Ravens to Help Usher in Season, New Arena
September 5, 2003 - National Lacrosse League (NLL)
Vancouver Ravens News Release
VANCOUVER (FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 5, 2003) - The Vancouver Ravens Lacrosse Club, preparing for its third season in the National Lacrosse League, will have the honour of being involved in the first event to be held at the new Glendale Arena just outside of Phoenix, Arizona, it was announced today by the NLL in New York.
The Vancouver-Arizona NLL season opener will be part of the grand opening of the new Glendale Arena, which will serve as home of the Phoenix Coyotes of the National Hockey League and the Arizona NLL franchise. The grand opening weekend December 26-28 will be highlighted by the arena's first-ever NHL regular season game, a showdown between the hometown Coyotes and the Nashville Predators, Saturday, Dec. 27. The Coyotes organization, headed by Steve Ellman and Wayne Gretzky, will also serve as Managing Partner of the new NLL franchise in Arizona.
"We're certainly honoured to have the privilege of joining with Steve Ellman, Wayne Gretzky, the Coyotes organization and the new Arizona franchise in opening the great new sports arena in Glendale and we're pleased to have the chance to help kick off the new National Lacrosse League season in this way," said Tom Mayenknecht, Governor of the Vancouver Ravens Lacrosse Club. "In our view, this helps usher in a new era for the NLL as a truly North American professional sports league and, on behalf of our players, coaches and fans, we're proud to be part of it."
The balance of the Ravens schedule, which will include eight home games at General Motors Place in downtown Vancouver, will be announced Monday, September 8th, when the NLL releases its official schedule for the 2003-2004 regular season. The Ravens plan to play four games Friday nights and four games as Sunday afternoon matinees at General Motors Place.
"This will be a treat for the sports fans of Arizona," said Paul Dal Monte, Head Coach and Director of Lacrosse Operations for the Vancouver Ravens. "In the former Columbus Landsharks, they'll have a very good young team playing in front of them; a team that we certainly won't take lightly given the way they've come on in the past two years. It should be a great start to the new NLL season."
The Ravens, one of 10 teams in the NLL, will play alongside Arizona in the new Western Division. Also featured in the NLL's Western Division will be the Calgary Roughnecks, the Colorado Mammoth and new franchises in Anaheim and San Jose. The defending champion Toronto Rock, Buffalo Bandits, Rochester Knighthawks and Philadelphia Wings will play in the Eastern Division.
National Lacrosse League Stories from September 5, 2003
- Ravens to Help Usher in Season, New Arena - Vancouver Ravens
- NLL Announces Season Opening Game - NLL
- Turner Named MVP of Western Lacrosse Association Finals - Rochester Knighthawks
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