AAA League Indoor lax

spider
Site Admin
Posts: 169
Joined: Tue Dec 02, 2003 10:12 pm

AAA League Indoor lax

Post by spider » Sun Dec 19, 2004 4:18 pm

Wonder why there hasn't been a AAA league indoor lax league established yet? Looks like the sport is starting to get popular here in the states. It would be a good sport for arenas that don't have ice to have an indoor lax team. It just as fun to watch as hockey or indoor football.

I know here in my area, that you could play in Little Rock and Tulsa and maybe add Memphis,Shreveport, Okla. City, and Wichita.
That would be a sweeet league.

What do you think? Do you think it would work? I think that indoor lax would work in midsize markets.

Shootmaster_44
Site Admin
Posts: 799
Joined: Mon Dec 01, 2003 7:45 am
Location: Saskatoon, SK

Post by Shootmaster_44 » Sun Dec 19, 2004 11:55 pm

While in theory it may work, the biggest reason is the NLL has trouble sustaining itself. The Vancouver Ravens have folded and popularity of lacrosse in BC is quite high. In fact the BCLA's senior league has a tv contract on Rogers Sportsnet. With all this going for box lax, the Ravens still could not kept their team afloat. In the Southern markets you mention, is there even much amateur lacrosse played? If not good luck in trying to create interest in a sport nobody has likely even heard of. The NHL has tried to go into Southern markets and sadly have not had much success aside from Tampa, Dallas and Los Angeles.

But if marketed properly the league could work. But I would say if somebody intended to put the league together they should work on a 10 year plan. The first 5 years would be simply cultivating grassroots leagues for kids in the prospective cities. Once interest is sufficient, then announce the league and begin actual setup of the pro franchises. This I would think should occur no later than year 8 of the plan. If this was done, then the league may have a chance of viability, otherwise I think the ABA has a better chance of survival than this league would.

User avatar
Pounder
Site Admin
Posts: 2736
Joined: Tue Mar 23, 2004 7:01 pm
Location: Portland freaking Oregon!

Post by Pounder » Mon Dec 20, 2004 2:42 pm

Folks, everytime you say something along the lines of "if it was marketed properly," please send me $5. I'm certain that, within a few weeks, I'll have enough money to start a league with a major TV presence (I could afford the time buy under this provision, certainly).

Good gracious, the NLL is a league generally bankrolled by hockey owners. They do not have (or want to have) the energy to push the sport in the manner you desire. If owners start sprouting up who can actually build arenas, or at least take "control" of arenas in which to play the game (control = control of revenue streams of other events as well as your games + ability to select the prime dates in your arena), opportunities will definitely open up. Consider the possibility, however, that the sports market in America is a bit overwhelmed right now.

BCRantzilla
Site Admin
Posts: 537
Joined: Mon Jun 07, 2004 11:33 pm
Location: Parts Unknown

Post by BCRantzilla » Tue Dec 21, 2004 1:43 am

A few things;

1. Lacrosse does have an AAA set of leagues although they aren`t owned by any of the teams in the NLL. The OLA and WLA, the leagues that usually play for the Mann Cup every year, are the top source for amateur talent. Aside from that, the field lacrosse leagues in US College are the other talent pool commonly used. (The Gaits played in both but were drafted out of Syracuse University in 1990.)

2. In terms of marketing, Toronto and Calgary did a wonderful job of marketing themselves and they are of course, the class of the league. Colorado does a decent job of marketing and they draw well as well. It seems to me that after 14 years of following the MILL/NLL, the teams that fail the fastest are the teams that are lousy from the get go. In most markets that are brand new to lacrosse south of the boarder, you have to be a contender right out of the gates or nobody will care.

3. The downside to losing Fritz and Cline is that they owned all of the teams in the MILL and marketed them all equally in all 4-8 markets in which the old MILL played. I own old tapes of the MILL`s many ad campaigns from the late 80s and early 90s and they are very generic and you would think the teams were all the same generic team. Having said that, it was better than the way it is now.
And that is all the people need to know!

BCRantzilla
Site Admin
Posts: 537
Joined: Mon Jun 07, 2004 11:33 pm
Location: Parts Unknown

Post by BCRantzilla » Tue Dec 21, 2004 1:45 am

A few things;

1. Lacrosse does have an AAA set of leagues although they aren`t owned by any of the teams in the NLL. The OLA and WLA, the leagues that usually play for the Mann Cup every year, are the top source for amateur talent. Aside from that, the field lacrosse leagues in US College are the other talent pool commonly used. (The Gaits played in both but were drafted out of Syracuse University in 1990.)

2. In terms of marketing, Toronto and Calgary did a wonderful job of marketing themselves and they are of course, the class of the league. Colorado does a decent job of marketing and they draw well as well. It seems to me that after 14 years of following the MILL/NLL, the teams that fail the fastest are the teams that are lousy from the get go. In most markets that are brand new to lacrosse south of the boarder, you have to be a contender right out of the gates or nobody will care.

3. The downside to losing Fritz and Cline is that they owned all of the teams in the MILL and marketed them all equally in all 4-8 markets in which the old MILL played. I own old tapes of the MILL`s many ad campaigns from the late 80s and early 90s and they are very generic and you would think the teams were all the same generic team. Having said that, it was better than the way it is now.
And that is all the people need to know!

Shootmaster_44
Site Admin
Posts: 799
Joined: Mon Dec 01, 2003 7:45 am
Location: Saskatoon, SK

Post by Shootmaster_44 » Tue Dec 21, 2004 1:48 am

One question about the OLA and BCLA box lax leagues, these are amateur right? I know that some NLL players play in the BCLA and I was wondering if this was another part-time job for them or whether it was just to stay in shape, keep playing lacrosse etc.

Also, aside from the NCAA field lax leagues, are there any pro/major women's lacrosse leagues?

canadiansportsfan
Site Admin
Posts: 1
Joined: Wed Dec 22, 2004 7:30 pm

Post by canadiansportsfan » Wed Dec 22, 2004 7:38 pm

Both the major loops in ontairo and bc players get paid.Some players make more then they do in the nll.

Post Reply

Return to “General Lacrosse”