Expansion (?)

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Pounder
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Expansion (?)

Post by Pounder » Mon May 09, 2005 4:03 pm

Last week, the NLL announced a franchise to Edmonton. Apparently, today, expect Portland into the gig.

http://www.oregonlive.com/sports/oregon ... xml&coll=7

My question: any rumors about this actually being expansion? I can't imagine Anaheim hanging around with what they draw, and losing them endangers San Jose and Arizona.

Shootmaster_44
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Post by Shootmaster_44 » Wed May 11, 2005 9:10 pm

I have no solid basis for this, but my guess would be that the league would not announce a city as a new team if another franchise were planning on moving there. If Anaheim was moving to Portland, I would figure the NLL would just wait until the club announces it.

My question about their expansion is why does the league not put another franchise in Ontario or BC? Sure Vancouver and Ottawa both died, but these markets are the most popular lacrosse markets in Canada. If I were running the NLL here's how I'd see the teams placed:

Existing Franchises:
Arizona Sting
Buffalo Bandits
Calgary Roughnecks
Colorado Mammoth
Minnesota Swarm
Philadelphia Wings
Rochester Knighthawks
San Jose Stealth
Toronto Rock

Confirmed Expansion:
Edmonton, Alberta
Portland, Oregon

My sites:
Boston, Massachusettes
Halifax, Nova Scotia
London, Ontario
Victoria, B.C.
Winnipeg, Manitoba

One of these could the moving of the Anaheim franchise. As always I'd love to see a team here in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. But until lacrosse becomes bigger here, I'd hold off on it.

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Post by Pounder » Thu May 12, 2005 3:48 pm

Should a league that managed to average 10,000 fans a game last year move into a 7,000-seat building in Victoria?

I'm the goofball who will make a 900-mile roundtrip at least once a month from Boise to Portland for my beloved Timbers, and will likely do something similar for a new Portland NLL franchise. I'm really freaking rare. These franchises are not regional teams, they are local. They must work in the market they're in. If it's not Vancouver or Ottawa, substituting them with Victoria and London is not going to help.

Mind you, did Vancouver fail because the fans weren't there, or because the ownership was shady to shaky? I'd guess the Canucks ownership has been approached and passed... but would they pass under current NHL circumstances? I'd like to think Vancouver will find their way in again. Portland would love to see that happen now.

Really, it takes an owner/prospective owner to make these decisions, not the league. The new managers of the Rose Garden wanted to fill dates, and voila! These other people they've recruited... ummm, errrrrr... http://www.oregonlive.com/sports/oregon ... xml&coll=7 . The sum equivalent of blonde giggling didn't really impress me much. I have to hope for success despite the management.

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Post by Shootmaster_44 » Thu May 12, 2005 10:34 pm

I didn't realize the Save-On Centre in Victoria was only 7,000 seats. But the reason I did pick Victoria was due to their BCLA success. I think Vancouver's failure was mostly due to management problems. I seem to recall that they had nearly half filled GM Place. But it looks like Vancouver is not a great sports city. Aside from the CFL's BC Lions and the NHL's Canucks, most of the teams that play out of Vancouver have moved or folded.

Teams that have died in Vancouver:
PCL: Canadians
NLL: Ravens
NBA: Grizzlies
ChampCar: Molson Indy Vancouver
PGA: Greater Vancouver Open

I'd figure Victoria would be a better market for this. I realize most of these teams are local not regional, but I think the Greater Victoria area could support an NLL team. Plus the Kitchener-London-Waterloo area is large enough that it could conceivably support a team. I think Ottawa's problem is a major portion of their population is involved in the Federal Government and as such are older and do not have the younger children playing grassroots lacrosse.

I really believe that for a team to survive, the league and prospective owners have to look at the grassroots level. If you wish to place a beach volleyball team in Alaska, you better hope you have a great grassroots backing. As well, if you wish to put a hockey team in Mexico City, there better be enough support of the game to sustain it. I think that is what all of the more niche sports leagues are guilty of. If no one plays cricket in a city, nobody will come simple as that. Conversely, if you put a team into a market that has several kids registered playing a sport then you'll do fine. Easiest way to drum up support is through promotion with the minor sports system.

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Post by SuperSonicStuart » Sun Jul 31, 2005 6:40 pm

Yeah, I think it sucks that the Vancouver Ravens and Anaheim Storm folded. Because I'd like to see the league become successful in the growth of fans and the growth of adding more teams.

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