National Lacrosse League Expansion: Past, Present, and Future Prospects

How has the National Lacrosse League expanded in recent years. What are the key factors driving NLL expansion. Which cities are potential candidates for future NLL franchises. How does the league balance growth with stability.

The Vision of Commissioner Nick Sakiewicz for NLL Growth

When Nick Sakiewicz took over as the National Lacrosse League (NLL) commissioner, he brought with him a bold vision for expansion. Drawing from his experience in growing Major League Soccer, Sakiewicz set out to apply a similar blueprint to the NLL. However, this time, the approach would be more measured and strategic.

Unlike previous expansion attempts that sometimes led to instability, Sakiewicz’s plan prioritized the long-term sustainability of the league. His strategy focused on attracting ownership groups with deep pockets and, preferably, experience in managing other professional sports franchises.

Key Elements of Sakiewicz’s Expansion Strategy

• Targeting NHL/NBA ownership groups or billionaire investors
• Ensuring geographical diversity across North America
• Gradual expansion to maintain league chemistry
• Careful vetting of potential ownership groups

Recent NLL Expansion Success Stories

The NLL has seen several successful expansion moves in recent years, each aligning with Sakiewicz’s vision for stable growth. These additions have not only increased the league’s geographical footprint but also brought in significant financial backing.

San Diego Seals: Billionaire Backing on the West Coast

One of the most notable expansion successes was the addition of the San Diego Seals. Joseph Tsai, owner of the Ali Baba empire and worth approximately $17 billion, was granted a team in San Diego. This move not only brought substantial financial resources to the league but also opened up the southern West Coast market, an area the NLL had been absent from for years.

Philadelphia’s Return: Corporate Powerhouse Ownership

Philadelphia, one of the original NLL cities dating back to 1974, saw the return of professional lacrosse. This time, however, the ownership group was Comcast, which also owns the NHL’s Philadelphia Flyers. With the Wells Fargo Center as their home arena, this expansion brought both corporate stability and a ready-made venue to the league.

Innovative Solutions for League Stability

The NLL has shown creativity in maintaining its presence in key markets while still expanding. A prime example of this innovative approach was the situation in Rochester, NY.

The Rochester Conundrum

When Rochester’s owner Curt Styres looked to move his franchise to Halifax, Nova Scotia, it threatened to leave a gap in one of the NLL’s storied cities. The league found an ingenious solution: Terry Pegula of Pegula Sports and Entertainment, already the owner of the Buffalo Bandits and Buffalo Sabres, agreed to put an expansion team back in Rochester. This unorthodox move allowed for expansion while preserving the league’s presence in a key market.

Fort Worth Expansion: Tapping into NBA Expertise

The addition of the Panther City Lacrosse Club in Fort Worth, Texas, represents another strategic expansion move for the NLL. The ownership group is led by Bill Cameron, part-owner of the NBA’s Oklahoma City Thunder. This expansion not only brings the NLL to a new market but also leverages the expertise of an established NBA owner.

Dickies Arena: A New Home for Texas Lacrosse

The Panther City Lacrosse Club will play their home games at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth. This modern facility provides an excellent venue for the team and further demonstrates the NLL’s commitment to placing teams in top-tier arenas.

Franchise Relocations: Adapting to Market Realities

While expansion has been a key focus, the NLL has also shown flexibility in relocating franchises when necessary. The move of the New England Black Wolves to Albany, renamed as the Firewolves, is a prime example of this adaptability.

Oliver Marti: A Multifaceted Addition to NLL Ownership

The relocation brought Oliver Marti into the NLL ownership fold. Marti’s background is particularly interesting for the league:

• Former professional lacrosse player
• Major investor in the Premier Lacrosse League (PLL)
• Owner of Epoch lacrosse equipment
• Founder of healthcare hedge funds and investment firms

This diverse experience in lacrosse, business, and finance makes Marti a valuable addition to the NLL ownership group.

Future Expansion Prospects: Where Might the NLL Go Next?

