PLL Catch All

[DQKing]

There has been some discussion on the PLL in general in another thread and I thought it might make it easier if we got it all combined into one thread. Topics and some of my thoughts:

Jerseys: Not a fan of the soccer kits. It may work in box but I prefer the numbers on both front and back.

Names: For the most part they are just plain awful. I'm sure there was a lot of research done here (maybe?) but if I was given all the PLL names and WNBA names in a list before the announcement I don't think I could have picked out the PLL names. The best one in my opinion is Archers. Chaos, Chrome and Whipsnakes are the worst. In the MLL the Blaze may seem a bit corny at first but at least it has relevance to the city and it’s burning like the old NHL Flames. Granted the league is hamstrung by not having home cities to guide the names, and in that respect, it should probably have been expected that they wouldn’t be very good. All the teams having the “LC’ (lacrosse club) at the end also has the nod to soccer but again I’m not a fan. Why not Atlas United? Just seems silly in my book.

Play: On the field I think it’s as to be expected. Is it any better than what the MLL was with the same players? In my opinion, no it’s not, how could it be? Not a fan of the shorter shot clock – I understand the reasoning but it seems like an arbitrary time. Does 8 seconds make that much of a difference? Not a fan of allowing fights but not a fan of it in any sport.

Attendance: Decent I guess. Not great but not horrible. Playing in giant stadiums that look empty is not good though. As with all leagues I suspect the numbers are inflated anyway and that there’s a lot of free ticket giveaways going on. Anyone else think they expected more than what they are getting?

Other thoughts:
At the end of the day the league may be able to make it for a couple years as a traveling circus but after that I think they have to settle down and call some cities home in order to survive. As I mentioned in a previous post on a different thread: How is this any different than the LXM Pro Tour except that they obviously have much higher expenses. How did that turn out? How long can their investors last?
Also, the idea that I’m going to call one of these teams my own isn’t going to happen. I may like certain players more on one team than another but me having any allegiance towards one over the others just won’t happen. Do I care who wins the championship? No, and why would I? Do I feel like spending money to watch them play in my town maybe once a year? No, because there is nothing that connects me to any team.

I find it ironic that if there was no MLL then all of these guys (especially Paul Rabil) wouldn’t be known; or at best solely for their college careers. By no means am I saying that the MLL is perfect but it seems they are trying to bite the hand that has fed them. I am all for everyone making as much money as they can and if this works out for them and the league then more power to them.

The motto “We the Players” simply seems selfish. Even if that is how they feel have the business sense to understand that if you don’t have consumers you don’t have a business and the customer is always right.

I understand what they are trying to do; I just don’t think it works.

[Typical Lax Dad]

For those in MLL markets, how is fan support and the product this year? The MLL will be fine. Sandy Brown is a good sports executive. He probably should have come on board a couple of years earlier. He is fixing some of the structural problems.

[DQKing]

For those in MLL markets, how is fan support and the product this year? The MLL will be fine. Sandy Brown is a good sports executive. He probably should have come on board a couple of years earlier. He is fixing some of the structural problems.

From what I can see fan support and attendance hasn't changed. Will there ever be a time when 40 thousand (or even 20) show up consistently at pro lacrosse in my lifetime? No but I don't care. Sure would be nice but again I don't care.

I have no issue with the product on the field. Lots of new faces but overall it's been competitive and lots of close games.

Some of the scheduling I do shake my head at though: 2 PM game on a Thursday? 4 PM game in Atlanta in the summer? Sorry but any game in Atlanta needs to start after 7 PM -- I love watching lacrosse but don't think I'd be very happy about sitting in the sun at 4 PM in Atlanta when it's 96 degrees with 97% humidity.

[Typical Lax Dad]

For those in MLL markets, how is fan support and the product this year? The MLL will be fine. Sandy Brown is a good sports executive. He probably should have come on board a couple of years earlier. He is fixing some of the structural problems.

From what I can see fan support and attendance hasn't changed. Will there ever be a time when 40 thousand (or even 20) show up consistently at pro lacrosse in my lifetime? No but I don't care. Sure would be nice but again I don't care.

I have no issue with the product on the field. Lots of new faces but overall it's been competitive and lots of close games.

Some of the scheduling I do shake my head at though: 2 PM game on a Thursday? 4 PM game in Atlanta in the summer? Sorry but any game in Atlanta needs to start after 7 PM -- I love watching lacrosse but don't think I'd be very happy about sitting in the sun at 4 PM in Atlanta when it's 96 degrees with 97% humidity.

Thanks. I am not sure if there is much of a market for pro lacrosse. Average college lacrosse attendance is probably less than 3,000 per gam.

[hooligan88]

I feel that the PLL hurt the Dallas franchise. Attendance is down and going from the best regular season team to the worst isn't helping. All but a few players left, it doesn't help. They have the best stadium to watch a game but its been hard to watch this year. I have watched other games on tv as well. I think the level of play is good and comparable to PLL. Its just a big swing. But i will continue to go and support our team.

[Typical Lax Dad]

I feel that the PLL hurt the Dallas franchise. Attendance is down and going from the best regular season team to the worst isn't helping. All but a few players left, it doesn't help. They have the best stadium to watch a game but its been hard to watch this year. I have watched other games on tv as well. I think the level of play is good and comparable to PLL. Its just a big swing. But i will continue to go and support our team.

Thanks for the reply. My sister lives in that area and went to a game last year as a novice. I am going to see if they plan on going this year. Good team last year.

[Unknown Participant]

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[/quote]

Thanks. I am not sure if there is much of a market for pro lacrosse. Average college lacrosse attendance is probably less than 3,000 per gam.
[/quote]

The typical D1 college hockey game has about the same or less (with a few exceptions), but most NHL teams put 12,000 - 15,000 or so in the seats for 41 games a year, excluding playoffs (except for FL, OTT, AZ).

