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Doug Reffue Named Boston Blazers President

April 7, 2008 - National Lacrosse League (NLL)
Boston Blazers News Release


Boston (April 7, 2008) - The Boston Blazers ( www.blazerslacrosse.com) today announced the appointment of Doug Reffue to the position of Team President. Reffue will report directly to team ownership and is responsible for all aspects of the Blazers' lacrosse and business operations. The Blazers begin play in the National Lacrosse League in January 2009.

"Doug is the perfect candidate to build a first-class indoor lacrosse franchise both on and off the field," said Boston Blazers owner Tim Armstrong. "Doug's expertise in brand management and developing successful marketing and sales businesses will provide the framework for a successful Blazers franchise that Boston sports fans will be proud to support. Doug, along with Head Coach Tom Ryan, will help grow interest in our new team, the National Lacrosse League and the sport of lacrosse throughout New England."

Reffue, a 12-year industry veteran and leading innovator in branding and marketing, joined the Blazers after serving as Director of Brand Management at Yankee Candle Company where he managed a portfolio of company brands. During Reffue's tenure, he played a key role in developing Yankee Candle's brand architecture while driving the company's overall profitability. Prior to his role with Yankee, Reffue worked several years in the sporting goods industry as Director of Brand Management at Brine Inc., a leading provider of lacrosse, soccer, volleyball and field hockey equipment.

"Leading the Blazers in our inaugural season in the great sports city of Boston is an exciting opportunity that I truly appreciate given my passion for the sport," said Reffue. "Lacrosse is the fastest growing sport in the country, and we will build on that momentum as we grow interest in the Boston Blazers and in professional indoor lacrosse throughout New England."

Reffue's role with the Boston Blazers, the 13th franchise of the National Lacrosse League, will concentrate on the key areas of driving corporate and fan interest in the indoor lacrosse team. He will oversee all aspects of the team's operations, including brand strategy, marketing, ticket sales, public relations, community relations and corporate sales.

Reffue is a graduate of Boston College's Carroll Graduate School of Management, where he concentrated in marketing as he earned his MBA in 1995. Reffue spent several years as Senior Brand Marketing Manager for the Polaroid Corporation where he managed marketing strategies, brand management and product development on a national and global level. Reffue also worked in product management with Tyco International of Mansfield, Mass., where he assisted with the development of several new programs for Kendall Healthcare Products.

A native of Gloversville, NY, Reffue was a standout soccer player at Colgate University, where he served as team captain while earning Regional All-American honors and currently ranks as the school's No. 4 all- time leading scorer. Reffue resides in the greater Boston area with his wife and two children.

The Blazers are in the process of building a business staff. The organization is currently accepting applications and referrals for a Director of Ticket Sales along with several other key positions.

The Blazers' 2009 schedule will be announced in the near future. Fans can purchase tickets by calling (877) 859-2233. About The Boston Blazers

The Boston Blazers will begin indoor professional lacrosse play in January 2009 in the National Lacrosse League. On May 9, 2007, the NLL awarded owner Tim Armstrong a Boston franchise, making it the 13th member of the league. That same day, Tom Ryan was introduced as the Blazers head coach. For more information, please see: www.blazerslacrosse.com.

About the National Lacrosse League

The National Lacrosse League (NLL) is North America's professional indoor lacrosse league, featuring the best lacrosse players in the world. Founded in 1987, the 2008 season will mark the 22nd season of pro indoor lacrosse. Average attendance for the 2007 season was over 10,000 fans per game, with several games played in front of crowds in excess of 16,000 fans. The NLL has twelve teams playing in major markets of the United States and Canada: Buffalo Bandits, Calgary Roughnecks, Chicago Shamrox, Colorado Mammoth, Edmonton Rush, Minnesota Swarm, New York Titans, Philadelphia Wings, Portland LumberJax, Rochester Knighthawks, San Jose Stealth and Toronto Rock. Several NLL clubs are owned and/or operated by the National Hockey League (NHL) and/or National Basketball Association (NBA) teams in their respective markets, and play in the same arenas used by those teams. Teams each play a 16-game regular season schedule followed by the Champion's Cup Playoffs. All games are played on weekends. Professional indoor lacrosse combines the physical play of hockey with the high scoring, fast pace and play-making style of basketball. Indoor lacrosse is played inside the confines of a NHL hockey rink, with glass and rink boards intact. The playing surface consists of a green turf carpet that is laid down over the hockey ice. The two teams combine to score an average of 25 goals in an NLL game.

The 2008 regular season concludes on April 26. The Playoffs consist of a total of seven games, all in a single-game elimination format. Eight teams advance to the playoffs, four from each of the two divisions (Eastern and Western). The Playoffs begin on the weekend of May 2-4 and conclude with the Championship Game on the weekend of May 16- 18.

The league uses a host of media platforms in broadcasting its games. ESPN, NBC and VERSUS are among the networks that have aired NLL games on national television over the past three seasons, as well as Rogers Sportsnet in Canada. Games also air on leading regional sports networks including Comcast Sportsnet, Time Warner Sports Network and Altitude. The league also broadcast games outside of North America for the first time last season on Eurosport2, an international sports network that reaches more than 50 countries worldwide. SIRIUS Satellite Radio airs a live NLL Game of the Week and a weekly one-hour NLL talk show hosted by lacrosse icon Casey Powell. The league also offers live video webcasts of every NLL game via the league website, www.NLL.com.

For more information, visit the official website of the National Lacrosse League at: www.NLL.com.

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