The NLL’s expansion plans don’t stop with its recent additions. The league has identified several potential markets for future growth, both in Canada and the United States.

Canadian Expansion Targets

In Canada, four cities have been identified as potential expansion locations:

1. Edmonton
2. Winnipeg
3. Montreal
4. Quebec City

These markets could help strengthen the NLL’s presence in Canada and tap into the country’s deep lacrosse roots.

U.S. Expansion Possibilities

In the United States, the league is looking to increase its exposure on the West Coast. Some rumored destinations include:

• San Francisco
• Seattle
• Las Vegas

Additionally, with the departure of the New England team to Albany, there’s renewed interest in the Boston market. Rumors have surfaced about the Boston Bruins (NHL) potentially resurrecting the Boston Blazers franchise.

Balancing Growth and Stability: The NLL’s Long-Term Vision

While the NLL has ambitious expansion plans, the league is taking a measured approach to growth. This strategy aims to maintain the chemistry of existing teams while steadily increasing the league’s footprint.

Is there a target number of teams for the NLL?

The NLL has set a long-term goal of having between 20 to 30 teams. This expansion would potentially allow the league to transition from part-time to full-time status for players and staff.

How frequently does the NLL plan to add new teams?

Rather than rapid expansion, the NLL plans to add franchises gradually – a few at a time, with several years between expansion rounds. This approach helps minimize disruption to existing teams, as expansion drafts typically result in each team losing two players.

By adhering to this carefully planned blueprint, the NLL aims to ensure that new franchises are stable and well-supported. This methodical growth strategy is designed to create a strong, sustainable league with a presence across North America.

The Impact of Expansion on NLL’s Future

As the National Lacrosse League continues its expansion efforts, it’s poised to significantly impact the sport’s landscape in North America. The careful approach to growth, coupled with the influx of experienced owners and substantial financial backing, suggests a bright future for professional lacrosse.

How might expansion affect the quality of play in the NLL?

While rapid expansion can sometimes dilute talent in sports leagues, the NLL’s measured approach may actually improve the overall quality of play. By gradually increasing the number of teams, the league can allow the player talent pool to grow organically, potentially drawing more athletes to the sport.

What could full-time status mean for NLL players?

The long-term goal of transitioning to a full-time league could dramatically change the lives of NLL players. It would likely lead to increased salaries, improved training regimens, and the ability for players to focus solely on lacrosse as their profession. This shift could elevate the sport’s profile and attract even more talented athletes to the league.

As the NLL continues to expand its reach across North America, it’s not just growing a sports league – it’s nurturing the growth of lacrosse as a mainstream sport. With strategic expansion into new markets, backed by solid ownership groups, the National Lacrosse League is laying the groundwork for a future where professional lacrosse commands a significant place in the North American sports landscape.

National Lacrosse League Expansion…Past, Present, and Future

15 de Mayo de 2021 a las 05:04

Photo courtesy of InsideLacrosse.com

Article by Gary Groob IG: @ggroob

Columnist and Host of Spanglish World Networks

TORONTO. –  With the recent Fort Worth expansion, and the move of New England to Albany, it is safe to say that Pandemic or not, the National Lacrosse League (NLL) won’t let anything come between themselves, and the goals they have set for league growth.

When Nick Sakeiwicz took over as the NLL commissioner his mandate was to expand the league the same way he helped to expand Major League Soccer (MLS). 

People who had been around the NLL had seen this movie before. 

Give out franchises to questionable ownership groups for the sake of expansion, led to teams folding, or moving cities creating instability in the league.  At their peak, the “old” NLL had thirteen teams, but in recent years had settled comfortably to a nine team league of stable franchises.

Enter Commissioner Nick Sakeiwicz…

Although the first couple of years he was more in the background, he wasn’t just sitting in his office.  Mr. Sakeiwicz was learning the league (the game, the teams, the fans), and was also fine tuning his blue print on expansion to fit the NLL.

What were the prerequisites?

Commissioner Sakeiwicz was looking for stability of the league first and foremost. To achieve this he would only look to expand with NHL/NBA ownerships or people with very, very deep pockets.

