the field, the more phases of the game you can excel at, the more points you get. Very much pays to be a complete and unselfish player.
I actually think this league is better off with re-drafting weekly given the number of teams. With just four I think a couple of them would dominate, just be better teams. I don't really see rivalries developing, just one or two teams dominating and others struggling to compete. Switching the teams up has made it interesting and seems to me to have kept all the teams pretty much equally competitive.
It's very doubtful that this league has enough money to be transporting these teams to different cities/venues. The league would have to get much bigger (number of teams and money) before that could ever be a consideration, to say nothing of the number of people who are interested in watching pro wlax. You'll have a hard time finding a bigger lacrosse nut than I am but I don't watch the PLL...haven't seen one game, don't care about it (college is where it's at for lacrosse, IMO, big changes happening there too...and not for the better).
Yup, WNBA is riding a wave....but I'm bettin' for not too long.

I'm not sure the model I am proposed would cost more at the end of the day. Remember right now, AU is paying for lodging for everyone for 5 weeks. With my model, everyone flies home every week and they pay for 2 or 3 hotel nights per week.

But the real difference would be at the gate. If Women's lacrosse was just in town for a weekend, think about what attendance would look like. Each of these probably gets you 4-5k per game, more than 2-3x what they are getting now. Plus selling more merch due to being a new market.

One weekend in Long Island
One weekend in Philly
One weekend in DC/NoVA
One weekend in Socal
One weekend in Boston
One weekend in Chicago or Atlanta
Finals at Homewood Field

Wait a minute, you don't put Cuse on your list??
The Dome, with it's flashing lights (different colors too) and
audio system pounding music (maybe a little Snoop Dogg).
C'mon, ideal atmosphere for pro wlax. Promoted in Cuse would
very likely draw a good attendance number.

[Madlax59]

The individual scoring is what it is, am not a big fan of it (GKs have really had an advantage) but it does add a little different twist. I really don't see a lot of "me-ism" play on the field, the more phases of the game you can excel at, the more points you get. Very much pays to be a complete and unselfish player.
I actually think this league is better off with re-drafting weekly given the number of teams. With just four I think a couple of them would dominate, just be better teams. I don't really see rivalries developing, just one or two teams dominating and others struggling to compete. Switching the teams up has made it interesting and seems to me to have kept all the teams pretty much equally competitive.
It's very doubtful that this league has enough money to be transporting these teams to different cities/venues. The league would have to get much bigger (number of teams and money) before that could ever be a consideration, to say nothing of the number of people who are interested in watching pro wlax. You'll have a hard time finding a bigger lacrosse nut than I am but I don't watch the PLL...haven't seen one game, don't care about it (college is where it's at for lacrosse, IMO, big changes happening there too...and not for the better).
Yup, WNBA is riding a wave....but I'm bettin' for not too long.

I'm not sure the model I am proposed would cost more at the end of the day. Remember right now, AU is paying for lodging for everyone for 5 weeks. With my model, everyone flies home every week and they pay for 2 or 3 hotel nights per week.

But the real difference would be at the gate. If Women's lacrosse was just in town for a weekend, think about what attendance would look like. Each of these probably gets you 4-5k per game, more than 2-3x what they are getting now. Plus selling more merch due to being a new market.

One weekend in Long Island
One weekend in Philly
One weekend in DC/NoVA
One weekend in Socal
One weekend in Boston
One weekend in Chicago or Atlanta
Finals at Homewood Field

Wait a minute, you don't put Cuse on your list??
The Dome, with it's flashing lights (different colors too) and
audio system pounding music (maybe a little Snoop Dogg).
C'mon, ideal atmosphere for pro wlax. Promoted in Cuse would
very likely draw a good attendance number.

AU is not interested in moving from US lacrosse headquarters
AU is not interested in making it easier for former lax players that have a traditional job.
This is why only kids who coach, or do lax clinics or are lucky to work remote and do their job on off-lax hours are the only kids who can play. They have several stars that play and thats fine with them.

[DMac]

......and fine by me too.
Who doesn't like to watch Kenzie Kent play lacrosse?

[Lax832s]

Is belle smith not playing?

[njbill]

Nope.

[DMac]

Bosco v Apuzzo, 7-6 end of 3 (Griffin scores with 4 sec left in the 3rd). Two evenly matched teams, very competitive game.
Good lacrosse, just love the way the girls can play in this league (beware the inexorable march though ).