For my one and only ever visit to this board

[KevB1990]

http://www.nll.com/

 

Front page story tells it all...non-revenue producing sports don't work well in the US. NLL has cancelled the 2008 season which is probably the death march for the sport professionally in the US.

 

MLS is desperate using liqour producers and getting sponsors from Europe as well as frivilously spending way too much on broken down players. WNBA already has lost one team (Charlotte last season) and is only still around because David Stern is a wimp and won't make the league stand on its own after more than a decade of getting propped up by the NBA. Right now the World Series of Poker (and more specifically Texas Hold' Em) is watched more on TV than a lot of the fringe sports.

 

I could go on, but I won't.

[Redtwin]

Where to start...

 

First, the are very few revenue producing sports at the collegiate level and above. In general, the only collegiate team at a DI NCAA university to turn a profit would be the football team. Most basketball, baseball, track, swimming, hockey, lacrosse, and women's teams lose money. It hasn't hurt MLB or the NBA.

 

Next, NLL is what is called box lacrosse or indoor lacrosse. It is completely different from field lacrosse. Box lacrosse is predominately played in Canada and as an off-season activity in some northern states. Although they both contain the word lacrosse in the title, it is not what is typically thought of as lacrosse in America.

 

Thirdly, lacrosse is arguably the fastest growing high school sport in America right now:

 

Lacrosse Is On The Move

 

Also, according to a May 20, 2007 AJC article I don't want to pay for entitled "Beating the odds: What college sport gives you the best shot?" Lacrosse is the sport a high school athlete is most likely to get a college scholarship to play.

 

Finally, there is plenty of spectator interest in lacrosse. Major League Lacrosse has a contract with ESPN 2 to broadcast its games, and the NCAA lacrosse championship game had the second highest attendance of any NCAA championship game with football being number 1.

 

I can go on as well.