The first expansion added a billionaire to the league.  Joseph Tsai, Owner of the Ali Baba empire and worth approximately 17 Billion dollars, was granted a team in San Diego (Seals).  This also opened the southern west coast to the league for the first time in years.  At the same time, Sakeiwicz brought a franchise back to Philadelphia (one of the original cities of the NLL dating all the way back to ’74).  This time however, the ownership group was Comcast, who also owned the NHL Flyers, and had the Wells Fargo Center ready for them to play.

Opening the coasts was important to the league, making sure the entire Continent of North America was included in this league.

Rochester’s owner Curt Styres was looking to move his franchise to Halifax, Nova Scotia, but that would leave a hole in the storied NLL city of Rochester, what to do?  A deal was struck with Terry Pegula of Pegula Sports and Entertainment, and owner of the Buffalo Bandits and Buffalo Sabres.  His ownership group would now put an expansion team back in Rochester, NY, and though unorthodox, it worked.  At the same time GF Sports (with proven experience managing live sports and entertainment properties both in the New York area and worldwide) was awarded a Franchise on Long Island, to play at the Nassau Coliseum. 

Enter the Fort Worth expansion…

Bill Cameron (Part owner of the NBA’s Oklahoma Thunder) headed the ownership group set to lead the Panther City Lacrosse Club, ready to play in Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas.

The move of the New England Black Wolves to Albany (newly named the Firewolves), added Oliver Marti, a former pro lacrosse player himself, major invester in the Premier Lacrosse League (PLL), owner of Epoch lacrosse equipment, also forming the Connecticut-based healthcare hedge fund team CCI Healthcare at investment firm Columbus Circle Investors in 2001 and founded Akera Capital in 2018.

Where to next?

In Canada there are four spots the league is looking at…Edmonton, Winnipeg, Montreal, and Quebec City.

In the U.S. the league is looking to increase their exposure on the west coast with places like San Francisco, Seattle, and Las Vegas constantly as rumored destinations. 

The departing of the New England team to Albany, leaves a hole on the east coast, and rumors of the Boston Bruins (NHL) looking to resurrect the Boston Blazers have surfaced. 

The league will add more franchises but, as seen in the past with this management group, will do their due diligence first, and space it out to not destroy chemistry of the present teams (expansion drafts have teams losing two players each time).  The goal to have twenty to thirty teams, moving the league eventually from part time to full time is well underway, but this is a marathon not a sprint. 

Teams will be added a few at a time, a few years apart from each other, keeping balance while moving forward.   As long as Sakeiwicz and his team stay true to their blue print, they will have stable franchises all over North America.  The future looks to be bright, and exciting for this league.

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NLL Expansion Candidate Cities – Lacrosse All Stars

NLL commissioner Nick Sakiewicz has made it clear that the league intends to continue its growth and geographic footprint through expansion over the next few years. We’ve recently seen new franchises like Fort Worth and Las Vegas come online, preceded by San Diego, Halifax, and New York (Riptide).

But where could the NLL go?

When looking at new cities, there are several things to consider. Ironically, an established presence of box lacrosse is not one of them. When we consider the recent NLL additions to states like Texas, Nevada, and California, these are places with thriving field games where youth box is still relatively new.

The Criteria

The criteria I considered when looking at possible cities for the NLL expansion were:

• A medium-sized stadium in the range of 12,000-18,000 capacity
• A “sports” city with enough room in the market for another pro team
• A location that isn’t too close to a competing franchise
• A location that can easily pull fans from within a region
• An established ownership group with experience in sports operations

NLL Expansion Candidates

Toledo, Oh / Grand Rapids, Mi

So, this started out as a selfish choice so that I can have a team nearby, but I promise they both make sense as NLL expansion cities.

Each city is blessed with a strong lacrosse presence in both field and box. They are both also adjacent to major cities, host minor league sports franchises, and have suitable venues.