And there are probably way more HS lacrosse players in the US now than there were HS hockey players in the US when I first started playing in 1970 or so.

Not sure what all that means other than a lot of people loved to watch hockey back in the 70s that had never played the game and that if you put a quality product out there that is exciting to watch, people will watch it.

[Typical Lax Dad]

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Thanks. I am not sure if there is much of a market for pro lacrosse. Average college lacrosse attendance is probably less than 3,000 per gam.
[/quote]

The typical D1 college hockey game has about the same or less (with a few exceptions), but most NHL teams put 12,000 - 15,000 or so in the seats for 41 games a year, excluding playoffs (except for FL, OTT, AZ).

And there are probably way more HS lacrosse players in the US now than there were HS hockey players in the US when I first started playing in 1970 or so.

Not sure what all that means other than a lot of people loved to watch hockey back in the 70s that had never played the game and that if you put a quality product out there that is exciting to watch, people will watch it.
[/quote]

I hope it does well. I believe it's been better received than anticipated. I talk to a lot of people that watch the games.

[laxpert]

Maybe 2,000 fans in a 22,000 seat stadium in a market that draws close to 10,000 for visiting college teams. The Pro level of play is no better than what one could see for free in the old Sunday Club Games, sans music and fanfare.

[PicLax]

Really disappointed in PLL all star game. Taken a great sport and turned it into a circus sideshow. Also, very amateurish production.
1. Watching lacrosse on TV difficult under the best conditions given size of ball and quick movement. Throw in a field half in sunlight, half in shade made it even harder. Whose idea to play at 5:00 PST with terrible shadows?
2. Backdrop during player introduction embarrassing. ZERO people in the stands in the background. Not to mention the wrong player introduction.
3. Fan attendance itself terrible. Easily less than 2,000 people in the stands on the half of the field that they were on.
4. Jim Brown obviously has not watched a lacrosse game in 30 years. Attaching him to the game and halftime activities a poor attempt at trying to legitimize the sport at the pro level.
5. Understand Paul Rabil wanting to capture spotlight glory, but embarrassing watching him take his helmet off on the field when cameras around.
6. While fun to see Blaze Riordin playing attack, what about the real attackmen voted on to the team? Same with Paul Rabil playing attack, what about the attackmen on his team?
7. Halftime fast shot segment fell on its face. Reporter was terrible. No real-time shot speeds. Then finding out the very pedestrian speeds at the end was embarrassing, especially after the hype of 115 mph efforts.
Watched the game with four high school players. All on their phones by midway through 2nd quarter.

[shoothi]

Perhaps its me....certainly the stick and shooting skills are fantastic, best ever.

However do you find this type of play boring after a while....the ball is seldom out of the stick, the days of Man Ball drills are long gone...

There is no physical play....run around with no problem...couple of checks here and there but that is it.

I do have to laugh at how SOFT the game has become....nobody wears arm pads.....simple little elbow pad....if your a defense men, does your coach ever tell you to put a check on those bare arms....

The days of wearing a small set of shoulder or rib pads, why would you? You can completely expose yourself, with no ramifications...when was the last time a guy looked out his ear hole?

You want pro lacrosse to work.....take the wimpy ness out the sport....

[FACEvalue]

According to PLL Twitter account, the All-Star festivities and game were fantastic. Oh, and the Saturday night party was even better.

[Mr3Putt]

My question is, can they sustain this league w these fluffed up attendance numbers? Lacrosse people have club in June & July then everyone goes on vacation at some point. Once preseason soccer & football start that takes a dent out of things. College lacrosse is the pinnacle of the sport! Nothing has changed in 50 years. The ratings are poor & no one goes . Will they make it? And, I’m definitely not into the slant left approach by the league.

[DQKing]

I believe the PLL's social media posts the same way I view their attendance numbers.

[FACEvalue]

You insinuating it was not the best all-star game in history of all pro sports and crazy entertaining? “We the players” liked it.

[Mr3Putt]

I smell a lot of..... . These stadiums are desolate. Best players in the world, to a degree. You should be, most of you just played 4 years @ the highest level, w the best training available in the world. This is where things get interesting. Theses next 3 weeks are vacation weeks for all families. Will there be tumbleweed blowing thru these stadiums?

[Dehuntshigwa’es]

There are 6 pro teams in the PLL and 1/3 of the head coaches come from a small ODAC school...Stagnitta and St. Laurent both from Washington & Lee

[faircornell]

I have been trying to understand the PLL playoff structure. As far as I can tell, the Archers should play the Redwoods in the finals. This said, it's hard to figure out with the PLL piecemeal communication strategy.

[DQKing]

From the diagram they have on their website it looks like the Redwoods vs the Whipsnakes. It's not easy and clear and a bit hard to follow though as it almost looks like a double elimination but only for some teams. Don't question it though as someone else posted on another thread the league is doing great and is a huge success. That comment was based upon an online article that appeared to my eyes as a simple puff piece.

[FannOLax]

From the diagram they have on their website it looks like the Redwoods vs the Whipsnakes. It's not easy and clear and a bit hard to follow though as it almost looks like a double elimination but only for some teams. Don't question it though as someone else posted on another thread the league is doing great and is a huge success. That comment was based upon an online article that appeared to my eyes as a simple puff piece.

The Whipsnakes qualified for the final when they beat the Chaos, or at least that's what the TV announcers for that game said repeatedly. It was to be a while after that game (via several more games) that the Whipsnakes' opponent would be determined. That being said, I have watched very little PLL and for a variety of reasons prefer college ball.