PRO LACROSSE – Part 1/ What are your thoughts about the pro game today?
Pro lacrosse is not new. There have been many attempts over the years to take the game I love to the Professional Level. There was a league in 1974-1975, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Lacrosse_League_(1974%E2%80%931975 )I was a bit too young to play in, and 3 of the 6 teams went bankrupt in the second year, and the league folded.
Canada had its own “pro” league in 1991, there were four teams, I was lucky enough to ride the coat tails of a lot of Peterborough Lakers, played for the Guelph Power and we won the league that year. We were paid $100/game, for about half the year, when we were told by the team that they had no money. We were given the option to play the season out (we were in first place). We played it out, what the heck, we loved the game. Only a one year league. No fans. No money.
Canada had its own “pro” league in 1991, there were four teams, I was lucky enough to ride the coat tails of a lot of Peterborough Lakers, played for the Guelph Power and we won the league that year. We were paid $100/game, for about half the year, when we were told by the team that they had no money. We were given the option to play the season out (we were in first place). We played it out, what the heck, we loved the game. Only a one year league. No fans. No money.
In 1985 there was a Canada/USA Super series, which was an eight game series played at different locations in the U.S. including the Philadelphia Spectrum, and also one game in Canada (Peterborough). I played in this series and it was definitely a highlight of my career. We played to packed arenas, and this series was a pre-curser for The Major Indoor Lacrosse League and The National Lacrosse League. There was a buzz that lacrosse had finally arrived, and that crowds would continue to grow.
Could lacrosse continue to rise, more cities, packed arenas, has the sport I love finally made it?
The game was not sold to lacrosse fans. It was not really even sold as a lacrosse game. It was presold by the organizers as a gladiatorial event. It was sold using a tractor pull mentality. The markets were saturated by advertisements showing nothing but big hits and fights, and the commentator was screaming, and the music was playing......and it appealed to a “new” audience. The big transition in the pro game in my opinion was the year of the Super Series (1985) Why? Because of an old business philosophy. Get a new customer, someone who has not seen the game, and let the product sell itself. It worked, and pro lacrosse has been on a decent ride ever since. However, there are still problems. Every year franchises fold. Every year, crowds remain average, or are shrinking slightly. Again, don’t get me wrong, I think the N.L.L. is a very solid, well run league, with some very solid franchises that deserve a lot of credit. My problem is, I want more. As a player, and a fan, i want to go see the Toronto Rock in front of 19,000 enthusiastic fans. I want bigger crowds, everywhere, league wide. How can this happen, with all the trials and tribulations in that this fantastic game has been through.
Next - Attendance.
Could lacrosse continue to rise, more cities, packed arenas, has the sport I love finally made it?
The game was not sold to lacrosse fans. It was not really even sold as a lacrosse game. It was presold by the organizers as a gladiatorial event. It was sold using a tractor pull mentality. The markets were saturated by advertisements showing nothing but big hits and fights, and the commentator was screaming, and the music was playing......and it appealed to a “new” audience. The big transition in the pro game in my opinion was the year of the Super Series (1985) Why? Because of an old business philosophy. Get a new customer, someone who has not seen the game, and let the product sell itself. It worked, and pro lacrosse has been on a decent ride ever since. However, there are still problems. Every year franchises fold. Every year, crowds remain average, or are shrinking slightly. Again, don’t get me wrong, I think the N.L.L. is a very solid, well run league, with some very solid franchises that deserve a lot of credit. My problem is, I want more. As a player, and a fan, i want to go see the Toronto Rock in front of 19,000 enthusiastic fans. I want bigger crowds, everywhere, league wide. How can this happen, with all the trials and tribulations in that this fantastic game has been through.
Next - Attendance.
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