Toledo is one hour from Detroit, a little more than an hour from Windsor, and two hours from Cleveland. It’s home to the Toledo Walleye of the ECHL and the Toledo Mud Hens (an MLB affiliate for the Detroit Tigers). The Walleye and Mud Hens are both owned by the same group:

The team is currently owned and operated by Toledo Arena Sports, Inc. The current ownership group is a subsidiary of Toledo Mud Hens Baseball Club, Inc., another ownership that owns and operates the Toledo Mud Hens.

sanduskycountyairport

All Walleye are back in the Pond.

🚨 We’re 𝘽𝙖𝙘𝙠 𝘼𝙩 𝙁𝙪𝙡𝙡 𝙎𝙩𝙧𝙚𝙣𝙜𝙩𝙝, Toledo. 🚨 pic.twitter.com/c6WvCnBpNQ

— Toledo Walleye (@ToledoWalleye) July 28, 2021

This means that Toledo has an experienced ownership group in place that already operates a suitable facility; The Huntington Center is 12 years old and has a maximum capacity of about 8,000. While the facility is on the smaller side, it gives the franchise the opportunity to sell out every week. There are few things as intimidating in sports as a smaller, sold-out venue in a sports-crazed town.

What a move by Jonatan Berggren for his first point as a Griffin, setting up Turner Elson, who scored his 100th point as a Griffin on Friday night #GoGRG pic. twitter.com/wIQaluzxSO

— Grand Rapids Griffins (@griffinshockey) October 18, 2021

Grand Rapids is two-and-a-half hours from Detroit and three hours from Chicago. It already hosts an AHL franchise in the Grand Rapids Griffins, which is owned by billionaire Dan DeVos, who also serves as chairman for the Orlando Magic. The Griffins play at VanAndel Arena, which can seat approximately 10,000 fans. In short, Grand Rapids has the stadium, the owner, and the right location to replicate a Halifax-type level of success.

Salt Lake City, Ut

I had my own list of NLL expansion cities, but as I was starting this post, I stumbled upon Charlie’s suggestion, and he was so spot on that I immediately added (all credit to Charlie).

After seeing Salt Lake City first-hand and just how electric a Jazz 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘰𝘯 game was, I have no doubt the @NLL would thrive here

— Charlie Ragusa (@chucknchuck) October 19, 2021

SLC has seen tremendous growth in its lacrosse presence, but that isn’t what makes it a great candidate to me. The city has one major sport franchise, the Utah Jazz, and a state of the art arena (Vivint Arena), which can seat up to 20,000 for basketball. When outfitted with boards to host an NLL game, I imagine this puts the capacity right around 17,500, which is ambitious but ideal for NLL attendance.

Not only would SLC create another West Division team, it could also lure some impressive ownership groups west. According to a recent article about the sale of Real Salt Lake, the local MLS team, there is quite an extensive list of possible new owners. When spending more than $350 million on an MLS franchise, why not add a $10 million NLL team and really invest in Utah sports?

Honorable Mentions

• Portland, OR
• Nashville, TN
• Charlotte, NC
• Milwaukee, WI
• Boston, MA (but not actually in Boston)

States Expansion. How Americans Love Sports – Hockey News

How did David Beckham change soccer in America? How many millions of people watched the Super Bowl around the world? Why is the average NFL attendance the dream of every sports league on the planet? The answers are in the material of Vitaly Suvorov.

Super Bowl 2013, which ended with a resounding victory for the Baltimore Ravens, was watched by more than 150 million people around the world – never before had such an audience gathered at the screens of a football game.

_{Photo: Fotobank/Getty Images/Chris Graythen}

About 72,000 fans made their way inside the Superdome itself that day – but that’s not a record, not even close. The Steelers from Pittsburgh match against the Green Bay Packers, which thundered in Texas two years ago, gathered 103,219 spectators in the stands. The 1983 California Super Bowl, in which the Miami Dolphins butted heads against the Washington Redskins, was attended by another 400 people.

