Vancouver Ravens announce 20 Player Signings
Published on December 17, 2003 under National Lacrosse League (NLL)
Vancouver Ravens News Release
VANCOUVER, BC-- The Vancouver Ravens Lacrosse Club, preparing for its third season in the National Lacrosse League, had signed 20 players by late Tuesday evening.
"The desired outcome, on behalf of the players representing the Vancouver Ravens, is for a full roster of athletes standing together as a west coast unit," said Tom Mayenknecht, Governor of the Ravens franchise. "The players expect to be at that point by Wednesday (today)."
Ravens players began signing contracts Monday afternoon, Dec. 15th, with every intention of doing so as a full team. By 10:00 p.m. Pacific time on Tuesday night, 20 signed contracts had been received by club management, with more on the way Wednesday morning. Contracts were being filed with General Manager Dave Evans, who along with Director of Lacrosse Operations & Head Coach Paul Dal Monte and Assistant General Manager Dr. Dave Lough headline the Vancouver front office.
"Our guys are performing a difficult task, balancing their respect for their fellow players and the union with their own practical assessment of the best way to preserve job opportunities and help the National Lacrosse League grow to the next level after a period of contraction," said Mayenknecht. "We've come to realize that they believe in their actions as the best way to protect jobs, in Vancouver and throughout the league, and to help secure new jobs in the future for the next generation of professional lacrosse players."
The Ravens, along with the new Arizona Sting, are just 10 days away from opening day of the 2003-2004 NLL regular season. The Vancouver franchise is scheduled to travel to Phoenix, Friday, Dec. 26th, for the NLL season opener at 7:30 p.m. The NLL season opener is part of the Grand Opening Weekend of the new Glendale Arena just outside of Phoenix, a gala weekend highlighted by the first-ever National Hockey League game in the new arena, Saturday, Dec. 27th, between the Phoenix Coyotes and the Nashville Predators.
The NLL season opener between the Ravens and the Sting will be televised live nationally in Canada on The Score and will also be televised in the United States. It marks the first NLL pro indoor lacrosse game played in Arizona (with the franchise relocating from Columbus earlier this year).
"With the new season just around the corner, we're proud of the moves our guys have made to help protect the NLL regular schedule in general and important commitments such as the Glendale Arena opening in particular," said Mayenknecht, noting that as members of a new franchise themselves the Ravens players understand the pressures associated with start up.
Arizona is one of three new markets for the NLL, alongside Anaheim and San Jose in California. "We see our guys as showing great respect for our fans, our sponsors, our television networks and our radio and media partners, all of whom are key to building the National Lacrosse League and creating a strong and viable future for professional lacrosse in North America," he added. "They're also standing up to recognize the great work being done by our front office and sales staff, the behind the scenes people who make the presentation of NLL games possible for our great lacrosse fans, here in British Columbia and throughout Canada and the U.S."
The Ravens governor explained the players have seen first hand the complexities of professional sport and the many variables associated with working towards long-term success.
"They understand the business of sport and the exciting challenges of taking pro lacrosse to the next level," said Mayenknecht, a former National Basketball Association and professional tennis executive. "They also recognize the opportunities inherent in transforming the NLL from the northeastern regional loop that is our heritage to a truly continental North American pro league. This is such a critical time in our sport's history and I believe they're doing what they believe is most appropriate given where we're at as a pro league."
Vancouver is part of the newly-aligned NLL's Western Division, alongside Arizona, the Colorado Mammoth (entering their second season at the Pepsi Center in Denver), the Anaheim Storm (new to the Arrowhead Pond), the San Jose Stealth (new to the HP Pavilion in the Bay Area) and the Calgary Roughnecks (like Vancouver, entering their third season). The Eastern Division is made up of the defending champion Toronto Rock, the Buffalo Bandits, the Rochester Knighthawks and the Philadelphia Wings.
National Lacrosse League Stories from December 17, 2003
- Vancouver Ravens announce 20 Player Signings - Vancouver Ravens
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