NLL Lacrosse Season to be Cancelled?? - Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community

FLAMESRULE · 10-15-2007, 04:56 PM

http://www.tsn.ca/tsn/news_story/?ID=220678&hubname=

http://www.nll.com/article.php?id=3124

This would suck if true. I guess we'll find out late tonight. I think that it is the best bang for your entertainment/sporting dollar in the city.

Burninator · 10-15-2007, 05:22 PM

This sports popularity has been slowly rising over the past couple years, but a full year break would set it back a couple years if not kill it entirely. Their fan base isn't deep enough to run a risk like this.

CrusaderPi · 10-15-2007, 07:57 PM

Sounds like posturing to me. Though I'm a bit of a cynic.

Resolute 14 · 10-15-2007, 09:58 PM

This happened a couple years ago too.

Problem is, neither the league, nor the PLPA has any kind of leverage here. If they let the season die, the league probably goes with it. They don't make a ton of money, but love of the game, and desire to grow isn't going to let them toss the season, I wouldn't think.

HOOT · 10-16-2007, 12:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Burninator

This sports popularity has been slowly rising over the past couple years, but a full year break would set it back a couple years if not kill it entirely. Their fan base isn't deep enough to run a risk like this.

Agreed!

This would be lose-lose for the Owners, League and Players. So they need to figure something out else NLL is done.

85albert · 10-16-2007, 01:15 AM

"The Canadian Press acquired an e-mail that commissioner Jim Jennings sent to players at 12:01 a.m. ET confirming that the season had been cancelled."

http://www.sportsnet.ca/more/2007/10/16/nll_deadline/

corporatejay · 10-16-2007, 02:18 AM

and now that league will go the way of the WHA and the USFL.

i hope everyone is happy.

Dion · 10-16-2007, 02:32 AM

That's realy sad news. I find it hard to believe that the owners and the PLPA could not come to an agreement. I just hope this wasn't some game of chicken with the players thinking the owners would cave.

The big losers in all this are the fans.

worth · 10-16-2007, 09:18 AM

yep...wonder if anyone will be getting their season ticket money back.

CaptainCrunch · 10-16-2007, 09:21 AM

I would assume that your getting your season ticket money back.

I also think its likely that this is the last we see of the NLL, while its popularity is rising, its not to the point that the majority of sports fans in North America will even care that its gone.

Resolute 14 · 10-16-2007, 09:32 AM

There is still two months until the start of the season. It can be uncancelled in a hurry.

troutman · 10-16-2007, 10:05 AM

I won't miss it. A boring hack and slash goal fest.

fredr123 · 10-16-2007, 10:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by troutman

I won't miss it. A boring hack and slash goal fest.

You didn't even give it a chance! Now who knows what might have been?

FLAMESRULE · 10-16-2007, 10:55 AM

This is really too bad, the sport was gaining alot of popularity in Canada and was in major markets in the US. A full 1 year strike could easily kill the league though.

There is still 2 months left to work something out, plus this happened a couple years ago and got the season underway.

Bobblehead · 10-16-2007, 11:18 AM

I liked the game, but I hated the crap they had around the game. It was like a concert with a lacrosse game going on in the middle.

I know they did this to sell it and keep youngsters involved, but it just annoys me. The game is good enough to stand on its own, IMHO. The extraneous stuff just takes away from the action.

Drunk Skunk · 10-16-2007, 01:18 PM

Speaking from the perspective as someone that has never had any exposure to lacrosse, it was fun and entertaining to watch. I remember a few years ago there was talk about starting a "NLL2" league, a minor league to the NLL.

burn_baby_burn · 10-16-2007, 03:40 PM

Personally I didn't care for it. This is only my opinion. But it seemed to be more geared towards the Playstation crowd. Music the entire time. People would get up and return to their seats constantly during play. The PA announcer expects the entire crowd to scream their guts out for 10 minutes before the team even takes the floor. I really thought it sucked. But I do feel sorry for the true fans who enjoyed the sport. Just because I didn't like it, doesn't mean it wasn't any good.

Prototype · 10-16-2007, 03:52 PM

I do not agree that this is a death blow of the league.

The players are paid scraps, and I'm sure that the players understand that they won't be getting million dollar contracts just yet, but they should be making more than the $25k max a season they are now. The league is healthier IMO than they the owners would like to have people believe. Might be lacking in certian markets... but I think the NLL is much more healthy, and thus the players should be paid accordingly.

As far as the product is concerned, it's a different game. I'm sure most of you are more experienced with the Flames and Hitmen at the Dome. It took me 1 or 2 games to get used to the experience of Roughnecks game. The thing is I wouldn't expect the PA anouncer to dictate every play of a Flames game like they do in Football. It's a completely different game.

I thought I heard somewhere that the Roughnecks owner actually owns a Summer league team down in the states somewhere, and most of the Roughnecks, including training staff, actually play almost year round. Then again, I have heard that some players have to have full time jobs to compinsate for the lack of paycheque that comes with playing Lacross.

JiriHrdina · 10-16-2007, 04:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Prottotype

I do not agree that this is a death blow of the league.

The players are paid scraps, and I'm sure that the players understand that they won't be getting million dollar contracts just yet, but they should be making more than the $25k max a season they are now. The league is healthier IMO than they the owners would like to have people believe. Might be lacking in certian markets... but I think the NLL is much more healthy, and thus the players should be paid accordingly.

I'm not sure I agree. The fact is the NLL and similar leagues fit in somewhere between amateur sports and professional sports - yes these guys are pros but if any lacrosse player is thinking that a job in the NLL is going to pay the bills - they are mistaken....and will be for some time.

The players have to realize that they a part of a young sport in a young league - the revenues simply are not there to justify higher salaries.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Prottotype

As far as the product is concerned, it's a different game. I'm sure most of you are more experienced with the Flames and Hitmen at the Dome. It took me 1 or 2 games to get used to the experience of Roughnecks game. The thing is I wouldn't expect the PA anouncer to dictate every play of a Flames game like they do in Football. It's a completely different game.

Agreed - the problem is that people expect lacrosse to be like hockey but with a more wide open style - a lot of back and forth play.

In my opinion the sports is actually closer to basketball then hockey....once a team has posession it is tough to get the ball away from them, you have your shot clock, short selection is important itself - as is working the ball to the inside and back outside, and just as in basketball you have a lot of minor infractions that create at times a lot of whistles.

Not like hockey - and once one gets one's head around that fact it becomes much more enjoyable.

Resolute 14 · 10-16-2007, 04:37 PM

I got several friends hooked on lacrosse by telling them it was a cross between "hockey, basketball and an LAPD police beating."

Ultimately, when you get past Toronto and Colorado, not a lot of teams are making a ton of money. Even Calgary, with an average crowd of 11,000 still has to fly players in from all over NA for each practice and game, cause few live in Calgary itself. It has to pay rent to the Flames. The Flames also get a sizable chunk of the concessions and merchandising. Costs of flying to most games, etc.

iirc, the Roughnecks typically tread close to break-even, but never far over it. And Calgary is probably the 4th most stable market in the league after Toronto, Colorado and Philadelphia/Buffalo.

There probably is room to pay the players a bit more, but at the same time, as long as there are teams like San Jose drawing 4000, raising salaries too much will kill teams.