_{Photo: Fotobank/Getty Images/Sports Illustrated/George Tiedemann}

In the early 2000s, the average Super Bowl attendance was 70,000+. Such – with rare exceptions – it remains to this day. But this is due only to the fact that almost all the stadiums that have been hosting the United States Major Sports Performance for 13 years simply cannot accommodate more spectators.

No wonder the average NFL attendance is the number every sports league on the planet dreams of. In the 2009 season/10, a year after the world was rocked by the financial crisis, and ticket prices crept up, each game of the National Football League was attended by an average of more than 67,000 spectators; at the end of the season, it was estimated that during this time 17 million 282 thousand people visited the stands. Needless to say, the season ticket waiting list for, say, the Chicago Bears is over 15 years old?

***

David Beckham, the most famous and arguably the most influential football player of our time, tried on the jersey of MLS flagship LA Galaxy five years ago. Leaving the States last December, Becks must have been pleased. So what has really changed during this time?

_{Photo: Fotobank/Getty Images/Steve Dykes}

Well, first of all, there were 12 teams in the US Major League Soccer when David Beckham arrived; now, five years later, it’s 19. Professional football clubs have sprung up in Toronto, Seattle, Philadelphia, Portland, Vancouver, and Montreal. The hitherto unprecedented competition for fans forced the club bosses to update the infrastructure, entertain spectators both inside and outside the stadiums. TV revenues have multiplied, and the average football match attendance has increased by more than 300 percent to 19 in 2012.thousand fans.

_{Photo: Fotobank / Getty Images / Otto Greule Jr}

Of course, all this is not the merit of Beckham alone. For five years, Thierry Henry, Robbie Keane, Rafael Marquez and other European stars moved to the MLS. The American League not only got rid of the glory of Qatar – a place where older players secure their future without much effort – but also attracted the attention of English, German and even Russian fans.

It is difficult to judge how much it attracts the Americans themselves. However, it is known that, on average, only 10 percent of the seats are empty at each MLS game – less than in the NBA and NHL games, the two most popular American leagues outside the United States.

_{Photo: Fotobank/Getty Images/Kevork Djansezian , but especially strongly in America itself. The first three games, which restarted American hockey in January of this year, gathered a total of 53,500 spectators in the stands. #hockeyisback – and after watching the next two videos, you will understand why this is so important.}

***

The cardinal rule of the United States sports industry, just like the music or film industry, is that the world needs Legends. Nowhere else in the world is it possible to gain popularity so quickly. Nowhere, except in America, you can become such a star as you can become in the United States. Do your job, do it well – and you will not be left without attention. However, sport, in any case, is a different story.

The standing ovation received by Kobe Bryant on America’s best daytime show, The Ellen DeGeneres Show, would be the envy of George Clooney himself – despite the fact that Ellen’s audience consists predominantly of women. So, as David Beckham was met on the same show a year earlier, they did not even meet Barack Obama.

LeBron James has about the same number of followers on Twitter as Jim Carrey and Jimmy Fallon, the host of one of the most popular Late Night Shows and the inspiration of Ivan Urgant. Kobe, who appeared on the social network just over a month ago, is already being followed by almost one and a half million people. There is a suspicion that by the end of this year, Justin Bieber will have a serious cause for concern.

Every Kobe throw, every tweet by Carmelo Anthony or Shaquille O’Neal brings the NBA thousands of new fans around the planet. YouTube is full of crazy things that basketball fans are doing in the stands. But personally, I like the other video much more – in which LeBron James strangles in the arms of a plump man, a fan of the Heat, who just earned 75 thousand dollars with one throw.

How many people who stumble across this video do you think would want to add a T-shirt from a good-looking black man who also happens to be a basketball superstar to their wardrobe? What do you think will be the first purchase of the lucky one?

***

According to many, baseball is a sport that is almost impossible to understand for a person born outside the United States. It has to be learned from childhood – swinging a bat in the backyard, throwing a ball, collecting the legendary cards that today are bought for thousands of dollars.

