ESPN Nearing Deal For Stake In Major League Lacrosse

ESPN is close to a deal to “take an equity stake in Major League Lacrosse [MLL],” according to Ourand & Lefton in this week’s SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL. The deal “furthers ESPN’s strategy of shunning straight rights deals for smaller sports properties in favor of deals that allow the company to own part of a league.” It is “similar to one ESPN signed with the [AFL] at the end of last year.” ESPN2 has aired MLL games for the past four years, but the equity agreement “should lend the league some badly needed legitimacy, especially since the indoor National Lacrosse League draws bigger crowds and is planning an outdoor league of its own.” Bill Schoonmaker, VP/Client Partnerships for LeadDog Marketing, which has represented U.S. Lacrosse, said, “Any league could benefit from the kind of promotion ESPN can provide, but they have to get a better time slot than Tuesday afternoons –- and you’d assume both of those things would improve if ESPN buys equity” (SBJ, 2/26 issue).