_{Hundreds of thousands of fans celebrate San Francisco’s World Series victory. Photo: Fotobank/Getty Images/Ezra Shaw}

In the States themselves, the game, celebrated in Hollywood films, is not just a sport, it is a cult, it is history. Joe DiMaggio, the best baseball player of all time, could easily be compared to Louis Armstrong or Frank Sinatra, all of whom influenced American culture in roughly equal measure, being the perfect epitome of the era they lived in. All of them were idols, for a meeting with which people were ready to give everything they have.

In addition, baseball is perhaps the only game on the planet that so reverently guards history. Its rules have not changed for almost 100 years; the shape of the players even now is not much different from what athletes took to the field in the 20s of the last century.

_{Three million fans at the New York Yankees’ World Series victory parade. Photo: Fotobank/Getty Images/Allsport}

However, the most amazing story happened only about 17 years ago when a bunch of activists from the state of Ohio organized the first reconstruction of a baseball game in the mid-19s.of the century, as others put on re-enactments of Civil War battles or the legendary Woodstock concert.

As the years went on, the number of participants increased, and at some point, those few people who started the historic match became the leaders of an entire league – a league that dressed up in equipment from 1857, spelled “Baseball” as “Baseball” (the name of the game changed in the 1880s) and used long-obsolete terminology. What is this if not love?

***

The US Student Competition is a place where almost all the stars of American sports light up like a garland on a Christmas tree. The National Collegiate Sports Association has more than a thousand organizations, and the association itself holds championships in football, basketball, hockey, baseball, golf, lacrosse, fencing and dozens of other sports.

To hell with words, just look at this. The University of Michigan Stadium, where Brodsky once taught, during match days of the local football team.

***

The short video just a couple of paragraphs below was filmed by the guys at EA Sports a few years ago as part of a campaign to promote a new series of the iconic soccer game. Its main character is a 62-year-old Chinese named King Keung Chu, who immigrated to New York from Hong Kong in the early 80s. Every Saturday, King puts on his boots and wanders towards the football field to play for an amateur club from Chinatown. King does not speak English, so none of his teammates know his exact age, or profession, or the secret of his amazing physical shape.

However, in this video you will find not only the touching story of a Chinese immigrant. In it you will find proof that even in New York City, a city full of fun, the less popular game captivates students and old people, artists and engineers, Americans and those who left their homeland a long time ago.

After all, real sport is crowded even in the largest stadiums on the planet.

Derek Keenan (Lacrosse Player) – Age, Birthday, Bio, Facts, Family, Net Worth, Height & More

Derek Keenan is a former volleyball player who is currently the head coach and general manager of the Saskatchewan Rush of the National Lacrosse League. Keenan has won the NLL GM of the Year award and the Les Bartley Coach of the Year award three times; He won both awards in 2006, 2010 and 2014, although he shares the 2010 Bartley Award with Chris Hall. After a long amateur career and playing for Team Canada at several World Championships, Keenan started playing professionally at 19.’92 with the Buffalo Bandits, where he received the Rookie of the Year award. 1992. The Bandits won the championship cup in Keenan’s two seasons with the team. After a five-year hiatus, he played six games against the Toronto Rock in 1999 before becoming an assistant coach to Les Bartleys.

Lacrosse player Derek Keenan was born on October 2, 1961 in Tsanada (he is 61 years old).

Lacrosse coach, general manager and former player who has won the NLL GM of the Year and Les Bartley Coach of the Year awards multiple times, both in 2006, 2010 and 2014. He was inducted into Canadian lacrosse. Hall of Fame 2012.

All info about Derek Keenan can be found here. This article will clarify all information about Derek Keenan: biography, age, facts, income, family, husband & breakup…

Derek Keenan was born in the Zodiac sign Libra (The Scales) , and 1961 is the year of the Chinese Zodiac Ox (牛) .

He was born in Oshawa, Ontario and played lacrosse at Ithaca College. He won the Rookie of the Year award during the first year of his professional career with the Buffalo Bandits.

Under his leadership, the Portland Lumberjax became the first expansion team in the history of the National Lacrosse League to finish first in their division.